Remembering Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

Masses for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in the Diocese of Portland

January 4

Portland - Bishop Robert Deeley will celebrate a Mass in honor of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 307 Congress Street in Portland.

Lewiston - Father Daniel Greenleaf, pastor of Prince of Peace Parish in Lewiston, will celebrate a Mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on Wednesday, January 4, at 6:30 p.m. at the Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul, 122 Ash Street in Lewiston.

Machias - A Mass in remembrance of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will be celebrated at Holy Name of Jesus Church, 8 Free Street in Machias, on January 4 at 8:30 a.m.

January 5

Caribou - The Parish of the Precious Blood will celebrate a Mass for the deceased for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVl on Thursday, January 5, at 4 p.m. at Holy Rosary Church, 34 Vaughn Street in Caribou.

Rumford - A Mass in remembrance of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will be celebrated at St. Athanasius & St. John Church, 126 Maine Avenue in Rumford, on Thursday, January 5, at 8:15 a.m.

Sanford - A Mass in remembrance of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will be celebrated at Holy Family Church, 66 North Avenue in Sanford on Thursday, January 5, at 6 p.m.

Scarborough - A Mass for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will be celebrated on January 5 at 8 a.m. at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, 150 Black Point Road in Scarborough.

January 6

Gray - Father Steven Cartwright, pastor of the Parish of the Holy Eucharist, will celebrate a Mass for the Dead for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on Friday, January 6, at 8 a.m. at St. Gregory Church, 24 North Raymond Road in Gray.

Greenville - A Mass for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will be held at Holy Family Church, located on 145 Pritham Avenue, at 8 a.m.

January 9

Bangor - A Mass to pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will be celebrated at St. Mary Church, 768 Ohio Street in Bangor, on Monday, January 8, at 8:30 a.m.

Dover-Foxcroft - A Mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will be celebrated on Monday, January 9, at 4 p.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Dover-Foxcroft.

East Millinocket - A Mass in memory of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will be celebrated on Monday, January 9, at 8:30 a.m. at St. Peter Church, 58 Cedar Street in East Millinocket.

Portland - A Mass for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will be celebrated on Monday, January 9, at 7 p.m. at St. Pius X Church, 492 Ocean Avenue in Portland

January 11

Ellsworth - Father Emile Dubé, pastor of the Cluster 11 parishes, will celebrate a Mass for the repose of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on Wednesday, January 11, at 4 p.m. at St. Joseph Church, 231 Main Street in Ellsworth.

Bishop Deeley's Statement on the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

The passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is a great sadness for the universal Church and a personal loss for me and countless others who benefited from his great faith, intelligence, and kindness. He served for over seven decades as a priest and nearly eight years as the Successor to St. Peter. His contributions to theology are extraordinary, including the creation of many conciliar documents, and even as his health declined in recent years, he continued to teach of the sacredness of life. [Read more]

Bishop Deeley's remarks on the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI from his New Year's Day homily

When I think of this great man, I am touched by the way his great theological scholarship always led those who listened to him deeper into a knowledge of God. Pope Benedict spoke to us of God, and, in particular, God in Jesus Christ. While he was pope, for example, he managed to write a three-volume study of the Gospels and the life of Christ. The final volume was a slim one on the birth of Christ. In the introduction to that volume, he summarized in his own humble way what I think was his life work: “My hope is that this short book, despite its limitations, will be able to help many people on their path toward and alongside Jesus.” [Read more]

Funeral Mass

The solemn Funeral Mass for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was celebrated on Thursday, January 5, at 9:30 a.m. (3:30 a.m. EST) at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. [Read Pope Francis' homily,]