by vaticannews.va -- By Vatican News Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has returned to the Father’s House. The Holy See Press Office announced that the Pope Emeritus died at 9:34 AM on Saturday morning in his residence at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, which the 95-year-old Pope emeritus had chosen as his residence after resigning from the Petrine ministry in 2013. “With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 AM in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican. Further information will be provided as soon as possible. As of Monday morning, 2 January 2023, the body of the Pope Emeritus will be in Saint Peter's Basilica so the faithful can pay their respects."

News of worsening health condition

Already for several days, the health conditions of the Pope Emeritus had worsened due to advancing age, as the Press Office had reported in its updates of the evolving situation. Pope Francis himself publicly shared the news about his predecessor's worsening health at the end of the last General Audience of the year, on 28 December. The Pope had invited people to pray for the Pope Emeritus, who was "very ill," so that the Lord might console him and support him "in this witness of love for the Church until the end." Following this invitation, prayer initiatives sprung up and multiplied on all continents, along with an outpouring of messages of solidarity and closeness from secular leaders.

Funeral plans

During a briefing at the Holy See Press office, the director, Matteo Bruni, told journalists that Pope Francis will preside over the funeral of the Pope Emeritus on 5 January at 9.30 CET in St. Peter's Square. No tickets are foreseen for participation in the Mass. Bruni also said the Pope Emeritus on Wednesday 28th, in the afternoon, received the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick in the Mater Ecclesiae monastery at the end of Holy Mass. And speaking to reporters after the briefing he said Benedict specifically asked that everything - including the funeral - be marked by simplicity, just as he lived his life. A statement later in the day shed more light on details regarding the lying in state, the funeral ceremony and the burial. It noted that at the conclusion of the Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Holy Father, the Final Commendation and Valediction will take place. The Pope Emeritus‘ remains will then be taken into St. Peter's Basilica and then to the Vatican Grottos where he will be laid to rest.

Lying in state

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s remains will rest at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery until the morning of Monday, 2 January; official visits or public prayers are not foreseen. From 9am on the same day, Benedict’s body will lie in state in St. Peter’s Basilica so the faithful can pay their final respects. On Monday the Basilica will remain open from 9am to 7pm; on Tuesday and Wednesday from 7am to 7pm.

The Spiritual Testament of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

By Vatican News -- Pope renews invitation to pray for Benedict XVI in these difficult hours In a response to questions from journalists, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, on Friday confirmed that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's health condition remains stable at this time. He added that yesterday evening Benedict XVI was able to have a good rest, and earlier in the afternoon he participated in the celebration of Mass in his room. In related news, at 5:30 pm Rome time on today, Mass will be celebrated at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, remembering in prayer Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and his health. Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, Vicar of the Diocese of Rome, will preside over the celebration.

The Diocese of Rome has encouraged "parish communities, chaplaincies, religious men and women, all the faithful of the diocese and all the men and women of good will who live in Rome," to gather in prayer for Benedict XVI, "remembering with gratitude the road travelled together with our bishop emeritus," and accompanying him now "in this time of suffering and hardship, praying to the Lord that He may console him and sustain him in his witness of love for the Church until the end."

By Lisa Zengarini -- Cardinal De Donatis presides over special Mass for Benedict XVI --

As cardinals, bishops, bishops’ conferences and faithful around the world continue to offer prayers for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the Cardinal Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome, Angelo De Donatis, on Friday presided over a special evening Mass for him in St John's Basilica in the Lateran.

Affection and gratitude

Cardinal De Donatis introduced his homily by expressing the prayerful “affection” and “gratitude” of the entire Church of Rome to the Pope Emeritus, who - he noted - loved his Diocese “so much and served (it) with unselfish love.” Reflecting on today’s Gospel of the Solemnity of the Holy Family, the Archpriest St John's Basilica highlighted the likeness between the “trusting abandonment” to God of Benedict XVI whose baptismal name is Joseph, to that of St. Joseph when fleeing Herod with Mary and Baby Jesus.

by Patrick Hauf foxnews.com -- The mother of Hunter Biden's 4-year-old daughter requested in court to change the last name of her child so she can "benefit from carrying the Biden family name." Lunden Roberts, a former exotic dancer, made the request through her lawyer Tuesday in a case where Hunter asked to lower his child support payments. Roberts' lawyer asked the court to dismiss this request due to Hunter's "long, and lengthy, history of attempting to avoid discovery by filing endless and recurrent motions for protective orders." She countered with a request that their daughter, Navy, takes the Biden last name. "To the extent this [estrangement] is misconduct or neglect, it can be rectified by changing her last name to Biden so that she may undeniably be known to the world as the child of the defendant and member of the prestigious Biden family," her lawyer wrote, according to documents first reported by the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and reviewed by the New York Post.

Hunter initially claimed he had no recollection of meeting Roberts, but he was later ordered to pay child support in 2020 after a DNA test proved he is the father of Navy. Roberts' lawyer argued that the Biden last name would benefit Navy because it is "now synonymous with being well educated, successful, financially acute, and politically powerful." The lawyer also asked for information on the federal tax fraud investigation into Hunter, for which Roberts reportedly testified. Roberts previously worked at a strip club in Washington, D.C. She claims neither Hunter nor his father, the president, have met the child.

by catholicherald.co.uk — Diane Montagna — New details about Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s condition have emerged following Pope Francis’s request yesterday for …