The new Bishop of Rome was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, to Louis Marius Prevost, of French and Italian descent, and Mildred Martínez, of Spanish descent. He has two brothers, Louis Martín and John Joseph.
He spent his childhood and adolescence with his family and studied first at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers and then at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, where in 1977 he earned a Degree in Mathematics and also studied Philosophy.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
On April 21, Pope Francis went to be with his heavenly Father. We have all experienced the day of his death and funeral with great grief. Especially since he visited us, in Tallinn, six years ago. With his death, a special time began in the Church, which is called Sede Vacante, meaning we currently do not have a Pope and we are waiting for the election of a new Pope.
ANNOUNCEMENT: All beatifications planned so far have been suspended until the election of a new pope.
The College of Cardinals, which met on the morning of 22.04 for the first general congregation, decided to suspend all beatification ceremonies until a new pope has been elected.
We will inform you in more detail about any changes to the beatification of Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, S.J. through the official channels of the Tallinn Diocese as soon as possible.
Source: Tallinn Diocese.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ!
It is with deep sadness that we announce that our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis, has gone home to our heavenly Father. His departure is a great loss for the entire Church, including us, the Catholics of Estonia, who have known his fatherly love, care and prayers.
Pope Francis was a faithful disciple of Christ who left a deep mark on the history of the Church with his humility, simplicity and unwavering commitment to the Gospel. He always stood by the poor and needy and calls us all to live according to the values of faith and love. He emphasized the importance of mercy and reminded us that the power of Christ is manifested above all in our love for our neighbor.
We remember with gratitude his apostolic visit to Estonia in 2018 when he met with us at Tallinn’s Vabaduse Square and gave the whole of Estonia a message of hope and fidelity to God. His words remain with us: “God never withdraws his love!” These words resonate especially strongly in our hearts today and invite us to trust in God’s love even in moments of grief and sorrow.
At this time, when the Church mourns the loss of its shepherd, I invite all Catholics in Estonia to join in prayer for the soul of Pope Francis and also for the Church throughout the world.
Let us also pray for the new Pope, whom the Holy Spirit chooses as leader of the Church, so that he may continue the mission of Christ and lead the people of God on the path of truth and love.
Let us entrust the soul of our beloved Pope Francis to the care of God’s infinite mercy. May his life and ministry be an example to us, and may the Lord give us the strength to walk the path of faith and love that he showed us.
I join you in prayer and in faith in Christ’s promise of eternal life.
+ Philippe Jourdan
Bishop of Tallinn
The beatification of Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, which will take place on 17 May 2025 in Tallinn's Town Hall Square, the place where Pope John Paul II consecrated the Missal in 1993, is a historic moment of love for the Catholic Church in Estonia.
This extraordinary event invites us all to celebrate with dignity and unity the life, faith and love of one man in Christ and to pay homage to his martyrdom and, as sacred theology says, martyrdom is the highest form of holiness!
Such a celebration, however, requires considerable human and material resources: the organisation of the Holy Mass in Town Hall Square, the preparation of the entire venue, logistics, the reception of pilgrims, marketing, the broadcasting of the event on ETV, as well as the costs associated with the solemn liturgy, etc. The list could go on and on.
In addition to the Blessed Sacrament ceremony, we also want to complete the fitting-out of the crypt chapel in St Peter and Paul Cathedral, which, after the Blessed Sacrament, will be the first new chapel in the world dedicated to the Blessed Virgin (with a museum section). This is our gift to Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, who so loved our church here in Maryland.
Today, we appeal to your generosity to help make this a day to remember. Your donation, however small, is a precious stone in the spiritual edifice we are now building together. Every contribution will help to make this event accessible to all and will bear witness to the vitality of our faith.
By making a donation, you are not only supporting the practical organisation of the event, but you are also participating spiritually. It is a way of saying "yes" to the light that Archbishop Profittlich carried and that we are called to pass on in turn.
Donations:
Rooma-Katoliku Kirik Eestis
AS SEB PANK
IBAN : EE611010220267043227
SWIFT/BIC : EEUHEE2XXXX
Reference: Eduard Profittlich
Together, let us give glory to God by honouring the memory of this great witness of faith..
We thank you in advance for your generosity and entrust the preparation of this blessing to your prayers. Thank you to all the people who have already contributed to the process over the years. It has borne fruit and is now coming to fruition!
God bless you abundantly.