the unsent letter

Last October, I wrote a letter to Pope Benedict XVI thanking him for his gift (i.e. the zucchetto) which I received in September, but due to my hectic schedule during my student teaching internship and because of other circumstances, I wasn’t able to ship it. I planned to send it over the Christmas season but as you all know, the Good Lord called his faithful servant to His eternal rest.

My letter, written in Italian, and typed in a bigger font to aid his reading, contains my appreciation for sending me his skullcap and also, a big thank you for being one of my spiritual masters from childhood until now. His writings and his teachings shaped me into who I am. My vision of the Church is largely inspired by his example, which is not a thing that he created himself, but a path he walked through in following Christ.

I assured him that I remember him in my prayers, especially when I recite the Divine Office and the Rosary, and that I still keep the holy cards and the rosary he gave me many years ago. The holy cards I keep tucked in my breviary, and the rosary I use regularly.

I ended my letter with these words:

May Our Lord,
the Just and Merciful Judge,
at the end of our earthly pilgrimage,
welcome us with the saints and angels in heaven;
and may our voices unite with theirs
in eternally singing the praises of the Triune God.

Amen.

Never have I thought and imagined that in that same year, too, two months soon, Pope Benedict will meet the Just and Merciful Judge of all mankind, Our Lord Jesus Christ.

It’s a pity that my letter didn’t make it to him but I hope that our good Pope is now in the company of all the saintly pontiffs, united in offering divine praises to the Lamb.

Taken from my Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/angelodc15/status/1615903809427083266?s=20