SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 328
	WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins people
	around the world in honoring the service of His Holiness Pope
	Benedict XVI, who will retire from the papacy on February 28,
	2013, after eight years leading the Roman Catholic Church; and
	WHEREAS, The spiritual leader of the world's 1.2 billion
	Roman Catholics, Pope Benedict XVI is celebrated for his defense
	of Christian values and for his emphasis on the inviolability of
	human life from conception to natural death; and
	WHEREAS, An advocate for social justice, he interceded on
	behalf of migrants and refugees worldwide, speaking for those
	whose voices would not have been heard otherwise, and he has
	called for an equitable distribution of world resources and for
	environmental protections to ensure human health; and
	WHEREAS, A proponent of religious freedom, tolerance, and
	cooperation, Benedict deepened ties with many religions during
	his tenure as Pope, including Judaism and Islam; he was the first
	Pope to visit and pray at a Mosque in more than 2,000 years;
	within his own Church, he expanded the use of the traditional
	Latin Mass and eased rules regarding the conversion of Anglicans
	to Catholicism; and
	WHEREAS, Born Joseph Ratzinger on April 16, 1927, in Marktl
	am Inn, Germany, he was ordained a priest in 1951 and was a
	professor of theology at numerous European universities; he
	served as the Archbishop of Munich and Freising and was made a
	cardinal in 1977 by Pope Paul VI; he also served as the Prefect of
	the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and as Vice-Dean
	of the College of Cardinals; in April 2005, he was elected to the
	papacy at the age of 78, the oldest cardinal to become Pope in 275
	years; and
	WHEREAS, Known as an academic, scholar, and teacher, Pope
	Benedict is a prolific writer, having written 66 books throughout
	his life; he also has authored numerous articles and established
	a journal devoted to theology, and he oversaw the preparation of
	the new Catechism of the Catholic Church; he is noted for
	writings that promote maintaining traditional Christian values
	in the modern world; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
	83rd Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the service of Pope
	Benedict XVI; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in
	honor of Pope Benedict XVI.
	Lucio
	Birdwell Hancock Schwertner
	Campbell Hegar Seliger
	Carona Hinojosa Taylor
	Davis Huffman Uresti
	Deuell Nelson Van de Putte
	Duncan Nichols Watson
	Ellis Patrick West
	Eltife Paxton Whitmire
	Estes Rodriguez Williams
	Fraser Zaffirini
	Dewhurst, President of the Senate
		________________________________
		President of the Senate
		I hereby certify that the
		above Resolution was adopted by
		the Senate on February 27, 2013.
		________________________________
		Secretary of the Senate
		________________________________
		Member, Texas Senate