Maidenhead's Catholic community pay tribute to the late Pope

Maidenhead’s Catholic community has paid tribute to the late Pope Francis for his compassionate reforms and humble way of living by example.

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday aged 88. He is currently lying in state in St Peter’s Basilica, where thousands of mourners will file past his casket to pay their respects.

For Father Brian Oswald, rector of Maidenhead, the Pope will be missed. He remembers fondly a papal audience he had with him in Rome six years ago.

“There were thousands of us, we queued up for about two and half hours,” he said. “To receive a blessing from the Pope – you’d have to be there to appreciate the whole emotional side of it.”

Across the community, there is much sadness over Pope Francis’ death, Father Brian said.

“I live in a community of nine priests and all of us are really upset because he stood for the very values we’re trying to live out in our own lives,” he said.

“He touched a very deep chord in each member of our community and in the parish community of St Joseph’s [Catholic church].”

Among those values were Pope Francis’ care for the environment, his outreach and care for the poor, prisoners, those in hospital and especially migrants, Father Brian said.

The Pope famously went so far as to arrange for a dozen rescued refugees to live in the Vatican’s care.

“He just said, ‘Look, there’s room for everyone,’” said Father Brian.

The Pope lived other personally inspiring values – one of his most striking individual characteristics to those who admired him was his ‘simplicity’, Father Brian said.

“He didn’t live in the Vatican itself, the papal apartment set aside for popes. He lived in Saint Martha’s House [a guest house for clergy].

“Normally he’d have his own butler and a retinue of help. But he actually went to serve himself. That’s really setting an example for someone who’s a number one figure in the church.

“He lived the gospel values and I think it teaches us to do the same.”

For the future, Father Brian thinks it likely the Pope’s successor will be an ‘in the middle’ figure ‘to bring together both sides of the church, the conservatives and the progressives.’

“I know Pope Francis wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea,” said Father Brian. “A lot of conservatives in the church, including in this country, had very little time for him.”

Nonetheless, he hopes that whoever the new pope is, they will continue to build on Pope Francis’ legacy, including his outreach to migrants.

“I personally think it would be great if they chose somebody who would continue those particular reforms, which are not finished,” said Father Brian.

In honour of the Pope’s life, a memorial mass was scheduled for him for 10am today (Friday) at St Joseph’s Church, Maidenhead – an ordinary mass, but with all prayers being for the Pope and his successor.

Over in Datchet & Eton, Father Shyju Chacko, parish priest for St Augustine and Our Lady of Sorrows, also paid tribute, saying:

"As the world mourns Pope Francis’ passing, he will be remembered not only for his leadership but for his deep personal witness to the Gospel, a pope who washed the feet of prisoners, embraced the sick, and tirelessly sought to build bridges in a divided world.

"His legacy will endure in the hearts of millions inspired by his call to live the joy of the Gospel with love, mercy, and humility.  The Catholic Parish in Datchet celebrated its centenary last year where Pope Francis sent his Papal blessings. We treasure it a lot.

"The Catholic parish Churches in Datchet & Eton did two requiem masses in honour of him. May his soul rest in peace."