In his spiritual testament dated more than 16 years before his death, Pope Benedict reflected on his life, and on those whom he had encountered, with gratitude

“I can tell you the shock was palpable,” Bishop Parker remembered. “After Pope Benedict left the room, having given us his blessing, the cardinals simply stood in stunned silence. No one knew what to say or what to do, or what would happen next, given that this hadn’t happened for so many centuries.”

The theological writings and papal teaching of the late Pope Benedict XVI were and will continue to be a blessing to the Catholic Church, Pope Francis wrote.

Catholic immigration advocates are hailing the extension of Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, to war-torn Yemen, where more than 23 million face what the United Nations has called “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.”

Pope Benedict XVI made substantial contributions to theology and Catholic thought through his prolific writing, academic lectures and long-form interviews, say scholars who study his work.