Bishop Leonard Blair of the Toledo Catholic Diocese will celebrate a Mass, open to the public, for the intention of Pope Benedict XVI  on Thursday, Feb. 28, at noon at St. Francis de Sales Chapel, 501 Cherry St., Toledo. 

At 2 p.m.  EST on that day, Benedict’s resignation will take effect in accordance with his announcement earlier this month that “after having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.”

Bishop Blair wants to express the profound gratitude of the Catholic people for the faithful service and inspired leadership of Pope Benedict since his election to the papacy in 2005. Bishop Blair also encourages the faithful to pray for Pope Benedict in his retirement.