Non-Catholic reactions to Pope Benedict's resignation.

[Petergee]

He is a scholarly and prayerful man. His books are incredible, I read a number of them before and after his being named Pope in 2005. I know his recent book on the Infancy Narrative was shorter and some were wondering if it would be his last. I hope in his retirement he is able to finally focus on prayer and writing.

I hope he writes more too, but I think that not only will he avoid ever speaking in public, he will avoid publishing any new writings, because those who wish to divide and conquer the Church would go through anything he wrote with a fine toothed comb trying to come up with anything that they can claim is a criticism or contradiction of the words and actions of his successor.

I think part of the reason was to avoid the chaos and pressure of naming a new Pope following a death. He was thinking of the Church and not himself

Lisa

Yes, and as he said, because the Church needs a pope who is strong in mind and body. In the last few months he has noticeably started looking a lot older.

 

[GaryTaylor]

I don’t know if he will write, its already been suggested he may, only not under the title Pope. Impressive theologian and teacher who still has a clear mind.

 

[odile53]

He has a clear mind, but must experience a lot of fatigue with both his arthritis and his cardiac issues requiring a pacemaker. The Vatican operates like a huge bureaucracy, and I’m speculating (mind you) that a lot of the things that happened during the last few years of Bl. JP II’s papacy were not under his direct control because of his declining health. How many of us recall coverage of events where it almost appeared that Bl. JP II was actually asleep, and I am in no way attempting to insult the man. It was way too much for him in the last few years, and I can imagine that various groups of cardinals and other churchmen with specific agendas took advantage of the situation to push those agendas.

Perhaps the Holy Father does not want a replay of that scenario in less than a decade’s time, for the good of the whole Church, which has been riddled with fractiousness. He’s really doing everyone a great favor by renouncing the papacy while he is still doing a competent job, and paving the way for presumably a younger and healthier man to take over who has the strength and energy to exert leadership rather than allow various factions to assume leadership as the vacuum opens.

Both men, I think, gave all of us an abject lesson, direct from the Holy Spirit: John Paul II, on the virtue of perseverance, and Benedict on knowing one’s limits. Both of them are to be applauded for those lessons. And both virtues are needed sorely in this world, to be applied as the Spirit directs our discernment.

I think they both chose well.

 

[Protector]

smaneck;10348251]Nixon resigned. It was not to any higher authority.

Surely The People are the Higher Authority, or am I misunderstanding President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address - “Government of The People, by The People, for The People”

Protector.

 

[Protector]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robin des Bois
I was surprised whe I heard this news, since usually, Popes remains till death.
But I didn’t like him, because he covered for pedophilic priests.

JonNC;10370786] Proof, please, of your charge.
Jon

His charge is not without precedent even if it is without proof Jon.

See the following post from 2010:-

Sep 8, '10, 12:01 am

1holycatholic
Regular Member Join Date: January 16, 2007
Location: Terra Incognita
Posts: 4,300
Religion: Catholic

Pope should resign, says O’Connor

Pope should resign, says O’Connor
The pope should resign because he is anti-Christian and has brought Catholicism into disrepute through his handling of the paedophilia scandal, according to the Irish singer Sinead O’Connor.

In a film being shown on Channel 4 to coincide with the papal visit, she describes herself as “Catholic by birth and culture” and a campaigner on child abuse for more than 20 years.

O’Connor, who once tore up a picture of John Paul II on an Irish television programme, said: “‘Catholic’ has become a word associated with negativity, with abuse, with violence, but the essence of Catholicism is beautiful. The fact is, tragically, it’s been brought into disrepute by the people running it.”

…

---

“If there were no God, there would be no atheists.”

• Gilbert K. Chesterton

Tiber Swim Team - Class of '05.

Protector

 

[George_Stegmeir]

The majority of the BBC comments posts were callous and cruel. Still alot of hatred for
catholicism…

These comments and those of the Irish singer Sinead O’Conner are nothing but symptoms of a secularist world, and have very little, if any, merit.
With regards to O’Conner, why anyone pays attention to what that egotistical, selfish apostate says is beyond me!

