Institutional message from the Order of Saint Augustine on the death of the Holy Father Francis: "We preserve the precious treasure of his Magisterium"

Message of condolence from the Order of Saint Augustine on the passing of Pope Francis. From the Secretariat of the General Curia, all communities of the Order are asked to pray for his soul during the celebration of the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours, according to the guidelines of the Episcopal Conferences.

While the announcement of Easter and of Christ's victory over death resounds, after imparting his blessing to the Church and the entire world, Pope Francis has entered "the day that knows neither rising nor setting". 

Deeply moved, we raise expressions of sorrow and faith to the Lord, and we join with all the People of God in prayer to the Father, source of eternal life, so that He may give our beloved Shepherd the glorious light of the Risen Christ. 

We guard the precious treasure of his Magisterium, his attentions, the delicate gestures and the real and valid words of encouragement which we will never forget. 

We keep in our hearts the special exhortation addressed to us to maintain vigorous in our lives the restlessness of spiritual research, the restlessness of the encounter with God, the restlessness of love, aroused by our father Augustine. 

We recognize and take as a model that singular devotion to Saint Monica, inherited from his mother, which led him to visit her tomb in our Roman Basilica and to invoke and entrust to her protection the families and his ministry in the service of good, love and peace. 

We continue to ask her, our Holy Father Augustine, the Virgin Mary to intercede for Pope Francis, while, animated by profound feelings of gratitude and affection, we accompany him, in prayer, to the doors of the communion of saints. 

For all of us, brothers and sisters of the Order of Saint Augustine, we invoke from the Lord the gift of his own passion for life, for trust in the Grace and Mercy of God and for the prophetic proclamation of the Gospel.