Pope Francis does sign language on World Youth Day. (Photo taken from Facebook video)

Two local services, including one that is livestreamed, will be held to honor the life of Pope Francis.

The Archdiocese of Chicago’s Office of the Deaf will conduct a Mass for Pope Francis at 7 p.m. Friday at the St. Francis Borgia Deaf Center, 8025 W. Addison St., Chicago.

Sign language Mass

The Mass will be in voice and American Sign Language and will take place in the chapel, which is across the parking lot from the main church.

Friday’s Mass will focus on the pope’s connection and closeness to deaf people. Individuals in attendance will have an opportunity to write messages about the pope in a guest book which will be taken to the Vatican for the Jubilee of People with Disabilities that will be held Monday and Tuesday.

Rev. Joseph Mulcrone, director of the Office of the Deaf, is leading a group of deaf Catholics to the Vatican on Saturday to attend the jubilee. The Holy See has designated a number of Jubilee Days throughout 2025 to recognize and celebrate different groups of people and various ministries in the Catholic Church.

Mulcrone has been working with deaf Catholics for more than four decades and will bring the guest book to Rome and present it in honor of Pope Francis.

In September 2018, Pope Francis called for the promotion of deaf people against the culture of exclusion and waste by increasing their welcome, inclusion, encounter and solidarity. The pope’s appeal came in a message on the 60^th anniversary of World Deaf Day. The annual day was later extended into a full week at the end of September, becoming International Week of the Deaf.

The Catholic Office of the Deaf is an agency of the Archdiocese of Chicago and provides for the pastoral, spiritual, religious education, sacramental preparation and social justice needs of deaf and hard of hearing people in the Chicago area.

The ministry is housed at St. Francis Borgia Parish.

Divine Mercy Mass

The archdiocese will also honor Pope Francis with a Mass at 5:15 p.m. Saturday at Holy Name Cathedral, 735 N. State St., Chicago.

Vicar General Bishop Lawrence Sullivan will lead the Divine Mercy Mass.

The liturgy will offer Catholics and non-Catholics an opportunity to pray for the repose of Pope Francis’ soul and reflect on his legacy of mercy, humility and global pastoral leadership.

Earlier Saturday, Pope Francis’ funeral will be held at 3 a.m. Central Time at St. Peter’s Square in Rome.

While Catholics across the world mourn the passing of the Holy Father, the Mass at Holy Name Cathedral will provide a local opportunity to prayerful unity, remembrance and thanksgiving for his life and pontificate.

The Mass will be livestreamed at https://youtube.com/live/uGK4e5FT_WY?feature=share.