John-Henry Westen reacts to Pope Francis’ death: ‘Our first duty is prayer’ – LifeSite
Pledge to pray for the repose of Pope Francis’ soul
(LifeSiteNews) — Dear friends,
Today the Church stands in the shadow of a historic and sobering moment and the brink of a new era: Pope Francis has died, and the conclave to elect a new pope is about to begin.
As Catholics, our first duty is prayer – for the repose of his soul, that Our Lord may show him mercy and judge him with truth. Death brings eternal consequence, and only God sees the full picture.
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
Some reacted to the news with sorrow. Fr. Martin wrote an opinion piece for the New York Times where he said the late pope did more for “L.G.B.T.Q. people – than all his modern predecessors combined.” The Freemasons in Italy also chimed in, saying this: “At this time of mourning, our Community wishes to pay tribute to the vision of Pope Francis, whose work is deeply resonant with the principles of Freemasonry.
Others with “Alleluia.” Some remarked, “We are all sede vacantists now.” Regardless of how we feel, we must be sobered by this truth:
If we truly understood the horror of hell, we would not wish it on our worst enemy.
And yet, there is a strange providence in the timing. Pope Francis died during the Easter Octave – a time when the Church forbids mourning and commands rejoicing. Could this be God’s subtle message that the tomb of confusion is passing away – and resurrection is near? It seems that the Church – the Mystical Body of Christ – is still in the tomb of confusion and awaiting resurrection.
For years, many faithful Catholics have endured a papacy marked not by the hallmarks of the papacy, namely unity and clarity, but by scandal, ambiguity, and confusion. The Church’s timeless teachings about the papacy – its divine protection, its doctrinal clarity, its sacred role as the bulwark of truth – have been sorely tested.
That’s why LifeSiteNews hosted a formal theological debate on the very question of Francis’ legitimacy. Not to divide, but because the faithful were crying out:
“How can this be reconciled with what the Church teaches about the See of Peter?”
Vatican I infallibly declared:
“This See of St. Peter always remains unblemished by any error, in accordance with the divine promise: ‘I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.’”
— Pastor Aeternus, Chapter 4, n. 6
Pope Saint Lucius I said:
“The Roman Apostolic Church … has never been shown to have wandered from Apostolic tradition nor succumbed to heretical novelties…”
— Epist. I ad Episcopos Hispaniae et Galliae
And St. Cyril, in the Catena Aurea, declared:
“The Apostolic Church of Peter remains pure and spotless from all leading into error … reigning alone, immovably established … enforcing silence, and stopping the mouths of all heretics.”
But how do these declarations stand in light of the scandals we witnessed?
🔥 The 7 Deadly Scandals of Pope Francis
- Pachamama – The idolatrous display in the Vatican, where a pagan fertility goddess was venerated while the Pope looked on and blessed the statue.
- Amoris Laetitia – A document that opened the door to communion for the divorced and remarried, contradicting Our Lord’s own teaching.
- Fiducia Supplicans – A declaration permitting blessings for same-sex couples, sowing confusion and blurring moral truth.
- Communion for Pelosi – Despite vehement public support for abortion, Nancy Pelosi was welcomed to receive the Eucharist at the Vatican even though her own archbishop forbade her.
- COVID Mandates & Mass Shutdowns – The silencing of sacraments and conscience, with faithful priests punished for refusing unjust rules. While Francis mandated an abortion-tainted jab.
- China Deal – A secret agreement that betrayed underground faithful Catholics, subjecting them to communist persecution.
- Suppression of the TLM and Orthodox Prelates Like Burke and Strickland – The targeting and dismantling of the Traditional Latin Mass, alienating young, vibrant, orthodox communities.
Now the Chair of Peter is empty, and the conclave approaches.
I will be in Rome, alongside our Vatican correspondent Michael Haynes, whom you may have seen recently on Fox, to cover it all in person.
And now more than ever, we must pray that the pope-to-be begins to heal the wounds inflicted on the Church.
We must beg heaven to raise up a holy pope.
A pope who will restore the clarity of doctrine, reverence in worship, courage in leadership, and love for Christ and His truth.
Let us invoke Our Lady of Fatima who promised Her Immaculate Heart would triumph in the end, St. Joseph, patron of the universal Church, and St. Peter, whose chair stands empty, that the Holy Spirit may guide the cardinals not with human politics, but with divine fire.
Come, Holy Ghost, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Thy well beloved Spouse. Raise up a holy pope.
This is John-Henry Westen for LifeSiteNews.
God bless you – and God love you.
Pledge to pray for the repose of Pope Francis’ soul
John-Henry is the co-founder, CEO and editor-in-chief of LifeSiteNews.com. He and his wife Dianne have eight children and they live in the Ottawa Valley in Ontario, Canada.
He has spoken at conferences and retreats, and appeared on radio and television throughout the world. John-Henry founded the Rome Life Forum, an annual strategy meeting for life, faith and family leaders worldwide. He is a board member of the John Paul II Academy for Human Life and the Family. He is a consultant to Canada’s largest pro-life organization Campaign Life Coalition, and serves on the executive of the Ontario branch of the organization. He has run three times for political office in the province of Ontario representing the Family Coalition Party.
John-Henry earned an MA from the University of Toronto in School and Child Clinical Psychology and an Honours BA from York University in Psychology.
