Is it likely that the Pope Emeritus saw my Letter?

[catholic03]

Pax Christi:

In February 2019, the Apostolic Nuncio in New Zealand kindly offered to take a letter I had written to the Pope Emeritus and post it to Rome via diplomatic mail.

I have not received a reply, nor do I expect one. But is it likely that Pope Benedict saw the letter? He is someone I very much admire but I’ve accepted it is very unlikely I will ever see him in the flesh. I might be going to Rome for Christmas but he doesn’t make public appearances so I will likely not ever see him.

Nonetheless, I’d hope that he at least read my letter. Is it likely?

In Christ.

 

[Penitent60]

I wrote to him several years ago and posted it here in EnZed. I had a naive idea he might actually receive it but realised later how unlikely that was. The apostolic nuncio did respond to my letter in sending me a card of Benedict xvi which had a mass produced signature. I have it in my daily missal to remind me to pray for him. I suspect your letter which may have actually left these shores may be on the desk of some under secretary and you may in time receive an acknowledgement. You could always try for a papal blessing which you would need to initiate through your Ordinary but I am unsure of the process.

 

[do_justly_love_mercy]

I doubt anyone can really say, and the only way you will know for certain is if somebody writes back to you. What I would say is that we know that Pope Francis, who is a lot busier that Pope Benedict, sometimes responds personally to correspondence sent to him. Since you are from New Zealand, you will probably also know that Queen Elizabeth II takes very seriously the business of reading and replying to correspondence. I believe she reads a lot of it personally and usually asks members of the household to send the replies.