POPE BENEDICT RETIRED. THE CHURCH IS ENTERING THE EASTER SEASON AND DESPITE THE LOSS OF THE PONTIFF, THEY FEEL HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. vlog BEAU BOWMAN IS LIVE TONIGHT AT SAINT TERESA CATHOLIC CHURCH HERE IN DES MOINES. BO YOU SPOKE WITH CLERGY THERE ABOUT THE MESSAGE THEY’LL BE SHARING WITH THEIR PARISHIONERS? YEAH, BEN, DEFINITELY A CONFLICTING TIME BECAUSE OF THIS SEASON OF EASTER AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT. I SPOKE WITH THE ASSOCIATE PASTOR HERE AT SAINT TERESA, WHO ACTUALLY JUST FINISHED LAST YEAR HIS SEMINARY IN ROME. HE GREETED EACH OF US SEMINARIANS THAT WERE SERVING THAT MASS AND SHOOK OUR HANDS, AND HE DID IT WITH A SMILE. FATHER MIKE MAHONEY GOT TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET POPE FRANCIS DURING HIS SEMINARY IN ROME. ONE OF THEIR INTERACTIONS DURING EASTER MASS IN SAINT PETER’S SQUARE. THE FIRST ONE AFTER THE PANDEMIC. SO BEING ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THAT KIND OF RENEWAL OF PEOPLE, KIND OF GOING BACK TO A NORMAL STATE OF LIFE ALONG WITH THE POPE, WAS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY FOR SURE. POPE FRANCIS CHOSE HIS NAME, TAKING IT FROM FRANCIS OF ASSISI, KNOWN FOR BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR THE POOR AND CREATING A CHURCH FOR ALL PEOPLE, A LEGACY CATHOLICS IN IOWA WON’T SOON FORGET. FOR CATHOLICS, OF COURSE, HE’S OUR SPIRITUAL LEADER. TOM CHAPMAN IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE IOWA CATHOLIC CONFERENCE. HE WAS ABLE TO GO TO WASHINGTON, DC DURING POPE FRANCIS VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES IN 2015. CHAPMAN SAYS THERE’S SOMETHING EVERYONE CAN TAKE AWAY FROM THE POPE’S LEGACY. EARLY ON, HE TALKED ABOUT A POOR CHURCH FOR THE POOR. AND SO, TO THE EXTENT, AS CHRISTIANS, THAT WE ARE FOR POOR PEOPLE AND TRYING TO HELP THEM, WE’RE DOING WHAT WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. AND I THINK THAT’S THE LEGACY THAT I WOULD TAKE AWAY FROM HIM. AS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH MOVES FORWARD THROUGH THE EASTER SEASON, A TIME OF HOPE FOR PARISHIONERS, PRIESTS LIKE FATHER MAHONEY SAY IT’S OKAY TO MOURN THE LOSS OF THEIR LEADER AND MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER AS HE LIVED KIND OF IN FRONT OF YOU, FACE TO FACE. YOU JUST AND HIM LOOKING INTO YOUR EYES WAS JUST WAS LIKE, WOW, OKAY. HE DEFINITELY CARES ABOUT NOT JUST ME, BUT EVERYBODY. AND FATHER MAHONEY THERE SAYS HE WILL NEVER FORGET BEING ABLE TO MEET POPE FRANCIS FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE AND WILL CONTINUE TO REMIND HIS CONGREGATION OF HIS LEGACY. WE’RE LIVE IN DES MOINES, BEAU BOWMAN vlog EIGHT NEWS, IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. A
The Catholic Church is entering the Easter season with a mix of emotions, balancing the joy of renewal with the sorrow of losing their spiritual leader, Pope Francis. At St. Theresa Catholic Church in Des Moines, clergy are reflecting on the pope's legacy and the message of hope he embodied.Father Mike Mahoney, an associate pastor who recently completed seminary in Rome, shared his personal experiences meeting with Francis twice. "He greeted each of us seminarians that were serving that Mass and shook our hands, and he did it with a smile," Mahoney recalled, reflecting on one of his two encounters with the pope during his time in Rome. One of these moments occurred during Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square, the first such gathering after the pandemic. "Being able to experience that kind of renewal of people going back to a normal state of life along with the pope was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for sure," he said.Francis, who chose his name in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, was known for his advocacy for the poor and his vision of a church that welcomes all people. This legacy resonates deeply with Catholics in Iowa. Tom Chapman, executive director of the Iowa Catholic Conference, reflected on the pope's impact, recalling his visit to Washington, D.C., during the pope's 2015 trip to the United States. "Early on, he talked about a poor church for the poor, and so, to the extent as Christians that we are for the poor people and trying to help them, we're doing what we're supposed to be doing, and I think that's the legacy I would take away from him," Chapman said.As the Easter season unfolds, Mahoney encourages parishioners to embrace both mourning and hope. He says he will carry the memory of his encounters with Francis for the rest of his life and will continue to remind his parishioners of the pope's enduring legacy of care, humility and service."When he's in front of you, face to face, and him looking into your eyes, was just like, 'Wow, OK, he definitely cares about not just me, but everybody,'" Mahoney shared, emphasizing the pope's profound compassion.» Subscribe to vlog's YouTube page» Download the free vlog app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Catholic Church is entering the Easter season with a mix of emotions, balancing the joy of renewal with the sorrow of . At St. Theresa Catholic Church in Des Moines, clergy are reflecting on the pope's legacy and the message of hope he embodied.
Father Mike Mahoney, an associate pastor who recently completed seminary in Rome, shared his personal experiences meeting with Francis twice.
"He greeted each of us seminarians that were serving that Mass and shook our hands, and he did it with a smile," Mahoney recalled, reflecting on one of his two encounters with the pope during his time in Rome.
One of these moments occurred during Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square, the first such gathering after the pandemic. "Being able to experience that kind of renewal of people going back to a normal state of life along with the pope was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for sure," he said.
Francis, who chose his name in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, was known for his advocacy for the poor and his vision of a church that welcomes all people.
This legacy resonates deeply with Catholics in Iowa. Tom Chapman, executive director of the Iowa Catholic Conference, reflected on the pope's impact, recalling his visit to Washington, D.C., during the pope's 2015 trip to the United States.
"Early on, he talked about a poor church for the poor, and so, to the extent as Christians that we are for the poor people and trying to help them, we're doing what we're supposed to be doing, and I think that's the legacy I would take away from him," Chapman said.
As the Easter season unfolds, Mahoney encourages parishioners to embrace both mourning and hope. He says he will carry the memory of his encounters with Francis for the rest of his life and will continue to remind his parishioners of the pope's enduring legacy of care, humility and service.
"When he's in front of you, face to face, and him looking into your eyes, was just like, 'Wow, OK, he definitely cares about not just me, but everybody,'" Mahoney shared, emphasizing the pope's profound compassion.
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