Thank you! The Spiritual Bouquet has been delivered.

We would like to give a heartfelt thank you to everyone who sent remembrances to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.  It was a joy to receive them.   All of the remembrances were delivered by a dear Jesuit priest stationed in Rome.  Our thanks goes to him.   

The priest who arranged to have our spiritual bouquet delivered is pictured with his college chaplaincy under the Papal Apartments in the Candlelight Prayer Vigil held in Rome from 7 – 8 p.m., February 28, 2013.

On the evening of 
February 28^th, the great bells of St. Peter’s Basilica chimed 8 times at 8 p.m. and the Swiss Guard withdrew from the doors of Castel Gandolfo marking the official ending of the glorious reign of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI.  At 2000 hours Rome time, Feb. 28, 2013, the holy, Christian gentleman, known from birth—and baptized on the very day of his birth into the Holy Roman Catholic Church—as Josef Alois Ratzinger, became officially His Holiness, Benedict XVI, Pontifex Emeritus. 

Gratitude to the good and holy priest who came up with this wonderful idea.  Thanks to the kind and generous lay person who wrote the initial post.  She has a gift for writing which she puts to great good.   We also want to thank the lay person who spent many hours setting up the blog.  This would not have been possible without his willingness to honor Benedict.  Thank you to for those of you who spread the word.  By forwarding emails, posting on your blogs and your phone calls, this effort was increased and made the bouquet beautiful.  

Dear Friends of His Holiness, Benedict XVI

Dear Friends of His Holiness, Benedict XVI:

On February 11, 2013, the Holy Father stunned the world by his decision to resign the office of Bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church.  

The Pope's prudent and humble decision both grieved and edified many millions around the world.  Indeed, this sudden, unexpected loss of his leadership saddens those who received so many graces during his years as Pontiff.  

At the same time, we saw in his selfless relinquishing of power another characteristic example of solicitude for the good of the Body of Christ above personal consideration. 

On February 17, 2013, the Holy Father spoke to a crowd of 50,000 present for his Sunday Angelus address in St. Peter's Square. During his short exhortation, the Pope said "My heartfelt thanks . . . for your prayers and affection in these days.  Continue to pray for me and the next pope."

Desiring to respond to this request while showing our profound gratitude, we are gathering a "spiritual bouquet" of prayers for the Holy Father.  This offering will be presented to Benedict XVI on February 28 before his departure from the Vatican as a testament from Catholics and non-Catholics.  

If you wish to include your prayers in the bouquet, please email what your offering is.  We ask that you direct any friends or clergy you think might wish to join in this effort to our website so their prayers can be included

Thanks and God bless you.

P.S. Offerings may be sent to prayersforbenedictxvi@gmail.com.  

What can I or my family offer in the way of Prayer for His Holiness, Pope Benedict? 
One simply can offer a remembrance  as he requested, in one's regular morning, evening or night prayers.   This can include: Masses, Communions, Rosaries, Chaplets, Divine Mercy Chaplets, Novenas, the Angelus, Stations of the Cross, Holy Hours or Fasting.   For example a  daily Memorae or Salve Regina could be offered. 

Email Address for this Blog

prayersforbenedictxvi@gmail.com

If you wish to be part of this effort, please email prior to 2/27/2013.  The spiritual bouquet will be offered to the Holy Father on 2/28/2013.

Most Dear Holy Father

Carissimo Santo Padre (Most Dear Holy Father) , 

With your whole heart, mind and soul—indeed with all your being—from your earliest days when first ordained to the presbyterate through your glorious pontificate and shortly now into your last stage of life submerged in total, consecrated prayer—to all the Christi Fideli, the religious, those in holy orders, i.e., the Body of Christ on earth, you have taught by word, action and by your life itself how to accept, treasure and cultivate a “cor ad cor” relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ, God the Father and the Holy Spirit, in the life of the Church and in them especially through a loving relationship of prayer with our Most Blessed Mother Mary, the angels and saints, so as to cultivate a loving relationship with our all our neighbors throughout the world and so to build up the Body of Christ on earth by having lived the motto of John Henry Newman “heart speaks to heart”in all your dealings with all peoples.

