What I wouldn't give for a carrier pigeon

Many of you will no doubt be aware that His Holiness will celebrate his eightieth birthday Monday, 16 April 2007. The Holy Father will celebrate the Holy Mass and EWTN will broadcast the Mass live (4:00 a.m., Eastern time) and will re-air it (5:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., Eastern time).

To show my gratitude and fondness for Pope Benedict XVI, I have written birthday greetings to him:

Your Holiness,

May the Lord give you peace!

With great joy do I write as we celebrate the Resurrection of the Savior to wish you a most happy and blessed eightieth birthday! The Psalmist sings: “Our span is seventy years, or eighty for those who are strong” (Psalm 90:10). Certainly the Lord has blessed you, dear Holy Father, with great strength so that you may carry out faithfully the Petrine Ministry that He has entrusted to you.

It is my sincere and heartfelt prayer that the Lord in His goodness will continue to strengthen you for many years to come as you labor so beautifully in the vineyard of the Lord. Your powerful words and humble example are a great inspiration to me and to so many around the world and for this I offer my deep gratitude to Your Holiness and to Almighty God.

In honor of this joyous occasion, I will offer the Holy Mass for your sustained health, joy and peace. Ad multos annos, gloriosque annos, vivas, vivas, vivas!

Alles gute zum geburtstag, Heileger Vater!

Devotedly Yours,

The Rev. Daren J. Zehnle

I will place the letter in the post this afternoon, though I do think a carrier pigeon would better suit the occassion. Now if only I had my coat of arms made into a seal...