Pope Francis grateful for ‘noble’ Benedict and his prayers

VATICAN CITY — Hours after the death Saturday of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Pope Francis praised his “noble” predecessor and expressed gratitude for his life of faith and prayers, especially those offered in the nearly 10 years since the shy churchman dramatically became the first pontiff in centuries to retire from the papacy. During his homily at a New Year’s Eve Vespers service in St. Peter’s Basilica, Francis said “thoughts go spontaneously to the very dear Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who this morning left us.” “With deep feeling, we recall his person, so noble, so gentle,’' Francis said. Biden also recalled Benedict’s 2008 visit to the White House, saying the then pontiff had remarked that “‘the need for global solidarity is as urgent as ever, if all people are to live in a way worthy of their dignity.’” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said of the funeral that “following the desire of the pope emeritus, will be carried out in the sign of simplicity.” Benedict spent two more years in papal retirement than in the actual papacy, which had begun in 2005. Francis DeBernardo, executive director of the U.S.-based New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics noted that Ratzinger in 1986 helped shape a document that called homosexual orientation as ”an objective disorder” and cited his involvement with a 1994 Catechism describing sexual activity between people of the same gender as “acts of grave depravity.” “Those documents caused — and still cause — grave pastoral harm” to many LGBTQ+ people, DeBernardo said, while noting that his organization was praying for the repose of Benedict’s soul.