Calendar Class of April 26, 2025
- Andrea Kirk Assaf
- Apr 26
- 2 min read
A Carpe Diem Snapshot:
The morning of the funeral began with the cupola shrouded in mist but the sun quickly burned it off, and burnt a lot of skin later on in the day as well. As you have probably seen more than I have as I was caught up in crowds around the Vatican all morning, it was an epic occasion, with 50 heads of state present at the funeral Mass, along with 250,000 pilgrims. It was unmistakably evident today that the Roman Catholic Church inherited the grandeur and drama of the Roman empire, as historian Mary Beard has remarked, and that it continues to draw the world's attention through these ancient and symbolic traditions. Watching from the Piazza di Risorgimento, named after the political movement that brought an end to the Papal States, my friends and I reflected on how completely unique these major Papal masses are in the world today, marveling at how the "sovereign ruler" of this tiny "country", who is also head of a religion, is really still the only individual who could assemble such an extraordinarily diverse and huge assembly of people from all corners of the globe. Everyone, and certainly every Catholic, should have this tangible experience of the universality of the Catholic church at least once in their lives. After all, as we all well know, all roads lead to Rome.
Liturgical: Saturday of the Easter Octave
This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it.
I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
Psalm 118
Sanctoral: Saint Pedro de San José Betancur, +1667
As humans, we often pride ourselves on our ability to reason. But as Pedro’s life shows, other skills may be an even more crucial element of our humanity than a clever mind: compassion, imagination, love. Unable to master studies for the priesthood despite his efforts, Pedro responded to the needs of homeless and sick people; he provided education to the poor and salvation to the rich. He became holy—as fully human as any of us can ever be.
Human: 2025 The funeral Mass of Pope Francis
Italian: 36 Idioms with Colours in Italian
Quote: “The question of death is the question of life, and keeping the question of death open, perhaps, is the greatest human responsibility so as to keep the question of life open…But the oblivion of death is also its beginning, and also, a culture that forgets death begins to die within. He who forgets death has already begun to die.”
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