Diocese celebrates memorial Mass for late pope at Cathedral

METUCHEN – The diocese joined faithful around the world in a solemn yet hope-filled Jan. 5 Mass of praise for the life and ministry of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi.

Scores of priests -- vested in funereal white -- deacons and seminarians led the procession towards the altar. Father Jonathan S. Toborowsky, Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, presided at the liturgy and gave the homily.

Pope Benedict XVI, born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, died Dec. 31, 2022, at age 95. The 264th successor of St. Peter, he served as pontiff from April 19, 2005, until his resignation Feb. 28, 2013.

Father Toborowsky, Vicar General, read a statement from Bishop James F. Checchio about his days in Rome during Pope Benedict XVI’s pontificate.

In his prominent and silent ways, he encouraged us to have a deep relationship with the Lord,” wrote the bishop. “Through his grace-filled counsel and leadership, he defined the essence of Vatican II’s Universal Call to Holiness…Whether in a private meeting with him or in the square or Paul VI Audience Hall with so many others, his fatherly love and encouragement moved us priests and seminarians to give more fully of ourselves to the Lord and His people. We are indebted to him for his faithful life of service to the Church and for the beautiful teaching legacy he leaves behind.”

In his homily, Father Toborowsky urged the congregation to give thanks for the body, mind and spirit of the late Pope Emeritus, and pray for him as an elder in our family and the family of God.

The sacramentality of the body reflects our inner disposition towards God, the vicar general began. With all the challenges of young Joseph Ratzinger’s experiences of the devastation of a world war and his time in prison, “It would have been easy for him to be bitter.”

He continued, “In the introduction to ‘Jesus of Nazareth,’ that three volume series which is his life’s work, he says it was the culmination of a lifelong process and search for Jesus. Thankfully he looked for Jesus and found peace, found hope, found mercy. We are grateful for his yes as a priest and bishop, a member of Roman curia, and then as pope.”

Father Toborowsky referred to Pope Emeritus’ mind as “that awesome, unimaginable intellect.” In addition to writing 66 books in his lifetime, the Vatican website is filled with his scholarly guidance and insights. “The professor has left us homework to do,” he quipped.

Finally, the spirit of the recently-deceased pope emeritus still lives, Father Toborowsky assured the congregation, and quoted St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the pope’s favorite saints.

“Think of heaven as the goal which we can obtain only through the portals which are death’” Father Toborowksy said. “Well, his soul is now freed from his body. He journeyed to that mountain Isaiah speaks of, more spectacular than any of the Bavarian Alps I am sure he spent his childhood looking at.

“If you allow me to go from the theological to the poetic,” he concluded, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI “finally gets his books and his piano and maybe a few cats to pet, some orange Fanta on the side. After a life here on earth and that pilgrimage in a search for Jesus, he arrived at the end of his quest. Death no longer has power over him, he can rejoice and be glad. God, who is love, has in hope saved him. Well done, good and faithful servant. May his memory be eternal, may he rest in peace.”

As befitting a pope who advocated much wider use of the Tridentine Mass popular before the Second Vatican Council, much of the music of the memorial Mass was in the style of Latin chant. The congregation joined with the choir and clergy in singing a Communion antiphon, praying “Lux aeterna, luceat eis Domine, cum sanctis tuis in aeternum quia pius es [May eternal light shine on them, oh Lord, with all your saints for eternity, for you are pious (full of goodness)].”

Following the liturgy, faithful touched the purple-shrouded picture of the late pope in prayer and stopped to view the depiction of Pope Benedict XVI’s coat of arms with the motto “Cooperatores Veritatis” (Cooperators of the Truth.)

“Our prayers join with prayers from around the world,” Father Toborowsky said. “His body dies, but his soul remains.”