We are full of gratitude for all you have done in emptying your life for the sake of the Bride of Christ, Holy Mother Church, whom, after God who have loved above all else and revealed to us a Father’s love for her and for all the people of God.  

Mindful of your public calls to the members of Christ’s Body, the Church, and to her many friends throughout the world, when at your Ash Wednesday General Audience and again at your very last public homily on Ash Wednesday you asked of all of us, “a special remembrance in prayer,” we have created a response to your request.

With all our hearts—cor ad cor—we offer, from around the world, this most special 

SPIRITUAL BOUQUET OF PRAYER FOR YOU 

as you give your life over now to total consecrated prayer.

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY

ARCHBISHOPS

Archbishop Emeritus of Kansas City in Kansas, the Most Reverend James Patrick Keleher, is
offering for the nine days leading to the Pope Benedict's retirement the primary intention of each Mass.
PRIESTS

Fr. Paul Brady, priest, Diocese of Paisley, Scotland
will offer Holy Mass for the Pope the day he steps down.
Fr. Christopher P. Goodwin, priest, Diocese of Lincoln, NE
will offer a Divine Mercy Chaplet.
Fr. Brendan Kelly, priest, Diocese of Lincoln, NE will say 2 Holy Masses.
Fr. Joseph Lappin, priest of the Archdiocese of the Glasgow, Scotland
is offering Mass for the Holy Father.
Fr. Thomas Lux, pastor, Diocese of Lincoln, NE: remembrance in the Liturgy
of the hours.

Fr. Richard McDonald, pastor, Archdiocese of Kansas City in KS.:

remembrance in each Communion at every Mass until you pass to eternal life,

Pater Noster, Ave Maria, Gloria Patri.
Fr. Nicholas Monaghan, priest of the Archdiocese of Glasgow , Scotland
will offer Holy Mass for Pope Benedict XVI on the day he steps down.
Fr. Keith Steifel, priest, Diocese of Bismark, ND Will offer a 
Holy Hour with parishoners and 3 Holy Masses.
Fr. Mark Vickers, priest, Archdiocese of Westminster will offer the Holy Mass
 for the intentions of His Holiness during the final week of his Pontificate.

DEACONS

Deacon John Weist, Archdiocese of Kansas City, in KS
will offer a daily Memorare for Pope Benedict XVI
SEMINARIANS
Anthony J. Saiki, studying at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis
for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in KS will offer a
novena of Holy Communions and remembrance in his daily Rosary until the
Pope passes into eternal life.
Thomas Hornbeck, studying at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis
for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in KS will offer 1 Holy Hour and 1 Rosary.
INDIVIDUAL RELIGIOUS

ABBOTS & ABBESSES

The Right Rev. Dom Philip Anderson, First Abbot of Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey, 

Oklahoma, states, "The monks of Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey offer a spiritual bouquet on His Holiness Benedict XVI  on the occasion of his leaving the Petrine ministry for a hidden life of prayer.  We will be saying the Rosary for His Holiness, will offer up our Conventual Mass for His intention and will  offer many personal sacrifices.
RELIGIOUS INSTITUTUIONS WITHIN THE CHURCH
Fr. Julian Large, CongOrat, Provost of the London Brompton Oratory will
offer Holy Mass for His Holiness on the day he steps down. 

OTHER RELIGIOUS

The School Sisters of Christ the King, Diocese of Lincoln, NE will
offer 5 Rosaries and 5 Holy Communions.
Sisters and Donnes of Reparation of the Sacred Wounds of Jesus,
Portland Oregon continue to offer prayers and sacrifices for Pope Benedict
as he enters his new role.
Sr. Patricia Ann Hamus MS will pray the Rosary each day for His Holiness.
Sr. Marie Meza will pray for the Pope.
Sister Jeanette Rerucha, M.S. will continue to pray a Memorare each day
and remembrance of the Pope's intentions in her daily
Rosary through Lent.

RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS WITHIN THE CHURCH

Fr. Julian Large, CongOrg, Provost of the London Brompton Oratory pledges
to offer Holy Mass for His Holiness during his last week in office.
ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS WITHIN THE CHURCH

ACADEMICS
Dr. Andrew Seeley, Tutor, Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, CA will
offer 7 Holy Communions and 7 Rosaries.
Joseph Monachino, Jr., Principal, St. Pius X High School, Kansas City, MO will offer
his morning rosary for the Holy Father Pope Benedict.
Dr. David Quakenbush, Tutor, Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, CA
including his wife Maureen and Family will offer their
3 o'clock prayer for the Pope's well being, holiness and peace.

