The world’s Catholics paid tribute to the pope emeritus this week after he passed away on New Year’s Eve at the Vatican. The mourners included Gustavo Garcia-Siller, the archbishop of San Antonio, who was handpicked by Pope Benedict XVI to lead the archdiocese in 2010.
More than a decade later, Garcia-Siller led a special Mass for the former pontiff on Wednesday.
About two dozen people attended the Mass, along with visiting bishops from Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Garcia-Siller described Benedict XIV as affable, kind, and a wise man who was often an introvert.
“During his time, he covered what God was expecting of him and because his talent was about, above all, the knowledge of the scriptures, the traditions of the church and the doctrine of the church. That is what he passed on,” he said.
Garcia-Siller had been auxiliary bishop in Chicago before coming to San Antonio. He said that in 2012, he spent about six weeks with Benedict XVI during the Synod of the New Evangelization.
Benedict rose to the papacy after the death of John Paul II in 2005, and he was the first pope to abdicate the position in 600 years. The subsequent papal conclave election selected Pope Francis.
In attendance at the San Fernando Mass were bishops from cities in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. They were in San Antonio for a retreat that was already scheduled before Benedict’s death.
“We are celebrating someone that is beyond us,” Garcia-Siller said.
A requiem Mass will be held for Benedict XVI at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, and it will take place at 2:30 a.m. Central Time.