BALANGA CITY – “The Diocese of Balanga grieves with the whole Christendom with the passing of Pope Benedict XVI to eternal life. Amidst our sorrow and sadness, we are assured of his eternal peace and rest in Heaven.”
Thus, Bishop Ruperto C. Santos expressed the collective grief of the Bataan faithful over the death of the pope emeritus on Sunday morning at the Vatican. Benedict XVI was 95.
“Our dear Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI goes home to God. With our filial love, we accompany him with our prayers and Holy Masses. We are grateful for his love and charity to the whole Church. His holy, humble apostolic ministry lives on in our hearts,” the Bataan prelate furthered.
Santos described his first impression of Benedict XVI as “so holy and very humble” when the pope, as prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, came to visit the Pontificio Collegio Filippino in Rome for the symposium “Fides et Ratio.”
The Bataan bishop is a former rector at the Pontificio Collegio Filippino.
“Very clear, so eloquent and down to earth in his theology that the student-priests were much moved by Pope Benedict XVI’s humility and with his patience. He accepted and answered all questions, accommodated all pictures taking and signing his books. He communicated with his heart, manifesting his profound knowledge and his love to his students,” Santos said.
“’Commitment to Jesus is to be compassionate to His flock. Be Jesus to your people, and it is to be charitable’ is what I remembered of Pope Benedict XVI when I was named bishop. His life is truly a love for the Church. His love is God,” the prelate continued.
“For the Church he gives all, does all and sacrifices his life for her. In his solitude Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI still guides the Church with his prayers. In his silence he continues to serve the Church with his writings. And now from above Pope Benedict XVI prays for us, bless us and intercedes for us,” Santos concluded.
