Pope Francis, who was well known for his desire to reach out beyond Rome to the Church on the peripheries, has been remembered with special prayers and Masses across the SVD Australia Province.
From Thailand and Myanmar to New Zealand and some of the most remote communities in Australia, the faithful of the SVD Australia Province have come together to pray for Pope Francis’ eternal repose and to give thanks for his papacy which was marked by humility, mercy and hope.
While Pope Francis never visited Australia or New Zealand, he did make apostolic visits to Myanmar in 2017 and Thailand in 2019 and is warmly remembered in both places.
“The church is called to come out of herself and to go to the peripheries, not only geographically, but also the existential peripheries,” the late Pope famously said.
This week, the Church of the peripheries showed its love for the Pope who made its people feel so seen and heard throughout his papacy.
On the Tiwi Islands, north of Darwin, the predominantly indigenous community came together to remember and pray for Pope Francis in a Memorial Mass.
“Here, on these distant shores, the name ‘Pope Francis’ was not unfamiliar. Many Tiwi people immediately responded, saying with affection, ‘Wulimani (Old Man) has passed away’,” Our Lady and St Therese’s Parish - Wurrumiyanga, Tiwi Islands, said on social media.
“In their hearts, they recognised not only the death of a distant leader but the loss of their own spiritual father — the beloved leader of the Catholic Church.”
On the Tiwi Islands, the parish said, when a member of the community passes away, it is natural to seek a priest and organise a Mass to pray for the departed soul.
“In the same heartfelt way, when news of Pope Francis’ death reached our communities, many elders and parishioners expressed the desire to hold a memorial Mass for him.”
A portrait of Pope Francis was placed with reverence in front of the church, surrounded by a burning candle — a symbol of prayer and light. Over the following nine days of mourning, many community members went to offer flowers, pray silently, and pay their respects.
“The spirit of grief was deeply felt, but so too was the spirit of unity and gratitude for the life of this humble shepherd,” the parish said.
On Monday, April 28, a memorial Mass was celebrated at Our Lady of Peace and St Therese Church in Bathurst Island. A large number of people gathered, drawn by love and respect for Pope Francis.
During the homily, Parish Priest, Fr Niran Veigas SVD reflected on the extraordinary legacy of Pope Francis — a man of profound simplicity, compassion, and humility.
“Even the poorest of the poor could feel the gentle touch of Pope Francis' life and ministry,” he said.
“His humble lifestyle, his love for the margins of society, and his tenderness towards all creation had made him beloved across cultures and nations.”
The faith community prayed together that God, in His great mercy, would welcome Pope Francis into the eternal joy of heaven, rewarding him for all the goodness he sowed on earth.
At the conclusion of the Mass, the congregation was invited to move forward, one by one, to offer flowers before the portrait of Pope Francis — a powerful gesture of Tiwi respect and farewell.
“The final hymn was a traditional Tiwi song, and the people expressed their farewell in the Tiwi way: through cultural dance, honouring Pope Francis with their hearts and their traditions,” the parish said.
“It was a moving and profound celebration — a blending of Catholic faith and Tiwi culture, woven together by love for the Wulimani.”
Meanwhile, in the desert country of Central Australia, the people of Ltyentye Apurte – Santa Teresa also remembered Pope Francis in prayer.
Santa Teresa’s mostly indigenous population is about 80 per cent Catholic, making it one of the most Catholic places in Australia and residents expressed their sorrow at the Pope’s passing.
The church has been adorned with a photo of Pope Francis, surrounded by candles and flowers, as people prayed for ‘Pope Kwementyaye’ (a cultural term used to avoid saying the deceased person’s name). His framed photo is also on display at the Santa Teresa Spirituality Centre and in the school library.
At the Ltyentye Apurte Catholic School, Eastern Arrernte teacher Carmel Ryan told ABC News that she had been on a pilgrimage to Rome to see a previous pope and was "really sad" to have not met Pope Francis.
"I am very sad [hearing about the pope's death] … and we will be missing him," she said.
On Tuesday, March 29, the community of Santa Teresa gathered for a memorial Mass. SVD Parishes right across the Province have also held memorial Masses this week.
PHOTOS
TOP RIGHT: Memorial to Pope Francis in Our Lady and St Therese’s Parish - Wurrumiyanga, Tiwi Islands.
MIDDLE LEFT: Tiwi Islands pay their respects by placing flowers on the memorial and express their sorrow through cultural song and dance.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Pope Francis was also remembered and prayed for at Santa Teresa in Central Australia.