CHRISTI FIDELI

Matt and Mary Jo Anger will offer nocturnal Adoration.
Cathy and Bill Baker Family are saying a Novena
and remembrance of the Holy Father at Every Holy Communion.
Jim Baldwin will pray the Rosary.
Tricia Baldwin will offer a Holy Hour during which she
will say the Rosary for the Pope's intentions.
Donald and Diane Bebak will offer 10 Holy Communions, 10 Rosaries and
10 Holy Hours for Pope Benedict XVI.
Jan and Greg Belcher will continue to pray for the Pope's intentions in their
family Rosaries, night prayers, Adoration and Holy Communions.
Mary Borda will offer her daily Holy Communion
and Divine Mercy Chaplet for this week.
Janel Bromberek will pray for the Pope each day through Lent.
Kathyrn Brown will offer 5 Rosaries.
Patricia and Robert Brown offer remembrance in their daily Rosary.
Vivian Bruno offered Holy Communion on Ash Wednesday
and 2 Divine Mercy Chaplets and will continue to say
Chaplets and request Masses for the Holy Father.
CJM family will offer remembrance in Holy Communions and prayer.

Candace Cade will offer 25 Holy Communions,
25 Liturgy of the Hours, and 10 Rosaries.
Anne Calovich will offer a Rosary for Papa Emeritus
each day through the conclave.
Celine Calovich will offer Holy Communion, a Holy Hour and
Litany of the Saints for our dear Holy Father.
Kim Capman will offer her morning offering and daily Rosaries.
Susan Carroll will offer prayers.
Virginia Cathers will offer Memoraes, Holy Communions
and the Rosary each for 9 days.
Jim and Karen Chladek willl offer the Divine Mercy Chaplet
every Sunday in March and April.
Adrienne Coleman will offer 1 Holy Communion, 1 Rosary,
1 Holy Hour and 1 Divine Mercy Chaplet.
Karen Collins Family would like to offer 30 Divine Mercy Chaplets.
Meg Connelly will pray 3 Hail Marys Daily for the Pope.
Eve Cope will offer her Holy Communion through Lent
and continue to offer other prayers.
Deborah Crater will keep the Pope's intentions in her daily Rosary.
Katheryn Creten will offer daily Rosaries for the Holy Father.
Paul Danaher will offer a daily Rosary for the Holy Father.
Chip and Sue DeMoss Family are offering 1 Rosary, and 1 Holy Hour
and will remember Pope Benedict XVI in their daily prayers.
Maureen  Dickinson will offer Rosaries, Memorares, Ave Maria's
and light candles for the Holy Father.
Anne Dow is offeing a daily Rosary and a Novena to end February 28th.
Kendra Dowlatshahi Family will offer 5 Holy Hours, 8 Holy Communions,
8 Rosaries and 10 morning and evening prayers.
Tim and Elizabeth Evans Family will offer 7 Rosaries
 and 7 Divine Mercy Chaplets.
Robert Foeckler will offer 1 Holy Communion, 1 Rosary, and 1 Holy Hour.
John and Lori Gibel Family will pray an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be
 until the Pope passes into eternal life.
