Pope Benedict was committed to seeking Christian unity and dialogue with all people of good will, Cardinal Péter Erdő said.Continue reading
A mass in memory of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was celebrated in St. Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest on Monday.
Pope Benedict XVI was committed to seeking Christian unity and dialogue with all people of goodwill, and in doing so he respectfully listened to and took into account the opinions of others, Cardinal Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest and Primate of Hungary, said on Monday evening in St. Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest.
At the same time, Pope Benedict was steadfastly faithful to the teachings of Christ, the cardinal said at a mass for the Pope Emeritus who died on December 31.
In his homily, Cardinal Erdő said that Pope Benedict’s life’s work was an exposition of the truth of Christ- not in the form of abstract speculation, but in the words of love.
He also said that Pope Benedict was particularly sensitive to the great problems of our time, such as the challenges of old age and the increasing age of people. He personally experienced this problem, as he was 78 years old when he was elected pope.
The cardinal said that Pope Benedict knew and understood the peoples of Central Europe. “He was aware of the destiny of our country and our nation,” he said.
He told me several times that he prayed for Hungarians with special love,
said Cardinal Erdő, asking the faithful to pray for the Pope Emeritus.
Photos via MTI/Bruzák Noémi