It is a privilege to take this occasion to say thank you to Benedict XVI for his profound ministry of teaching and preaching. I remember reading his first encyclical “God is Love” years ago, and since then buying as many of his other books I could. His series on Jesus of Nazareth, like all his others, combines a highly technical appreciation for modern biblical scholarship with balanced and deeply pastoral evaluation of the materials.  Many times he politely offers needed corrective, not by retrenchment, but by taking the arguments to a new and different height.  His writings – books, sermons and his weekly Angelus reflections — are original and provocative, obviously the result of an exceptional life of biblical, theological and culture-sensitive study, and from a heart of love for Jesus.  I think almost every Protestant Christian, also, for whom the Virgin Mary is a sideline player in the gospel, will rethink his or her position after reading Benedict. I thank God for Benedict and his ministry. If there ever was a person to open new conversation about Christian unity — not even principally for the Anglican Ordinariate he initiated — he is that person.