 

[MartinJordan]

Quote:

His charge is not without precedent even if it is without proof Jon.

See the following post from 2010:-

Protector

This resigning has NOTHING to do with the above. Give it a rest:shrug:

MJ

 

[twopekinguys]

Quote:

His charge is not without precedent even if it is without proof Jon.

See the following post from 2010:-

Protector

Sinead O’connor is an authority on Christianity now?

You realize that she has been married 4 times (last one to a therapist). She even described herself as a “****” (a word I personally find offensive)

In 2007, she announced that she was “bipolar”.

It would have saved you time if you had just looked her up on Wiki, instead of digging up a post from 2010

So, the post you quoted has no value whatsoever. But, good try.

 

[SteveVH]

Surely The People are the Higher Authority, or am I misunderstanding President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address - “Government of The People, by The People, for The People”

Protector.

What does President Lincoln have to do with authority within the Church? Who is a higher authority than Christ? Sorry, but Christianity has never been a democracy. The first Christians were under the authority of the Apostles with succeeding generations under the authority of the bishops appointed by the Apostles and their successors. This is a divine institution, not a man-made institution. Authority is handed down rather than received by an electorate of the congregation.

Do you understand that the Church is based upon divine revelation; not upon some human constitution? This is Christ’s Church, not “the peoples” Church. Christ appointed certain men to act in his place as His representative’s. The Pope can be seen as Christ’s Prime Minister and the bishops as his ambassadors. But it is Christ, through the Holy Spirit, that governs his Church.

 

[Protector]

twopekinguys;10377783] Sinead O’connor is an authority on Christianity now?
It would have saved you time if you had just looked her up on Wiki, instead of digging up a post from 2010

So, the post you quoted has no value whatsoever. But, good try.

To,

twopekinguys, MartinJordan, George Stegmeir and any other posters that have yet to go on-line:-
My post (#199) was addressed to JonNC and was an attempt to explain where the poster to whom he was responding might have gotten hold of the material forming the basis for his fallacious accusations. It certainly was not an endorsement of the said material, nor was it an attempt on my part to “stir-up the hornets nest”. Upon reflection it was ill advised and I regret doing it. I sincerely apologize to anyone to whom I may have given offence.

I would just like to reaffirm to all Catholic members of the Forum, I am not your enemy.

Protector

 

[LisaA]

These comments and those of the Irish singer Sinead O’Conner are nothing but symptoms of a secularist world, and have very little, if any, merit.
With regards to O’Conner, why anyone pays attention to what that egotistical, selfish apostate says is beyond me!

You are right, the idea that anyone cares what a “one hit wonder” singer has to say about the Holy Father really has low standards. Ms O’Connor has been beset with a number of emotional and mental health issues. I don’t think she is a particularly credible source but like many celebrities is a legend in her own mind (or maybe out of her mind)

Lisa

 

[Protector]

SteveVH;10377930] What does President Lincoln have to do with authority within the Church? Who is a higher authority than Christ? Sorry, but Christianity has never been a democracy.

Hello SteveVH. President Lincoln has absolutely nothing “to do with authority within the Church” and I never inferred that he did. My post #198 was a question to “smaneck” re-his statement:

Nixon resigned. It was not to any higher authority

which itself was in reply to a statement from Petergee:

Originally Posted by Petergee
You were right. A pope cannot resign. A resignation must by definition be made to a superior authority.

Originally Posted by smaneck:

Nixon resigned. It was not to any higher authority

And my question in relation to smaneck’s statement was:

Originally Posted by Protector
Surely The People are the Higher Authority, or am I misunderstanding President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address - “Government of The People, by The People, for The People”

I was going off on a tangent to have “smaneck” qualify his statement about President Nixon. President Lincoln became involved in the conversation as he was the author of the Gettysburg Address. Sorry for the misunderstanding Steve. Maybe I should curb my penchant for lateral thinking whilst on the Forum.

Protector.

 

[JonNC]

Quote:

His charge is not without precedent even if it is without proof Jon.

