He is Still Our Father

One of the last sentiments voiced by Pope Benedict before his retirement was that he had become Pope, not temporarily, but as a permanent change...forever. I take this to heart. Functionally, a Pope can retire; but spiritually, he is a father and, as the French poet said, "Once you are a father, you can only be a father." Any father (and, of course, mother) understands this. He is fathering us, now, in a different mode: in silence, prayer and reflection; in humility and anonymity; in weakness and trust. He is still my father. He is still our father.