Michelle Giesy will devote a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
for His Holiness.
Beth Giffee will continue to pray for the Pope especially
in her daily prayer for priests and to St. Michael.
Mary Gilette will offer Holy Communion for His Holiness
on the day he steps down.
Amy and Michael Gilmore Family will offer
Holy Communions and a Rosary.
Patricia Giralt family will continue to keep the Pope in prayer.
Mary Gomez is praying for the beloved Holy Father.
Rosie Grimm will pray a Rosary.
Michael Grothoff will continue to pray for His Holiness.
Roman and Lisa Guerra Family will offer Rosaries, St. Michael prayers
and offer a Holy Communion.
Sharon Hassett will include Pope Benedict in all Rosaries, Chaplets
and Holy Communions during March.
Clare Hayes will remember the Pope's intentions when she
prays with her prayer group prays the full 20 decades of the Rosary
as well as say the Plenary Indulgence Prayer.
Dee Hebert remembrance at each Holy Communion for a week.
Rita Herken will continue to pray for the Holy Father.
Christine and Josh Hidley Family will pray 40 Divine Mercy Chaplets.
Dick and Diane Holdren will pray for the Holy Father.
Teresa Holman will offer 8 Holy Communions, 8 Rosaries, and
8 Divine Mercy Chaplets in honor of the 8 years served by our
beloved Pontiff.
Jody Horner will offer 5 Holy Communions and 5 Rosaries.
Peggy Hoyt will offer a weekly Rosary and Holy Communion
for Pope Benedict until she passes from this life.
Hugette Johnston will offer 1 Holy Hour and 3 Rosaries.
Jaime Ibarra Family will continue to offer their daily Rosary for the Pope through Lent.
Mariangel Ibarra will pray the Angelus daily for Pope Benedict.
Jacelyn and Charlie J. Family will pray for the Pope.
Nancy Janasz will offer her daily Rosary for His Holiness on his last day.
Jenny, Servant of the Holy Cross OCDS will pray for the Holy Father.
Ronnie Johnston will pray 30 Rosaries.
Carole Joy will continue to pray for Pope Benedict in her daily prayers.
John and Rita Jurcyk will offer 3 Hail Mary's through Lent.
Cathy Kern is praying the Angelus for Pope Benedict XVI.
Mary Kern will pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
Dan Ketelle will continue to remember the Pope in his daily Rosary.
Kevin Kielas will offer 3 Holy Communions.
Mark and Ann Killen are remembering the Holy Father by
praying an Our Father daily during Lent.
Joyce and Gene Klingele will offer 2 Holy Communions, and 2 Rosaries.
Robert and Mary Kneib Family will offer Rosaries and prayers at
their weekly Holy Hour.
Georgine Koessl is offering twice daily the Angelus
from February 24th through Lent.
LMBR will offer a weekly Holy Hour of Adoration during March.
M. Laurin O.F.S. will offer daily Rosaries, Divine Mercy Chaplets,
Crusades and Litany Prayers for the Beloved Holy Father.

