Bishop Robert Brennan of Brooklyn has asked the diocese to join him in prayer for the repose of the soul of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, remembering him as an intellectual and holy man who “deeply loved God and served the Church generously throughout his whole life.”
Here are some important events in the life of Pope Benedict XVI.
Here is a collection of notable quotes from Pope Benedict XVI from homilies, documents, messages and speeches from 2005 to 2013, the years he served as pope. They are grouped according to subject.
Retired Pope Benedict XVI, who had an impressive record as a teacher and defender of the basics of Catholic faith, is likely to go down in history books as the first pope in almost 600 years to resign.
The day after Pope Francis told people retired Pope Benedict was “very sick” and in need of prayers, the Vatican said he had had a restful night and described him as being in serious, but stable condition.
Saying that retired Pope Benedict XVI was “very sick,” Pope Francis asked people to offer special prayers for him. “I would like to ask all of you for a special prayer for emeritus Pope Benedict,” Pope Francis said at the end of his weekly general audience on Dec. 28.
With the birth of Jesus, God became flesh to share the joys and sorrows, hopes and fears of all people, especially the poor and those living daily amid danger, Pope Francis said in his Christmas message.
Ukrainians facing their first Christmas at war with Russia are coping with frequent electricity outages, spotty cell phone service — and the worrisome sound of air raid sirens. Through it all, they cling to the hope that the light Jesus Christ brought into a dark world will shine on them.
Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily stopped the Biden administration from ending a pandemic-related border restriction with a one-page order Dec. 19.
Pope Francis said he wrote a resignation letter in 2013, his first year in office, to be used in case he became physically or mentally impaired and unable to fulfill the duties of the papacy.
