Thanking God For Our Beloved Benedict

While I rejoice and thank God for giving us our Holy Father Francis, I also would like to take a moment to thank Him for our Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who has been affectionately become known as Benedict the Beloved.
In our lifetimes, we have not had a Pope and a Pope Emeritus; this is a rare gift, and one I suspect the Church desperately needs and will need in the times to come.

Almighty God and Father,

We humbly come before You to thank and praise You for the gift of our new Holy Father Francis. We also thank You for the eight years of love, prayer and teaching You gave us in Pope Benedict XVI. Bless him and protect him as he begins his monastic life in prayer for Your Church and its people.

We ask this through the intercession of St Peter, our first Pope, and in the name of Your Beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

I have written 26 posts relating to Pope Benedict XVI and his teachings, especially those from his Wednesday Audiences, as well as some of his writings. You can find them by clicking on Pope Benedict XVI in the Labels list on the left sidebar.

Thoughts and prayers welcome at The Front Porch.