Petition addressed to: Dicastery for the Causes of Saints

Your Excellency Cardinal Marcello Semeraro
Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints
Palazzo delle Congregazioni
00120 Vatican City
 
3nd February 2026
 
Subject: Petition for the introduction of the cause for canonisation of His Holiness Benedict XVI – exercise of the right of petition of the faithful
 
Your Eminence,
 
With filial devotion and profound respect, we apply to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints as a group of young Catholic faithful united by our love for the teaching, witness of life, and catechesis of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

This petition is also presented in the exercise of the rights recognised to the faithful by the Code of Canon Law, in particular by can. 212 §§ 2–3, which affirms the right and sometimes the duty of the faithful to make known to their sacred Pastors their needs and spiritual desires, as well as their thoughts on matters concerning the good of the Church, and by can. 215, which recognises the right of the faithful to associate for purposes of charity and piety and to promote the Christian vocation in the world.

Our journey of faith has been decisively enlighted by the teaching of Benedict XVI: the centrality of Christ, the harmony between faith and reason, the depth of the liturgy, the love for the truth, the doctrinal clarity combined with pastoral meekness, and the constant pointing to Christian joy as the fruit of a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus. His works, audiences, homilies, and theological writings continue to nourish our spiritual and intellectual formation.

We recognise in his priestly, episcopal and Petrine life an outstanding example of fidelity to the Church, humbleness, service and dedication to the truth of the Gospel. His witness of prayer, his gentleness of heart, his purity of intention and his love for the Church appear to us as shining examples of Christian virtues lived in an exemplary manner. His renunciation of the active exercise of the Petrine ministry also appears to us as a gesture of great interior freedom and responsibility before God.

Furthermore, we note that his reputation for holiness is alive and widespread among many of the faithful, especially among young people who find in his teachings a sure guide and a source of authentic Christian joy. Many of us have experienced a renewed enthusiasm for the sacramental life, prayer and the study of the faith thanks to his teaching.

For these reasons, in a spirit of ecclesial communion, in accordance with current rules and the prudent discernment of the relevant authorities, we respectfully ask that consideration be given to initiating the cause for canonisation of His Holiness Benedict XVI, so that the Church may officially examine his life, virtues and witness for the benefit of the whole People of God.

We entrust this petition to the wise judgement of the Church and assure you of our prayers for the Holy Father, for You and for the work of the Dicastery.
With devout esteem and filial respect,
 
Lara Bruni
Giacomo Bonvicini
Christian Alberton
Leonardo Mastrecchia
Paolo Chia
Antonio Gadaleta
Ivan Fiorillo
Beatrice Lesti
Riccardo Matteucci
Adriano Ottaviani
Alice Pia Ziraldo
Andrea Zanellati
Davide Mura
Melissa Mogliani Tartabini
Ettore Ferretti
Gabriele Pio Liotta
Deborah D’Amato
Nicolas Zappia
Nicola Sacco
Pier Francesco Parisi
Andrea Vitale
Davide Latina
Tommaso Pigliautile