Mission Statement

Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester
February 11, 2013

http://worcesterdiocese.org/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx

Statement by Bishop McManus on the Resignation of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

February 11, 2013, WORCESTER, MA -- I was stunned when I heard the news early this morning that our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI has decided to resign as Bishop of Rome and Universal Pastor of the Church, effective February 28, 2013. However, upon further reflection, this dramatic news does not completely surprise me.

As recently as 2011 in an interview with a German journalist, the Holy Father said, “When a Pope arrives at a clear awareness that he no longer has the physical, mental or psychological capacity to carry out the task that has been entrusted to him, then he has the right, and in some cases, the duty to resign.”

No doubt some people will offer reasons for the Holy Father’s decision to resign. At this point, all such explanations would be mere speculation. What we can say with certainty in that the Holy Father’s decision reflects his love for and commitment to promoting the good of the Church. Pope Benedict XVI has served the Church with extraordinary wisdom, unshakable faith and undaunted courage as a priest, theologian, cardinal and pope.

I exhort the Catholic community here in the Diocese of and all people of good will to pray for our Holy Father, the Pope. With the serenity of faith, we believe that Christ is the head of his body, the Church and that under the sure guidance of the Holy Spirit, the College of Cardinals will elect a worthy successor to Pope Benedict XVI to govern the Church after the mind and heart of Christ, the Good Shepherd.

Statement Regarding Catholic Mens Conference

January 31, 2013, WORCESTER, MA -- "Although the intention of the conference organizers was to have a presenter on Islam from a Catholic’s perspective, we are asking Robert Spencer to not come to the Worcester Catholic Men’s Conference given that his presence is being seen as harmful to Catholic–Islamic relations both locally and nationally."