Pope Francis pays final respects to Cardinal Husar
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| The funeral procession for Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop emeritus of Kyiv-Halyč. On Monday, Pope Francis sent a letter paying his respects to the former head of the Ukrainian Greek catholic Church.- REUTERS |
(Vatican Radio) In a heartfelt personal letter, Pope Francis
has expressed his desire to “be among those praying to the heavenly Father” for
the “chosen soul of our Brother” Cardinal Lubomyr Husar.
The Holy Father noted the “extraordinary influx of people”
paying their respects to the former head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic
Church. This, he said, “is an eloquent sign of what he has been: one of the
highest and most respected moral authorities of the Ukrainian people in recent
decades.”
Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop emeritus of
Kyiv-Halyč, died on 31 May 2017, aged 84.
In his letter, addressed to Husar’s successor, Major
Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Pope Francis spoke of the late Cardinal’s
efforts to lead his people beyond “the legacy of the ‘catacombs’ into which it
was forced by persecutions.” He did so not only by restoring ecclesiastical
structures, but especially through “the joy of his own story, founded on faith”
that endured “through and beyond suffering.”
Pope Francis spoke of Cardinal Husar as “a master of
wisdom,” who spoke to his people in simple, yet profound words. “His was the
wisdom of the Gospel, the bread of the Word of God broken for the simple, for
the suffering, for all those seeking dignity.” After his ministry as “father
and head” of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Pope said, and with the
onset of old age and illness, Cardinal Husar’s presence became “even more intense
and rich.” He prayed for all, and when he spoke, “everyone felt that a
Christian was speaking, a Ukrainian passionate about his identity, always full
of hope, open to the future of God.” Pope Francis praised him for “the warmth
of his great humanity and exquisite kindness,” and especially for his ability
to welcome and communicate with the young.
“It moves me to think that today all of Ukraine weeps for
him,” the Pope said, “but also that many people are certain that he already
rests in the embrace of the heavenly Father.” They are certain, he said, that
after the example of his “credible and coherent life” they will “continue to
benefit from his prayer, with which he will continue to protect his people who
are still suffering, marked by violence and insecurity, and yet certain that
the love of Christ does not disappoint.”
Pope Francis concluded with his letter with a note of
gratitude for “this unique religious and social presence in Ukraine’s history,”
encouraging the faithful to remain committed to Cardinal Husar’s “constant
teaching and total abandonment to Providence.” He called on them to continue
“to feel his smile and his caress.”
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