Did Pope John Paul II really consider resigning?

[childofmary1143]

totalcatholic.com/universe/index.php?news_id=2142&start=0&category_id=&parent_id=0&arcyear=&arcmonth=

I know that a Pope can resign but I don’t know if he really considered. What does everyone think?

 

[Dandelion_Wine]

I think it’s one of those things that we may never really know until (hopefully) we’re sitting next to him.

I don’t know that it matters or even surprises me. I think that if true, it would make sense. When one discerns what God wants one to do, you have to ask the question. In this case God showed him what He wanted done.

 

[prodigal-sun]

I’m sure the thought would have crossed his mind. It is certainly something that everyone has to discern at some point in their life. Why would the Pope be any different. In this case he feels that God was moving him to live out his vocation til the end. We should a be so strong and wise as to understand what God wan’t from us and then say “YES”!

Peace!

 

[Jerry-Jet]

It is possible that in the future that it might be God’s will for a Pope to resign due to not being able to lead the Catholic Church. Never say that there is no way that God would will such.

If a Pope truely believes that that is God’s will I would respect him.

 

[awalt]

For what it’s worth, George Weigel, JP II’s personal biographer, dismissed this theory in his book God’s Choice. Which is correct who knows…

 

[Hastrman]

Well, there’s considering and considering. It’s one thing to think, “Boy, I’d like to quit,” and another to get out the resignation forms.

 

[water]

For what it’s worth, George Weigel, JP II’s personal biographer, dismissed this theory in his book God’s Choice. Which is correct who knows…

If he has already dismissed this, the only way to find out is to ask someone sitting next to JP II in Heaven and ask for us.

 

[jman507]

I wonder if he did consider it, thinking he couldn’t lead the Church as he’d like. On the other hand, by leading the Church in his condition, he was able to lead it in a different way, that is lacking today, I wonder if might has been the deciding factor, well besides trying to discern God’s will (the real main factor.) I could tell the value of it when many said he should resign, we wouldn’t want a world leader like that. Papa doesn’t lead in all the same ways as a world leader.

 

[Digitonomy]

For what it’s worth, George Weigel, JP II’s personal biographer, dismissed this theory in his book God’s Choice. Which is correct who knows…

With due respect to George Weigel, I suspect he was not as close to the pontiff as John Paul’s secretary.

 

[LilyM]

I wonder if he did consider it, thinking he couldn’t lead the Church as he’d like. On the other hand, by leading the Church in his condition, he was able to lead it in a different way, that is lacking today, I wonder if might has been the deciding factor, well besides trying to discern God’s will (the real main factor.) I could tell the value of it when many said he should resign, we wouldn’t want a world leader like that. Papa doesn’t lead in all the same ways as a world leader.

Considering especially how ill he was towards the end I would be more surprised if he DIDN’T seriously consider resigning at any point! Must have been a huge struggle to keep going.