TOLEDO, Ohio — Pope Emeritus Benedict the XVI passed away at the age of 95 on Saturday after a period of declining health.
Later in the day, Bishop Daniel Thomas of the Diocese of Toledo offered a statement about Benedict’s passing which read as a prayer for the former Pope.
“Together with all the priests, deacons, consecrated religious and lay faithful of the Diocese of Toledo, and united with all Catholics and people of goodwill throughout the world, with deep sadness we mourn the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, we trust in the promise and saving power flowing from the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and we beg the Lord to receive him into the company of Blessed Mary, St Joseph his patron, and all the Saints.”
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005.
Bishop Thomas felt a certain connection with the former pope and his time as the head of the world’s Roman Catholics.
“I had the extraordinary and humbling gift to be named a bishop by Pope Benedict. I had the enormous blessing of being present in Saint Peters Square when he was elected pope. As I mourn with the whole church universal, there is that special mourning of a father because I knew him personally.”
Known as the reluctant pope, Benedict was a soft-spoken theologian who was forced to take on the challenge of leading the church in the depths of the church’s sex abuse scandal.
Benedict was known as a conservative traditionalist pope who worked to rekindle faith among the church’s followers.
He wrote three encyclicals during his time as pope and worked to strengthen the churches relationship with the world’s Jewish community.
"I would say that Pope Emeritus Benedict was really one of the towering figures of the 20th century, and really 21st century. He had an extraordinary intellect, was a world class theologian, and at least on a universal church level," said Bishop Thomas.
In 2013 Benedict became the first pope in 600 years to resign. He was succeeded by Pope Francis.
For the final decade of his life Pope Benedict continued to live in the Vatican.
Benedict received the sacrament of anointing of the sick on Wednesday.
"He's been called to his eternal reward in the Christmas Season as we're still celebrating the birth of Christ, This was a man to the core of his being was dedicated to announce Jesus Christ and his salvation, and here he is literally dying on the last day of the calendar year, and I was very moved by that."
The Diocese is planning to hold a Mass for the Dead at Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral but have not yet announced a date or time.
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