Diocese of Salt Lake City's Deacon Gray participates in Pope Francis' Easter Mass

Intermountain Catholic

+ Enlarge

On Easter Sunday, Deacon Christopher Gray proclaims the Paschal Kerygma to Pope Francis at his Mass in St. Peter's Square. Courtesy photo/Deacon Christopher Gray

VATICAN CITY — On March 31, Easter Sunday, Deacon Christopher Gray, who will be ordained a priest for the Diocese of Salt Lake City on June 29, proclaimed the Paschal Kerygma to Pope Francis at his Mass in St. Peter’s Square. After proclaiming a similar message to the thousands gathered in the Square and beyond, he turned toward the Pope and chanted, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon."

At least a thousand years old, this ritual of the papal liturgies disappeared during the papal sojourn in Avignon but was restored in 2000 under Blessed John Paul II; it has been used ever since in the Paschal Masses of Pope Benedict XVI and now Pope Francis.

After proclaiming, Deacon Gray handed the book of the Gospels to the Holy Father for him to kiss it and then bless the people with it, a common rite with bishops’ Masses.

"It has been an honor for me to be able to serve as deacon for papal liturgies in two pontificates," Deacon Gray said. "Although they are different people, both Pope Benedict and Pope Francis are clearly men of prayer and faith, and being able to serve their Masses as a deacon has given me a clear perspective of this truth. This in turn is a reminder that the Church, though made up of individuals, is the same Body of Christ yesterday, today and forever. As I make my final preparation for priestly ordination, now fewer than 90 days away, I am inspired by the example of these popes just as I have been by other priests I have known, as well as by the holy men and women that form the richness of the Church throughout history."