By the Office of Communications
Darkness has befallen the Roman Catholic church and the entire world because death has snatched one of her strong pillars. Heaven has gained! Pope Benedict XVI has completed the course of his earthly life and gone back to the Father. He has gone to “heaven” to worship with immediacy between God and himself. He has actually gone to meet the Truth that he had been serving and defending during his earthly pilgrimage. “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job. 1:21).
The diocese of Mangochi, just like other Catholic dioceses and Archdioceses in Malawi mourned Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI who died on 31st December, 2022 and was laid to rest on 5th January 2023. In response to a letter released by the Apostolic Nunciature in Malawi on 31st December, 2022, which suggested that every bishop/Archbishop should celebrate the funeral Mass of the Pope Emeritus in the Cathedral, bishop Montfort Stima of the diocese of Mangochi led this funeral Mass on 05th January, 2023 in the cathedral of St. Augustine (Mangochi). This Mass was attended by both the priests, religious and the laity.
Bishop Stima described late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI as a brave person, who defended the Catholic faith for over 20 years when he was a Cardinal under the Papacy of St. John Paul II. There had been wind from all directions which could blow the Catholic tradition off, there had been a lot of waves which could erode the Catholic faith away, but the then Cardinal and later Pope Benedict XVI stood unshaken. When late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was on Papal throne, he once said, “In the Catholic Church, what we want is quality of Christians, not just quantity.”
Lord God, may You receive and allow the soul of Your servant, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who was the Vicar of the Church established by Your Beloved Son, to rest eternally in Your Kingdom.
