Following the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the Catholic Union has issued the following statement.
Catholic Union Director, Nigel Parker, comments: “Catholics in this country join others around the world in mourning the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. He was a man of great intellect, steadfastness and humility. We give thanks for the great gift of his service to the Church and pray that he may enjoy rest and peace eternal.
“None of us will forget his visit to Britain in 2010 and the closeness he showed to Catholics in this country. The first State Visit from a Pope to this Island was an historic moment in itself, but his words were equally powerful. His Westminster Hall address set a gold standard for how people of faith should participate in public life and why this engagement is so important.
“As Pope Benedict said in that ancient hall, ‘religion is not a problem for legislators to solve, but a vital contribution to the national conversation’. Those words, and his extraordinary life of faith and service, will stand as an inspiration long into the future. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.”
