Cupich, other local Catholic leaders express admiration for late Benedict XVI
Local Catholic leaders expressed their admiration for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who died early Saturday at 95.
Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich said Benedict showed people what it meant to fulfill the ancient command to love God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. And by resigning as pope in 2013, Benedict taught that belief in God means completely placing our trust in divine providence, Cupich said.
When Benedict resigned he cited "a lack of strength of mind and body," due to his advanced age of 85.
"It was remarkable," said the Rev. John Dearhammer of Mission San Juan Diego in Arlington Heights. "He was very honest with his own health. He realized he couldn't give his full energy to the work and that seems to me to show a great deal of humility and service."
Dearhammer said he was glad Benedict no longer is suffering.
Bishop Ronald A. Hicks of the Diocese of Joliet highlighted Benedict's long career of service in a statement Saturday.
"He served God as a priest, archbishop, cardinal and pope, and enlightened Catholics worldwide with his thoughtful theological writings," Hicks said. "May he rest in peace."
Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger was born on April 16, 1927, in the town of Marktl in southern Germany. Ratzinger became a priest in 1951, was elevated to cardinal in 1977, then became pope in 2005. In his statement, Cupich quoted a prayer that Pope Francis made earlier this year, "May St. Joseph help us to live the mystery of death in the best possible way. For a Christian, the good death is an experience of the mercy of God, who comes close to us even in that last moment of our life."
Memorial Masses
Several special Masses are planned by the Archdiocese of Chicago this week to mark the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
At 8 a.m. Monday, Cardinal Blase Cupich will preside over a Mass for the late pope at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. The service will be livestreamed on the church's YouTube page at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@holynamecathedral9491">youtube.com/@holynamecathedral9491</a>.
Auxiliary bishops will preside over memorial Masses in each of the archdiocese's six vicariates. Three of the services are set for Thursday in the Western and Northwest suburbs:
• 6:30 p.m. at St. Cletus Church, 600 W. 55th St., La Grange.
• 7 p.m. at St. Theresa Parish, 455 N. Benton St., Palatine.
• 7:30 p.m. at St. Joseph Church, 1747 Lake Ave., Wilmette.