Region Catholics gathered at the Cathedral of the Holy Angels in Gary on Monday, to pray for Pope Francis.
Cathedral Rector Fr. Michael Surufka presided over the Office of the Dead for the pope. Fr. Surufka, a Franciscan priest, recalled Francis's election in 2013 and his excitement that he'd taken the name of his order's founder.
"How many of you held your hand up to the television screen and blessed the Pope?" Fr. Surufka asked. "We need to do the same, now, again — to hold up our hearts and continue to bless the Pope who blessed us."
He said Francis' death that morning came as no shock but was still a surprise. He also highlighted the calls for hope in Francis' Easter homily, even if the future may seem uncertain.
"And in this Jubilee of Hope, we don't know who the next holy father is going to be," Fr. Surufka added. "But God does."
Fr. Surufka predicted that Francis' papacy would be a consequential one, but noted that his full impact may not be seen for years.
