I will always remember the moment Pope Benedict XVI was elected Pope. Right before noon Mass in college the priest announced white smoke had already been spotted coming from the Sistine Chapel, but that the new Pope had not been announced yet. Immediately after Mass I went to the student center and sat in front of the television until the words came, “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum Habemus Papam. Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Josephum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Ratzinger qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedictum XVI.”
I will also always remember the first time I saw Pope Benedict. I had arrived to Rome the day before to begin my four years of seminary studies and they took my whole class to Castel Gandolofo for the regularly scheduled Wednesday audience with the Pope. By that date, he had been Pope for just four months and you could notice he felt uncomfortable with the crowd assembled in the small courtyard of the Papal residence.
This afternoon at 5pm, the Pope left the Vatican by helicopter to Castel Gandolfo. Later in the evening he addressed a crowd assembled at the same courtyard. His last words as Pope encourage us to look forward to the future full of hope.
May the Lord bless Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI!
“Thank you, thank you from my heart. I am happy to be here with you, surrounded by the beauty of Creation and your friendship that does me so much good, thank you for your friendship, for caring.
You know that today is different from others… as of eight p.m. I will no longer be the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church. I will simply be a pilgrim who is beginning the last part of his pilgrimage on earth.
But with my heart, my love, my prayer, with all my interior strength, I will work for the common good and the good of the Church and all humanity.
And I feel greatly supported by your affection. Let us move forward together with the Lord for the good of the Church and the world.
I will now impart upon you all my Apostolic Blessing Thank you and good night. Thank you all”
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