Vatican

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Full text of Pope Benedict XVI’s announcement on resignation/retirement, effective Thursday, 28 February 2013 at 20:00 Rome time

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-benedict-xvi-announces-his-resignation-at-end

Dear Brothers,

I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity toadequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me.

For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.

Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.

From the Vatican, 10 February 2013
BENEDICTUS PP XVI

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Live from Rome : Papal visit to the Major Seminary of Rome (begin at 5 pm UTC on Friday, 8 February 2013)

http://www.vatican.va/video/

The Pope will visit the Major Seminary of Rome today, 8 February 2013 at 6 pm Rome time (Central European Time/UTC+1) or corresponding to Saturday, 9 February 2013 at 1 am for Singapore, Malaysia, China, HK, and other UTC+8 countries.

The other timings for other regions are Friday, 8 February 2013 at 5 pm UTC, and in New York it is on Friday at 12 pm EST (UTC-5), and on Friday at 9 am for PST regions (UTC-8).

Well, hopefully one day soon, I will be one of the students there, looking forward to my ordination as a priest at that time. Pray for me! 

Surprisingly, Italian (and Latin) is not too difficult to understand, since at the moment, in fact, my ability to understand and comprehend Italian has actually surpassed my ability to comprehend Chinese (not good, but good enough for daily conversations, and to use for basic conversations). Nevertheless, pray for me that I will be ever faithful in my journey!

+Ut Omnes Unum Sint, ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam+

(That they all may be One, for the greater glory of God)

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Live Holy Mass for the Solemnity of the Presentation of the Lord from the Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican with Pope Benedict XVI

http://www.vatican.va/video/

The Holy Mass for the Solemnity of the Presentation of the Lord, to be celebrated by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI will begin at 5.20 pm CET (Central European Time/UTC+1) on Saturday, 2 February 2013.

The timing in other time zones :

Saturday, 2 February 2013 – 4.20 pm UTC/GMT

Saturday, 2 February 2013 – 11.20 am EST (Eastern Standard Time/UTC-5)

Saturday, 2 February 2013 – 8.20 am PST (Pacific Standard Time/UTC-8)

Saturday, 2 February 2013 – 11.20 pm WIT (West Indonesian Time/WIB/UTC+7)

Sunday, 3 February 2013 – 00.20 am UTC+8 (for Singapore, Malaysia, HK, and China, and Central Indonesian Time)

If you missed the live Mass, you can see the full recording of the Mass at the same website http://www.vatican.va/video/, pick Agenda, then select the date (2 February 2013), then click at the event (Holy Mass for the Solemnity of the Presentation of the Lord). If there is a TV icon on the event, that means a recording is available for watching. God bless!

+Ut Omnes Unum Sint, ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam+

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Live Vespers from the Vatican, Solemnity of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle

http://www.vatican.va/video/

Live Vespers from the Vatican can be followed from the Vatican Player link above. The Mass will start at 5.20 pm Central European Time (UTC+1), Friday 25 January 2013, or 11.20 am Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5), and 11.20 pm West Indonesian Time (UTC+7), as well as 00.20 am on Saturday 26 January 2013 for those in Singapore and elsewhere following UTC+8 timezone.

The Mass will be live from the Basilica San Paolo fuori le Mura or Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, to be celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI.