Filipino Catholics join global mourning as CBCP president orders Masses for Pope Francis

The Philippine Church is paying tribute to the late Pope Francis through special Masses and prayers, following an instruction from the head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
“Let us please offer Masses in our communities for the eternal repose of the soul of the Holy Father, Pope Francis,” Kalookan bishop and CBCP president Pablo Virgilio “Ambo” Cardinal David said in a social media post.
He instructed priests nationwide to include an intention for the Pope in the Prayer of the Faithful and to use Easter prayers and readings during the octave.
Also, Cardinal David gave specific guidance on modifying the Eucharistic Prayer to honor the late pontiff:
“Remember your servant, Pope FRANCIS, whom you have called from this world to yourself. Grant that he who was united with your Son in a death like his, may also be one with him in his Resurrection.”
A Filipino version was also provided for use in local-language Masses.
The Catholic faithful are encouraged to participate by lighting candles and offering a prayer for the Pope’s eternal rest:
“O God of mercy and compassion, we entrust to You our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis, whom You have called from this life to Yourself. Grateful for his tireless witness to the Gospel, his courage in proclaiming mercy, and his love for the poor and the earth, we now commend his soul to Your eternal embrace. Grant him the reward of faithful service: the joy of seeing You face to face.
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.”
Cardinal David, along with Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula, is set to travel to Rome to attend the Pope’s funeral.
They will join Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, the highest-ranking Filipino in the Vatican Curia.
Pope Francis, who led the Catholic Church for more than a decade, passed away in Rome at the age of 88.
Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced by the Vatican, but the event is expected to draw world leaders, clergy, and faithful from around the globe.