Paul and Carla Laverys are praying.
Lehr Family is offering their Sunday Rosary prayers
during Lent in thanks for the leadership of the Holy Father,
Pope Benedict XVI
Patti Lewis is offering her suffering.
Linda Lunde will continue to pray for the Pope.
Mary Markey will offer 10 Rosaries.
Eileen, Caroline, Dylan, Liam and Evan Manley will offer the Divine
Mercy Chaplet during Adoration and will
pray the Rosary on Thursdays for the Pope.
Mike Martinez Family will pray a Novena to St. Joseph, a Rosary
and offer Sunday Holy Communion for the Holy Father.
Kay May will continue praying for the Pope.
KiAnn Caprice, Cole and Cavin McBratney will pray a Rosary a
week through the Easter Season.
Stephen McBride will be saying a Rosary a day and offering some
Holy Communions for His Holiness.
Tim McGuire made a donation to the National Shrine in
Pope Benedict XVI's name and is praying for him.
Rebecca Messall is remembering the Pope at every Holy Communion
and Rosary for the rest of her life.
Katie Miller will pray for the Holy Father.
Mary Mitchell will offer Holy Communion and daily Rosary during
Lent plus 5 Holy Hours in remembrance of the Pope.
Joyce and Larry Moore are offering prayers through the Easter Season.
sue Moraille is going to pray 5 Rosaries for the Pope.
Mary Jo Nelson will continue to offer Adoration, her Rosary and add
the Memorare.
Terrye Newkirk wil offer the Prayer of Abandonment of Charles de
Foucauld throughout the year.
Joyce Northwick will offer Holy Communion each week until
the Holy Father passes into eternal life.
Pat O'Brien is praying a Novena of Rosaries.
Margaret Mary Page will pray for the Pope.
Joan Pascual Family will offer Rosaries, a daily Memorare
and Sunday Holy Communions; Joan will offer a Rosary
and Holy Hour.
Colleen Perfect will offer 5 Holy Communions, 5 Holy Rosaries,
a Holy Hour and Stations of the Cross.
Clarke Peterson Family will continue to dedicate their
morning family Rosary for the Pope.
Julia Pickert will offer her daily Holy Communion for the Pope
during his final days in office.
Loren Pickert will pray for the Holy Father.
Teresa Pineda will offer a daily Rosary.
Charles and Catherine Piquette Family are offering their
family Rosary on February 27th and 28th for His Holiness.
Francine Piquette will offer their daily family Rosary for two weeks; four of
them will offer Holy Communion for two weeks.
Jeff Piquette Family is pledging an Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy and
the family Rosary for Pope Benedict on his last day.
Jeanette Pryor will pray an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be
 each day for the next year.
Marge Pryor will offer Stations of the Cross.
RD is praying a Novena.
Elizabeth Raskob is praying for the Pope with special remembrance
in the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
Glenn Ronquillo Family will continue to pray for the Pope.
David Rundle will aspire to pray a Rosary every Sunday for the Pope.
Lisa Russell will offer a Hail Mary daily for the Pope
until he passes into eternal life.
Sarah Russell Family will continue to pray the Rosary through Lent.
SLC is offering his Lenten Fast as well as many Rosaries and Holy Communions.
SWN is offering a Novena for the Pope during his final days.
Natalia Schumann will say 28 Memorares.
JoAnn Seeley is offering Holy Communion for the Holy Father.
Lisa Seeley will offer 7 Holy Communions, 7 Rosaries and 1 Holy Hour.
Pat Scheibe will give remembrance during at Holy Communion,
Rosaries and Stations of the Cross.
Carol Schemmel offered Holy Communion for the Pope.
Eulalia Schieber will pray a Rosary.
 Keith and Alison Schieber Family will remember the Holy Father in
family Rosaries until he passes into eternal life.
Dale and Candise Schmidling Family offered Holy Communion and will offer
3 family Rosaries during their Holy Hour.
Catherine Schroeder will pray the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be
in the Adoration Chapel for our Lord.
John and Irene Sheerin are offering a daily Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet
during the remaining days of the Pontificate of Benedict XVI
Bill and Terri Steimle Family will say the Divine Mercy Chaplet and
remember the Holy Father in evening prayers through the year.
Robert and Jennifer Strange are offering a daily Rosary through Lent.
Bill Stump is offering the Divine Mercy Chaplet daily through Lent.
Katy Tarbe will offer her Lenten Rosaries and a daily Memorare.
Wendy-Marie Teichert will offer for the dear Pope 9 Rosaries,
9 Holy Communions and the Stations of the Cross.
Linda Todd is praying for the Pope and will say a Divine Mercy Chaplet
on the day he steps down.
Ken and Hilary Trossen Family are offering Holy Communions,
Holy Hours, Divine Mercy Chaplets and the Rosary.
Karen Turbak will offer 9 Rosaries and 9 Divine Mercy Chaplets.
Fernando Vasquez will pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
Bernadette Velazquez will continue to pray for the Pope.
Fran and Linda Van Nieuwenhuyse will offer Holy Communion, the Rosary,
and a Divine Mercy Chaplet.
Steve and Carrie Whitson Family will continue to offer a Holy Rosary through
Lent except on Friday the Stations of the Cross will be offered.
Wes and Shana Wright Family will over up a weekly Rosary and remembrance
in picking up daily Crosses.
Chris and Marcia Ziglinski Family will remember the Pope in the Holy Rosary during Lent.

