KANSAS CITY 5 February 2026 (NRom)
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The Pontifical Court of the United Roman-Ruthenian Church pauses to remember the life and witness of H.E. Dame Gloria Marie Jack, a member of the Holy Order of St. Martin de Porres, who passed away on January 15, 2026, at the age of 65.
Dame Gloria was the beloved sister of H.R.S.H. Prince Floyd of Chíquiza and Friuli, Pontifical Majordomo. She was also a woman known equally for her faith, humility, and lifelong commitment to public service. She is survived by her son, daughter, and three grandchildren, to whom she was deeply devoted.
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Dame Gloria was the beloved sister of H.R.S.H. Prince Floyd of Chíquiza and Friuli, Pontifical Majordomo. She was also a woman known equally for her faith, humility, and lifelong commitment to public service. She is survived by her son, daughter, and three grandchildren, to whom she was deeply devoted.
A Life of Service and Compassion
For many years, Dame Gloria served the people of Missouri through her work with the Missouri Department of Mental Health, ministering quietly but faithfully to some of the most vulnerable members of her community in Kansas City. Even after her formal retirement, she continued working in the mental health field until declining health required her to fully step back.
Those who worked alongside her remember her as a steady presence, marked by compassion, perseverance, and a deep sense of duty. Her vocation was not only professional but pastoral, reflecting the Christian call to serve “the least of these” with dignity and care.
Funeral and Homecoming Celebration
A Funeral Service and Homecoming Celebration was held on January 30, 2026, formally concluding the mourning period of the Royal and Serene Houses of Friuli and Chíquiza. The service celebrated Dame Gloria’s earthly life while affirming the Church’s hope in the resurrection and life everlasting.
Words of Comfort and Hope
In response to her passing, H.Ill.H. the Most Rev. Peter McInnes, Capitular Archbishop and Primate of the Australian Province, offered pastoral reflections addressed to Prince Floyd and the wider family of faith. Drawing from Scripture, Archbishop McInnes reflected on the Christian understanding of death, emphasizing that believers do not grieve as those without hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18). He cited Hebrews 12:1, which speaks of the “great cloud of witnesses,” reminding the faithful that those who have gone before us remain alive in Christ and actively participate in God’s eternal purposes.
“The saints who have gone before us,” he noted, “are not absent or forgotten. They worship Christ, intercede for the Church, and remain invested in the lives and callings of those still on earth.” Referencing passages such as Hebrews 11:39–40, Mark 9:2–4, and 2 Corinthians 1:4–7, he encouraged the family to see grief and hope as inseparable companions in Christian faith.
Archbishop McInnes also underscored the importance of honoring past generations, affirming that the work of the faithful continues across generations and that love is not diminished by death but transformed in Christ.
A Future-Oriented Hope
The Church teaches that life does not end at death but is fulfilled in eternity. As Scripture affirms, “Our loved ones were part of our past, are not physically present now, but will be part of our future in Christ.” This promise stands at the heart of Christian consolation. Dame Gloria Marie Jack is remembered not only for her titles, but for her quiet faith, her devotion to family, and her lifelong service to others. Her legacy lives on in those she loved, those she served, and in the hope of resurrection shared by the global Church.
May she rest in peace, and rise in glory.
