A framed portrait of the late Pope Benedict XVI is displayed at his memorial Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa, Jan. 4. (Photo courtesy of Dann Ebina)
By Anna Weaver
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Local Catholics filled the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa in Honolulu on Jan. 4 for a memorial Mass honoring the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
Bishop Larry Silva presided and gave a homily recognizing the late pope for his “rock solid” theological legacy and Christ-centered faith life.
Pope Benedict XVI died at the Vatican on Dec. 31. He had been retired since 2013 when he made the surprising announcement that he would be stepping down from the papacy. He had been pontiff since April 2005.
Bishop Silva opened his homily by talking about how the name Benedict means “well-spoken.”
“We were blessed by this pope who was so well-spoken,” he said.
He also pointed out that he was one of the first bishops to be appointed by Pope Benedict XVI when he became Hawaii’s bishop in July 2005 and that it was Pope Benedict who canonized both St. Damien and St. Marianne of Molokai, as well as, being pope at the time of Mother Marianne’s beatification in 2005.
Bishop Silva also recalled being at seminary around 1971 and reading a complex but mesmerizing theological book on the creed.
“It was one of the most profoundly spiritual books that I have ever read in my whole time at the seminary,” he said. “That book was ethereal yet rock solid at the same time.”
The book was by then-Father Joseph Ratzinger, who at the time was already well-known as an expert theologian.
Bishop Silva recalled some of the late pope’s biography from a short time as a parish pastor to his rise through the church hierarchy as an archbishop, then cardinal and finally pope.
“Through it all, he had a heart that was fixed on Jesus as a real living person who he knew intimately.”
Bishop Silva said that Pope Benedict set the church on a more solid foundation.
He talked about how the introverted successor to extroverted Pope John Paul II must have struggled some to match his predecessor’s energy level but that he found the right level to reach people’s hearts.
The bishop also said that he firmly believed Pope Benedict XVI will be declared a doctor of the church someday, “one of the most spiritually profound teachers.”
“Just as Job wished that his words would be cut into stone, I believe that the thoughts and words of this holy pope will one day be cut into stone so that generations to come will be enlightened with his rock-solid yet spiritually profound teachings.”
Bishop Silva also said that while there was shock at Pope Benedict’s retirement announcement, he saw it as “characteristic of his attitude of lifelong service.”
“The papacy was not about him,” he said. “When he realized that his age and health no longer gave him the energy to continue governing the church, he had the humility to admit his limitations and step down to make room for someone who still had the energy for the Petrine ministry.”
Bishop Silva concluded his homily by saying, “We thank God for this man who was truly Peter, the rock, whose faith in Jesus will continue to inspire many generations to come. May he rest in peace.”
The Jan. 4 Mass was well-attended, with most of the co-cathedral’s pews filled. Two dozen or so priests and about a dozen deacons also attended.
Rather than holding a reception after the Mass, the bishop encouraged attendees to go home and watch the broadcast of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s Jan. 5 funeral Mass at the Vatican.
With the time difference to Rome, it aired at around 10:30 p.m. Hawaii time on Jan. 4.
