Your prayers for the Pope

 Aid to the Church in Need has received an official letter of thanks from the Vatican for the prayers and Mass intentions you offered for Pope Benedict XVI in the run-up to his UK visit in September 2010.

Pope Benedict XVI's letter of thanks to Aid to the Church in Need supporters. Photo: Aid to the Church in Need

The letter refers to a special Commemorative Book that we presented to the Holy Father on behalf of more than 7,000 supporters who pledged prayers, Mass offerings and donations for Christians in the Holy Land on his behalf.

Your prayers for the Pope

The handmade book contained 7,224 names of the faithful who had made their own Gift of Faith for the Pope. The spiritual offerings you made consisted of:

  • 6,420 donations to help Christians in the Middle East, a priority for Aid to the Church in Need at the request of Pope Benedict
  • 11,485 Masses for the Pope’s intentions
  • 32,148 decades of the Rosary
  • 3,289 hours of Eucharistic Adoration

Your pledges amounted to more than six months of prayer.

A blessing from the Holy Father

In the letter, Monsignor Peter Wells writes: “[The Holy Father] is most appreciative of the prayers and charitable donations that your supporters have made in solidarity with him and in support of suffering Christians around the world.

“He will long treasure the memory of his four-day visit and he gives thanks to God for the many graces bestowed upon the Church in Great Britain and beyond on that occasion.”

The letter, written just before Christmas, concludes with a promise of prayer and a blessing: “His Holiness will continue to pray for the benefactors and beneficiaries of Aid to the Church in Need and he invokes upon all of you the abundant blessings of this holy season.”

Aid to the Church in Need's Commemorative Book to mark Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the UKAid to the Church in Need's logo on the front of the Commemorative BookThe spine of the Commemorative Book for Pope Benedict XVIDetail of the stitching on the Commemorative BookThe title page of the Commemorative Book for Pope Benedict XVIThe Gifts of Faith offered by Aid to the Church in Need supporters for the Holy FatherThe title page for the England segment of the Commemorative BookThe title page for the Ireland segment of the Commemorative BookThe title page for the Scotland segment of the Commemorative BookThe title page for the Wales segment of the Commemorative BookThe title page for the Worldwide segment of the Commemorative BookA page showing some of the 7,224 names of faithful contained in the Commemorative BookAid to the Church in Need's Commemorative Book and presentation box to mark Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the UKPope Benedict XVI receives Aid to the Church in Need's Gifts of Faith from Graham Hutton, a trustee of the charity

Aid to the Church in Need's Commemorative Book to mark Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the UK

Aid to the Church in Need's logo on the front of the Commemorative Book

The spine of the Commemorative Book for Pope Benedict XVI

Detail of the stitching on the Commemorative Book

The title page of the Commemorative Book for Pope Benedict XVI

The Gifts of Faith offered by Aid to the Church in Need supporters for the Holy Father

The title page for the England segment of the Commemorative Book

The title page for the Ireland segment of the Commemorative Book

The title page for the Scotland segment of the Commemorative Book

The title page for the Wales segment of the Commemorative Book

The title page for the Worldwide segment of the Commemorative Book

A page showing some of the 7,224 names of faithful contained in the Commemorative Book

Aid to the Church in Need's Commemorative Book and presentation box to mark Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the UK

Pope Benedict XVI receives Aid to the Church in Need's Gifts of Faith from Graham Hutton, a trustee of the charity

The book was presented during the Pope’s visit last September by Graham Hutton, a trustee of the charity. He said at the time: “I was greatly moved when I was first shown the book as I could see how fervent our benefactors had been in their prayerful support for Pope Benedict and also to see how beautifully this had been recorded in the lovely book.”

Thank you to all our supporters who made a Gift of Faith to the Holy Father!