Remembering Pope Benedict XVI on the One Year Anniversary of his Death (Roundup)

• Pope Francis: 'May Benedict XVI bless us and accompany us', by Tiziana Campisi and Thaddeus Jones. Vatican News:

  “A year ago, Pope Benedict XVI ended his early journey, after having lovingly and wisely served the Church. We feel so much affection, gratitude and admiration for him. May he bless us and accompany us from Heaven. A round of applause for Benedict XVI!”

  Pope Francis offered those words at the Sunday Angelus when remembering Pope Benedict XVI, the 265th Pope, who died one year ago on this day of 31 December in 2022.

• ‘Benedict Trusted Francis. But He Was Bitterly Disappointed,’ Biographer Says in New InterviewNational Catholic Register 12/29/23:

  On the eve of the first anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI’s death, his biographer, Peter Seewald, raised serious concerns about how Pope Francis is managing the legacy of his predecessor.

  "Benedict trusted Francis. But he was bitterly disappointed several times," Seewald said in an interview published Dec. 27.

  Pope Francis may have written “nice letters” to his predecessor and described him as a "great pope," Seewald told the New Daily Compass. However, in practice, he said, he has “erased much of what was precious and dear to Ratzinger.”

  "If you really speak of a ‘great pope’ out of conviction, shouldn’t you do everything you can to cultivate his legacy? Just as Benedict XVI did with regard to John Paul II? As we can see today, Pope Francis has, in fact, done very little to remain in continuity with his predecessors," Seewald said.

  Seewald pointed to the tight restrictions against t he Traditional Latin Mass by Pope Francis, reversing Benedict XVI’s 2007 apostolic letter Summorum Pontificum, which acknowledged the right of all priests to say Mass using the Roman Missal of 1962, which is in Latin.

  "Ratzinger wanted to pacify the Church without questioning the validity of the Mass according to the 1969 Roman Missal,” Seewald said. "‘The way we treat the liturgy,’ he explained, ‘determines the destiny of the faith and the Church.’"

  The biographer questioned the veracity of “the claim that the majority of bishops voted in favor of repealing Benedict’s Summorum Pontificum in a worldwide survey."

  "What I find particularly shameful is that the pope emeritus was not even informed of this act but had to learn about it from the press. He has been stabbed in the heart."

• Fr. Lombardi: Pope Benedict XVI was ‘a teacher and witness of faith’ Vatican News 12/30/23. One year on from Pope Benedict XVI’s death, Fr. Federico Lombardi, his former papal spokesman, reflects on the legacy and witness of faith of the late Pope.
• 4 Kernels of Wisdom From Pope Benedict XVI’s Last Message to the World National Catholic Register 12/31/23. Pope Benedict XVI reflects in the book What is Christianity? on what role missionary work has in today’s world, when interreligious dialogue often takes its place.
• Everyday Collaborators Of Pope Benedict XVI Remember The Late Pontiff Our Sunday Visitor News. 12/30/23.
• Pope Benedict XVI's presence remains at the Vatican after his death Rome Reports 12/31/23.
• Vatican to publish 'private' homilies of late Pope Benedict, by Cindy Wooden. USCCB 12/26/23:

  Pope Benedict XVI lived in retirement for more than nine years, celebrating Mass each day with the members of his household. The Vatican will publish a collection of the Sunday homilies he gave at those private Masses. The first anniversary of his death is Dec. 31.

• A Year Without Benedict, by Michael Warsaw. National Catholic Register 12/30/23.
• EWTN to air conference on Pope Benedict XVI one year after his death, by Matthew Santucci. Catholic News Agency 12/29/23:

  EWTN, the Fundatio Christiana Virtus Association, and the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation have partnered to hold the conference, which will air on EWTN throughout the day on Dec. 31 beginning at 6:30 a.m. ET.

  2023 Ratzinger Prize reflects on theological legacy of late Pope Benedict XVI, by Matthew Santucci. Catholic News Agency 12/01/23. The Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation awarded its annual Ratzinger Prize this week to two Spaniards, the theologian Father Pablo Blanco Sarto and the philosopher Professor Francesc Torralba, the first time the award was held since the passing of the late pontiff last December.

  Pope Francis invites contemplative nuns to monastery where Benedict XVI lived in retirement America 11/13/23. Pope Francis has invited a community of Benedictine nuns from Argentina to move into the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican Gardens, renewing the building’s purpose as home to a cloistered community of women dedicated to supporting the pope’s ministry with their prayer.

  Two Spanish Theologians Latest Recipients of Prize Named for Pope Benedict XVI National Catholic Register, by Matt McDonald. 11/10/23.

  Pope sends Benedict XVI’s former aide back to Germany in latest sign of falling out AP News. 06/16/23. Pope Francis has fired the longtime aide to the late Pope Benedict XVI from his Vatican job and ordered him to return to his native Germany, the final chapter in a very public falling out that culminated with the aide’s tell-all memoir that was highly critical of Francis.