DETROIT — Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron will celebrate a Mass of Suffrage for the repose of the soul of Pope Benedict XVI at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit, the Archdiocese of Detroit announced.
Priests and deacons, as well as the lay faithful from across the Archdiocese of Detroit, are invited to take part in the Mass.
An email from the Archdiocese of Detroit's Office of Sacred Worship reminded said the Mass of Suffrage is a tradition in the Catholic Church to remember and pray for the deceased. Such Masses are often celebrated approximately a month after the deceased has died as a way to recall the life of the faithful departed.
"Families come together for this Mass and recall the life of the faithful departed by having a meal together," the email stated. "It is thought to have originated in England."
In a statement, Archbishop Vigneron thanked God for the "great gift" Pope Benedict was for the Church.
“While his many gifts have long been evident — his penetrating intellect, his piety, his courage — what most resonates with me now is his profound humility and the gentleness with which he exercised his ministry," the archbishop said.
“God was good to his Church in Our Holy Father Pope Benedict, and he was generous to us in his service. Let us return the favor by praying fervently for him, that he may be welcomed quickly into the kingdom."
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