SEDE VACANTE: THE POPE HAS DIED

Who will next wear the shoes of the fisherman?

By Mary Ann Mueller

VOL Special Correspondent

www.virtueonline.org

April 21, 2025

Sede Vacante: Pope Francis has died.

“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow, I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell prefaced Monday (April 21) morning from the Vatican. “At 7:35 this morning, The Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the Father’s house. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His church.”

Pope Francis’ death was not unexpected. He was in failing health since he came down with double pneumonia on Valentine's Day which landed him in the hospital for more than a month.

Even after he got out of the hospital, he never recovered his health, but he lasted until Easter when he was seen by the people taking what would be his final ride in his white Popemobile.

The Pope is dead. Such words were uttered Easter Monday morning by Cardinal Farrell, an American Catholic bishop who once was the IV Bishop of Dallas. Now as the Camerlengo of the Catholic Church he is the one who pronounced Pope Francis dead, defaced his papal ring to signify that Francis' reign is over, and announced the Pope’s death to the world. And, until a new pontiff is elected, the affairs of state for the Vatican City-State fall on his shoulders.

The Pope is dead. I've heard those words uttered six times. First in 1958 when Pope Pius XII died; in 1963 when Pope John XXIII died: twice in 1978 when Pope Paul died and quickly afterwards for Pope John Paul I, then again in 2005 when John Paul II died and again Easter Monday when Pope Francis died.

Pope-emeritus Benedict XVI died on New Year's Eve 2022, but he was not the sitting pope at the time. He abdicated his papal throne in 2013 to be followed by Francis.

On March 13, 2013 I was excited about Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio’s election as pope. He was seen as a humble, almost shy man from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Around the same time Justin Welby was named the Archbishop of Canterbury, and many were excited about his elevation to the See of Canterbury. Both church leaders were enthroned days apart Francis on March 19 and Welby on March 21. They became friends.

But, alas, both Francis and Welby turned out to be disappointments with their reigns ending just months apart in 2025. Welby put down his crozier on January 6 which was his 69th birthday, and Francis died on April 21. And now both the See of Canterbury and the See of Rome are Sede Vacante. The question is: Who will fill these vacancies?

Both Francis and Welby brought turmoil to their branch of the universal church. Both tripped over the growing demands of LGBTQ ideology issues.

Now the Vatican enters into nine days of mourning. Then several days later, to allow for travel time for all the electing cardinals to arrive in Rome, the next conclave is supposed to start to elect a new pontiff – eventually a telltale puff of white smoke signifies that one of the gathered cardinals will trade in his red cassock for the white one.

Easter Monday the Italian media – La Repubblica and Il Messaggero – reported that Francis’ death is not attributable to lung issues reporting that the Pope apparently died of a stroke. However, the Vatican has stated that he succumbed to pneumonia. 

Pray for repose of Pope Francis’ soul. Pray for the Roman Church. Pray for the conclave. Pray for the new pope, whomever he will be. Pray that the Holy Spirit gets His way and that “Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Mary Ann Mueller is a journalist living in Texas. She is a regular contributor to VirtueOnline.