BENEDICT XVI STARTS HIS LAST MEETING WITH THE COLLEGE OF CARDINALS............

With less than nine hours before his resignation as the Supreme Pontiff takes effect, Pope Benedict XVI has entered the Sala Clementina Hall in the Vatican and is beginning to briefly speak to the assembled Cardinals, thought to be almost the entire College, and will greet each of the Eminences individually at his chair, as they personally bid him farewell.  It will be a short ceremony and +Benedict will then continue behind the scenes in the Vatican to carry out the final duties of his 7 years, 10 months, and 9 days, as the 265th Pope of the Roman Rite of the Catholic-Christian Church.  I will continue to update my blogging of the last day of Pope Benedict XVI's active exercise of the Petrine Ministry, and his becoming Emeritus Pope at 8 p.m. Italian; 2 p.m. Eastern; and 11 a.m. Pacific Time today Thursday February 28, 2013.............Fr.  Troy / Update News Communications