News Release #377

Catholic Diocese of New Ulm to Celebrate a Memorial Mass for Pope John Paul II

New Ulm , MN – The Catholic Diocese of New Ulm will have a diocesan-wide memorial Mass on behalf of Pope John Paul II at the Church of St. Mary in Bird Island on Thursday, April 7, at 7:00 p.m. The Mass will be celebrated by the Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt, Bishop of New Ulm, and the priests of the diocese are invited to concelebrate at the Mass. All the parishes of the diocese are asked to send at least two representatives. The public is also welcome to attend the celebration.

Prayer cards of the Holy Father will be available and a booklet of prayers with reference to the death of the Pope, the beginning of the conclave, which is the locked area in which the cardinals responsible for electing the new Pope are sequestered, and a novena for the election of a new Pope will also be available for parish leaders at the Mass in Bird Island.

The customary black bunting, used to signify that the Pope has died, will drape the main doors of the Church of St. Mary for the Mass and will remain in place until the election of a new Pope. Black bunting may also be seen over the main doors of other Catholic churches in the diocese during this time. When a new Pope is elected, the doors will then be draped with white and yellow bunting, which are the traditional papal colors.

Bishop Nienstedt will also celebrate a memorial Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity at 12 p.m. ( noon ) on Friday, April 8. The Holy Father's funeral Mass will have already taken place in Rome at 10:00 a.m., Rome time ( 3 a.m. CST ). The bells of the Cathedral will ring for approximately 3 minutes at the noon hour. Bells of Catholic churches throughout the diocese may also be heard ringing at noon in acknowledgment of the funeral Mass for the Pope.

For further information, please contact the diocesan Office of Communication, (507) 359-2966; email : dnu@dnu.org