Bishop Barry C. Knestout, the 13th bishop of the Diocese of Richmond, has released a statement honoring the memory of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
The news of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s passing surfaced on Saturday, and officials say the 95-year-old man died at his home in the Vatican.
Recommended Videos
Ratzinger was named Pope Benedict XVI in 2005, and after serving for eight years, Ratzinger resigned as the bishop of Rome in February 2013, the first pope to do so in 600 years.
After the announcement of Ratzinger’s death, Bishop Knestout issued the following statement:
“We grieve with the rest of the world at the passing of His Holiness, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. He will be remembered for many accomplishments in his papacy, but perhaps, his most notable success we will look back and remember him for his accomplishment as president of the Commission for Drafting the Catechism of the Catholic Church in which he immersed himself for six years of intense work.
“I have a special bond to the retired pope as much of my early formation of my episcopacy is linked to him. Pope Benedict named me an auxiliary bishop for Washington and my episcopal motto “Christ Our Hope” I chose was also the theme of his papal visit in 2008 to Washington. It was an immense honor for me to meet him and co-chair the committee that planned his papal visit 14 years ago. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have met him.
“As I mentioned when I first came to the diocese, I found Pope Benedict to have been a witness to hope, a virtue that is especially needed in our present age.
Although, he is known as an academic and theologian, his writings, especially those reflecting on the life of Christ, offered practical and widely appreciated pastoral reflections. His pastoral sensitivity and ability to communicate with a wide audience were gifts that went hand in hand with his theological and doctrinal expertise.
I admired him for his gentle spirit, and his dedication to the life and good of the church as well as his clear love for Christ. I ask all in the diocese to join me in prayer for Pope Benedict XVI and the repose of his soul.”
Bishop Barry C. Knestout