Cardinal Dominique Mamberti celebrates the ninth Novendiales Mass for Pope Francis on the third Sunday of Easter, May 4, 2025, at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA
Vatican City, May 4, 2025 / 19:58 pm (CNA).
OntheninthandfinaldayofNovendiales,theninedaysofmourningforPopeFrancis,FrenchCardinalDominiqueMambertireflectedonthepapalmissiontoloveandserveChristandhisChurch.
Themissionofapope“isloveitself,whichbecomesservicetotheChurchandtoallhumanity,”thecardinalsaidinSt.Peter’sBasilica.
TheMassfortheninthandlastoftheNovendialeswascelebratedforthethirdSundayofEaster.
Inhishomily,Mamberti,whowastheprefectofthesupremetribunaloftheApostolicSignatura,theVatican’sfinalcourtofappeal,since2014,spokeabouttheday’sGospelpassage,inwhichJesusasksSt.Peterthreetimesifheloveshim,callingonhimto“feedmylambs”and“tendmysheep.”
“LoveisthekeywordofthisGospelpassage,”Mambertisaid.“ThefirsttorecognizeJesusis‘thedisciplewhomJesusloved,’John.”
InthedialoguebetweenJesusandPeter,Jesususes“thev
