Five years ago this Sunday, our beloved Pope emeritus, Benedict XVI announced his retirement as Supreme Pontiff. This past week, in response to an outpouring of letters from the readers of La Stampa newspaper, he wrote these words. May they remind each of us to pray for him in these final days of his pilgrimage to the house of our Heavenly Father.
I was moved that so many readers of your newspaper would like to know how I am spending this last period of my life. I can only say that with the slow decline of my physical forces, interiorly, I am on a pilgrimage towards Home. It is a great grace for me to be surrounded in this last, sometimes a little tiring, piece of road, by more love and goodness than I could have imagined. In this sense, I also consider the questions of your readers as an accompaniment along this stretch of road. This is why I cannot but be grateful, assuring all of you of my prayers.
Best regards,
Benedict XVI