Ad multos annos, vivas! Ad multos annos, vivas! Ad multos annos, gloriosque annos! 

vivas! Vivas! VIVAS!

Pope Benedict's Last Angelus Address

Dear brothers and sisters!    

On the second Sunday of Lent, the liturgy always presents us with the Gospel of the Transfiguration of the Lord. The evangelist Luke places particular emphasis on the fact that Jesus was transfigured as he prayed: his is a profound experience of relationship with the Father during a sort of spiritual retreat that Jesus lives on a high mountain in the company of Peter, James and John , the three disciples always present in moments of divine manifestation of the Master (Luke 5:10, 8.51, 9.28).The Lord, who shortly before had foretold his death and resurrection (9:22), offers his disciples a foretaste of his glory. And even in the Transfiguration, as in baptism, we hear the voice of the Heavenly Father, "This is my Son, the Chosen One listen to him" (9:35). The presence of Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets of the Old Covenant, it is highly significant: the whole history of the Alliance is focused on Him, the Christ, who accomplishes a new "exodus" (9:31) , not to the promised land as in the time of Moses, but to Heaven. Peter’s words: "Master, it is good that we are here" (9.33) represents the impossible attempt to stop this mystical experience. St. Augustine says: "[Peter] ... on the mountain ... had Christ as the food of the soul. Why should he come down to return to the labours and pains, while up there he was full of feelings of holy love for God that inspired in him a holy conduct? " (Sermon 78.3).

We can draw a very important lesson from meditating on this passage of the Gospel. First, the primacy of prayer, without which all the work of the apostolate and of charity is reduced to activism. In Lent we learn to give proper time to prayer, both personal and communal, which gives breath to our spiritual life. In addition, to pray is not to isolate oneself from the world and its contradictions, as Peter wanted on Tabor, instead prayer leads us back to the path, to action. "The Christian life - I wrote in my Message for Lent - consists in continuously scaling the mountain to meet God and then coming back down, bearing the love and strength drawn from him, so as to serve our brothers and sisters with God’s own love "(n. 3).Dear brothers and sisters, I feel that this Word of God is particularly directed at me, at this point in my life. The Lord is calling me to "climb the mountain", to devote myself even more to prayer and meditation. But this does not mean abandoning the Church, indeed, if God is asking me to do this it is so that I can continue to serve the Church with the same dedication and the same love with which I have done thus far, but in a way that is better suited to my age and my strength. Let us invoke the intercession of the Virgin Mary: may she always help us all to follow the Lord Jesus in prayer and works of charity.

I offer a warm greeting to all the English-speaking visitors present for this Angelus prayer, especially the Schola Cantorum of the London Oratory School. I thank everyone for the many expressions of gratitude, affection and closeness in prayer which I have received in these days. As we continue our Lenten journey towards Easter, may we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus the Redeemer, whose glory was revealed on the mount of the Transfiguration. Upon all of you I invoke God’s abundant blessings!

Offerings on 2/23/2013

Thank you Holy Father! I will pray for you and our holy church! You are a true Apostle, leading the Way. Signed SC



I will be offering my Communions through Lent for our Holy Father and saying a daily prayer for the rest of the year for his well being and continued ability to provide beautiful spiritual guidance to the world. Signed EC


Stations of the Cross  Signed MP

 I will continue to pray a daily rosary for Pope Benedict XVI.  May God continue to bless him. Signed RH

Dear Pope Benedict,

The six of us offered a home mass for you on the feast of the Chair of St. Peter.

We also pledge 3 family rosaries during our holy hour in these weeks.  Signed CC and Family

Dear Holy Father Benedict the XVI,

My prayers go out for you everyday at adoration, before the rosary.  I will continue to pray for you and add a Memorare Prayer to the Blessed Virgin for you and the church. Signed MN

Pledge to offer Holy Mass for His Holiness during his last week in office
Signed Fr. JL

Holy Father, I will offer a Mass for you and your intentions.  I will pray for you.  I saw you at the World Youth Day in 2008 in Sydney, Australia.  I was most impressed and inspired by you especially at that time.  May God grant you peace and joy.  Thank you for being our Holy Father.  With deep experssion of my faith to our Church and yourself, I am JS.

More Offerings . . .

Thanks for your continuing email offerings of prayer and sacrifice for our pope Benedict XVI.

Here are some new pledges:

Our family will pray for Pope Benedict XVI, our soon to be Holy Grandfather, and the conclave each day during Lent as we say the rosary  Signed MZ

And:

Holy Father,

My deepest personal gratitude extends to you for your selflessness, both before and during your pontificate. The world is forever changed for the good by virtue of your careful study and patient teaching of the faith, and by your obedient acceptance of the rigors of the office of St. Peter.

May God give you health, joy, and contentment in your new servitude to his people. God's people will miss your gentle smile, refined intellect and deep charity in all things. Signed RM

More:

I will pray the Angelus for Pope Benedict XVI in appreciation for his faithfulness in service as the Vicar of Christ.  Signed CK