In a statement this morning Knock Shrine said “It was a great honour for us to welcome him to Knock Shrine in 2018.”
“When he sat in silent prayer in the Apparition Chapel, the hushed reverence that descended on the large crowd who had gathered for the occasion, was a special moment in the history of the Shrine.
“When Pope Francis elevated the status of Knock Shrine in 2021, he emphasised that the elevation of the national sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock to an international sanctuary of special eucharist and Marian devotion is a great responsibility.
“You accept to always have your arms wide open as a sign of welcome to every pilgrim who may arrive from any part of the world, asking nothing in return but only recognizing him as a brother or a sister who desires to share the same experience of fraternal prayer.”
“We thank God and Our Lady for the life and legacy of Pope Francis and we will pray for the happy repose of his soul at all of our daily Masses.
“May his gentle soul rest in peace.”
Fr Richard Gibbons, parish priest and rector of Knock said that while he the news was not unexpected he still got a shock this morning when he heard the news.
But the memory of the pontiffs visit is a warm memory for many thousands who visited Knock to see him.
“Naturally, we were absolutely delighted when we found out he was going to come to Knock as part of his visit to Ireland in 2018.
“We found out in March around St Patrick’s Day, and he was due in August so we quite a lot of planning and organisation to do.
“When he arrived he seemed to be in fantastic form, he was so happy to be there. The weather wasn’t great but he lifted the spirits of everybody.
“I asked him when he arrived if he had ever been before and he said ‘No, never,’ in Knock.
“I explained the apparition to him and then there was a very significant moment when he came into the apparition chapel and took a moment of silence.
“A bell was wrung for that moment and the quietness of 40,000 people was incredible- not a word, nothing. It was a very special moment of prayerful silence.
“He met my mother then in the apparition chapel. She wasn’t very well herself then and you could see the very special connection with people who were elderly, sick or incapacitated.
“He asked me how long my mother had been unwell and said she was very young to be in that state.
“And of course he elevated our shrine to international status in 2021 and we were extremely proud and very happy about that.
“And part of that was the shrine would be open to all pilgrims which it is. We treat everybody who comes as a pilgrim and honour the sense of mercy he spoke about.
“Everything we do in Knock, goes towards that all our developments, not just physical our pastoral developments also.
“Because that is how you reach out to people and you welcome people and have them at ease when they come.
“Some people when they do visit Knock think they have to be a 100 per cent card carrying Catholic and you don’t. Every Catholic is up and down and in and out with their faith.
“And to have a place, like Knock, that puts them at ease and then you let God do the work,” he said.
Eavan Murray
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