With Pope Retiring, Knights Of Columbus Ask Members And All The Faithful To Pray

"Prayer for the Church in Anticipation of the Vacancy of the See of St. Peter"

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Feb. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Knights of Columbus – the world's largest Catholic fraternal group – is asking its members and all Catholics to pray for the pope and the Church in anticipation of Pope Benedict XVI's retirement, scheduled for the end of this month.

The prayer, written by Knights of Columbus Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, reads:

"O Lord Jesus Christ, Supreme Pastor of Your Church, we thank you for the ministry of Pope Benedict XVIand the selfless care with which he has led usas Successor of Peter, and Your Vicar on earth.

Good Shepherd, who founded Your Church on the rock of Peter's faithand have never left Your flock untended,look with love upon us now,  and sustain Your Church in faith, hope, and charity.

Grant, Lord Jesus, in Your boundless love for us,a new Pope for Your Churchwho will please You by his holiness and lead us faithfully to You,  who are the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Amen."

The prayer is available online at www.kofc.org.

"Until a new pope is elected, we encourage all members of the Knights of Columbus, their families and all Catholics to say this prayer daily for Pope Benedict, for the Church, and for our future pope," said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson.

The Knights of Columbus has worked closely with the Vatican during the Pontificate of Pope Benedict. In December of 2012, at St. Peter's Basilica, the pope addressed attendees of a conference co-sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. 

Supreme Knight Anderson serves on several Vatican committees, and has worked both with Pope Benedict XVI and with his predecessor Blessed John Paul II. Earlier today, Anderson released a statement noting:

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