The Roman Catholic churches will conduct prayers and a mass will be held for the repose of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, every day till his funeral, the archbishop of Calcutta, Reverend Thomas D’Souza, said on Monday evening.

“There will be prayers in all the churches. We have mass daily, and this mass will be specially offered for the repose of Pope Francis. It will begin on Tuesday and continue till the funeral,” the archbishop told Metro.

“When the news came of the passing of our dear, loving Holy Father Pope Francis, I felt sad. Here was a loving Pope who loved people, and people loved him, because he was a pastor,” the archbishop said.

The archbishop spoke about the Pope’s reaching out to the poor, marginalised, and refugees, and his contribution to inter-religious dialogue.

“He worked towards bringing peace to the world. He was not hesitant to condemn conflicts or violence in any part of the world. He was a moral force not only
within the church, but also for the world,” the archbishop said.

Earlier in the day, the archdiocese of Calcutta issued a statement.

“It is with deep sorrow and profound respect that we, the clergy, religious, and faithful of the Archdiocese of Calcutta, mourn the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. As our supreme pontiff and spiritual father, Pope Francis was a beacon of compassion, humility and unwavering commitment to justice, peace and the Gospel of Christ,” said Father Dominic Gomes, vicar general of the archdiocese of Calcutta.

“On behalf of His Grace, the Archbishop, and the entire Archdiocese, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community... and will those who were touched by the Holy Father’s extraordinary life, vision and mission,” the vicar general said.

The Catholic Association of Bengal conducted a prayer at St Thomas’ Church,
Middleton Row, on Monday evening.