As I lay there pondering the hard-fought election battle, I felt drawn to pray the morning prayer of St. Benedict. The prayer begins: “I am given this new day as a gift.” We all are.

I also feel supported by the spiritual closeness of all the people of God whom, as I repeated last Sunday, I continue to ask to accompany me with persistent prayer." "Resuming the Wednesday ...

At the end of the Pope's final audience of the year, he asked people to "pray a special prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict". The Vatican then said the ex-Pope's health had worsened in recent hours.