See the following post from 2010:-

Protector

That it is not without precedent is, frankly, irrelevent. That he, and others, lack proof simply means one should phrase the charge as an allegation. The poster said, “But I didn’t like him, because he covered for pedophilic priests.” Had he said, “But I didn’t like him, because he **is alleged to have **covered for pedophilic priests”, I would not have responded.

Jon

 

[Protector]

JonNC;10384514]That it is not without precedent is, frankly, irrelevent. That he, and others, lack proof simply means one should phrase the charge as an allegation. The poster said, “But I didn’t like him, because he covered for pedophilic priests.” Had he said, “But I didn’t like him, because he **is alleged to have **covered for pedophilic priests”, I would not have responded.
Jon

Quite right Jon - I totally agree.

Protector.

 

[twopekinguys]

To,

twopekinguys, MartinJordan, George Stegmeir and any other posters that have yet to go on-line:-
My post (#199) was addressed to JonNC and was an attempt to explain where the poster to whom he was responding might have gotten hold of the material forming the basis for his fallacious accusations. It certainly was not an endorsement of the said material, nor was it an attempt on my part to “stir-up the hornets nest”. Upon reflection it was ill advised and I regret doing it. I sincerely apologize to anyone to whom I may have given offence.

I would just like to reaffirm to all Catholic members of the Forum, I am not your enemy.

Protector

It’s all good.

 

[Protector]

twopekinguys;10385039] It’s all good.

Thank you TPG and God Bless.

Protector

 

[El_Confundido]

I wish him the best. He seemed like a great man who was often misunderstood (often deliberately by the media).

I do, however, believe this is further evidence of how the Catholic Church’s authority isn’t what she claims it is. The head of Christ’s Church should be a lifelong position. If God wills you to be there, you will be there until God calls you home

 

[Good_Fella]

I wish him the best. He seemed like a great man who was often misunderstood (often deliberately by the media).

I do, however, believe this is further evidence of how the Catholic Church’s authority isn’t what she claims it is. The head of Christ’s Church should be a lifelong position. If God wills you to be there, you will be there until God calls you home

If it happens that the Roman Pontiff resigns his office, it is required for validity that the resignation is made freely and properly manifested but not that it is accepted by anyone.
The Code of Canon Law, Article l, the Roman Pontiff: Canon 332.2

According to canon law, the Supreme Pontiff’s resignation cannot be blocked despite any disagreement among all the bishops. However, the Pope has the authority to refuse any notice of resignation given by a diocesan bishop according to his judgment.

PAX

 

[Petergee]

I wish him the best. He seemed like a great man who was often misunderstood (often deliberately by the media).

I do, however, believe this is further evidence of how the Catholic Church’s authority isn’t what she claims it is. The head of Christ’s Church should be a lifelong position. If God wills you to be there, you will be there until God calls you home

That’s your opinion, but why do you claim it is God’s opinion?

And why don’t you complain about all the bishops and priests who retire? Surely God willed them to be in their roles?

 

[Protector]

Petergee;10387014] That’s your opinion, but why do you claim it is God’s opinion?

And why don’t you complain about all the bishops and priests who retire? Surely God willed them to be in their roles?

The Pope, and those bishops and priests of whom you speak are not retiring from Christianity they are simply retiring as leaders of Christians. God goes to great lengths sometimes to demonstrate His will to keep chosen people on track and “in their roles” Take for example Jonah.

“Now the word of the Lord came to Jonas the son of Amathi, saying: (2) Arise, and go to Ninive the great city, and preach in it: for the wickedness thereof is come up before me.(3) And Jonas rose up to flee into Tharsis from the face of the Lord, and he went down to Joppe, and found a ship going to Tharsis: and he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them to Tharsis from the face of the Lord. (4) But the Lord sent a great wind into the sea: and a great tempest was raised in the sea, and the ship was in danger to be broken…” Jonah 1:1-4 (D-R)

and we all know how that ended, So, what I am saying is, if God wanted those intended retirees to stay in the job He would have imposed His will on the situation (IMHO). What say you?

Protector