As the old year drew to a close, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI breathed his final breath.
Around our church, you will see black wreaths and black bunting as signs of mourning of his passing.
As a Church, we unite in prayer for the repose of Pope Benedict’s soul and also remember the many gifts he has left us, including 2,873 days of homilies, general audience catecheses, Sunday Angelus or Regina Caeli meditations, three encyclicals, two apostolic exhortations, the Jesus of Nazareth trilogy, his speeches, written messages, interviews, question-and-answer sessions and so much more.
Pope Francis highlighted the importance of his lifelong work of prayer on the day of his predecessor’s death when he said the whole Church is filled with “gratitude to God for having given him to the Church and to the world; gratitude to him for all the good he accomplished; and above all, [gratitude] for his witness of faith and prayer, especially in these last years of his recollected life. Only God knows the value and the power of his intercession, of the sacrifices he offered for the good of the Church.”
His final words? "I love you, Jesus."
Benedictus means "blessed," and the faithful are indeed blessed by this shepherd. Join us in praying for the repose of his soul.
Statement from Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi on the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI
“For more than 60 years Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has had a significant role in the life of the Church. Even as a young priest, his brilliant mind was widely recognized, and he was an influential voice as a theologian at the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. He has served the people of the Church as a priest, bishop, and pope. In particular, his eight years as pope have had a major impact in the life of the Church. Most importantly, he was a man of deep faith and his obvious love of Christ showed forth in all he did. May God in his love and mercy now welcome Pope Benedict home.”