Pope Benedict XVI 'to resign'

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The_Bucket said:
If we want a new evangelization, we need someone who has the physical capacity to evangelize. While I love B16, I respect the fact that he realizes that he is simply physically not up to that task. It takes great humility to do what he’s doing.
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I respect your opinions and agree with your analysis that perhaps Pope Benedict is sending a message that it’s time to set a new precedent for aging and ailing popes, but I’m not sure I agree with it. To me, it feels as though he is buying into the culture’s precedent that people have to be active and productive to be valuable.

I remember when Pope Benedict was elected that I felt kind of sorry for him. It was well known that he was ready to retire and wanted to live a quiet life of praying and writing. I thought it was so very courageous of him to accept the papacy knowing that he was then committed for the rest of his life. It never occurred to me that he wouldn’t (or didn’t have to) honor that commitment.

Maybe it’s time for a change in tradition, and maybe Pope Benedict’s decision will set a precedent that turns out to be for the good of the Church, so I’m praying to be able to keep an open mind about it. But, change is hard, and I think the surprise factor is what makes this so difficult to deal with. I would like to say I think it’s a courageous decision, but instead, I’m having abandonment issues.
 
tafan said:
“However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me”
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Exactly. He’s acknowledging the reality that the Church’s influence over the culture is waning and that he is not the man that can lead a new evangelization because he simply does not have the physical capacity to do so. What’s wrong with that? The Truth does not change but the way we spread the Gospel must conform to allow people to hear it and accept it. That’s all that’s happening here.
 
Other_Eric said:
On the contrary, I was not the one who speculated on hidden reasons for the pope’s resignation. I grounded my comments firmly in the reasons provided by the pope. I judge those reasons insufficient. Speculating that there are deeper, more potent reasons behind the pope’s action is deeply uncharitable and also betrays a taste for magisterial intrigue worthy of Dan Brown, not a responsible Catholic.
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If someone says they are too ill to do a certain job, they are to be believed. Respect for human life means that we care for those who are unwell. If part of that care means that they need relief from their duties, we provide it. We are not slave drivers who demand that a sick old man continues a rigorous and demanding job when he is permanently infirm.
 
CatholicGeek1 said:
Secondly, I am saddened and upset by some of the postings that I have read both here and on the internet at large. Debates about liberal v conservative, arguments over the correct person to be the next pope. Why do we have these debates and arguments, especially among faithful Catholics?

If you believe in the Holy Catholic Church and all that it teaches, than you believe that the Pope and the Church are protected from error. The Holy Spirit will choose the next Pope through the Cardinals when they meet in conclave. He may not lead them to choose the person some or many of us would want. However, He will lead them to choose the best person for the Church and its future. Whether you like the new mass or the old, whether you think the Church is becoming too liberal or staying too conservative, whether you think the next Pope should be younger or older, it does not matter. All of these things are irrelevant because they are human thoughts expressing human concerns.

Our Church, the one true Church was founded by Jesus 2000 years ago, and has been led by Him ever since. He will continue to lead His church until He chooses to return. It is high time that we put aside our human feelings and thoughts and trust that this is the Church that was founded by and is continually being led by our Lord and He will guide It and protect It from error.

These decisions simply are not ours, they belong to the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ, One God Now and Forever.

By the Grace of God, may the next Pope be strengthened for the mission that he is about to take and may we be softened enough in our hearts to understand that whoever he is and whatever he may do, it is the will of Our Lord at Work!
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I echo this. Sometimes I think we like thinking for our Lord too much. Outsiders reading these posts are likely to get the impression that the Catholic Church is indeed too worldly and the Pope some political figure who has to be “the right candidate” like some president. Such posts don’t do justice to what this servant of God has done for the Church in such troubled times in such a short papacy. We must believe in our Lord and in His Church.

God bless Benedict XVI and the Church!
 
The_Bucket said:
I’m glad that you think that. But you’re not the pope. And your questioning of authority makes no sense. When archbishops hit 75, they are forced to submit their resignations. Is the successor then undermined? I think not.

And why do you make assumptions about what God wants or does not want? B16 clearly prayed much on this subject and believed it to be God’s will. I very much doubt he would have resigned had he felt that God wanted something else from him.

Like it or not folks, B16 is quite right that the papacy is indeed an active ministry that requires both spiritual and physical strength. The latter is failing him and he believes he can no longer be the strong leader that we need. Why is this a bad thing? Modern medicine allows us to live longer but it doesn’t keep us vigorous at the age of 85. And there’s no doubt that we need energy in the papacy.
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He is the CEO of the world’s largest corporation, to put it in a way that some people may grasp. Just think of how the office of the POTUS ages the men who hold it - and the Papacy vastly more important and stressful that that! Would people say such uncharitable and stupid things if a President reached the venerable age of 85 and could not fully perform his duties? To say nothing of the fact that no Pope ever runs for the office and is drafted and makes a huge sacrifice to fulfill his duties.
 
triciafrancess said:
I respect your opinions and agree with your analysis that perhaps Pope Benedict is sending a message that it’s time to set a new precedent for aging and ailing popes, but I’m not sure I agree with it. To me, it feels as though he buying into the culture’s precedent that people have to be active and productive to be valuable.
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His predecessor showed that to be a lie. I don’t think B16 needs to go through that again. But the truth of the matter is that the Church is at a real crossroads here in America, in Europe and in the developing world. I believe the Holy Father when he says that his flesh is too weak to keep up with it. That’s not abandoning his post, that’s humility.
Maybe it’s time for a change in tradition, and maybe Pope Benedict’s decision will set a precedent that turns out to be for the good of the Church, so I’m praying to be able to keep an open mind about it. But, change is hard, and I think the surprise factor is what makes this so difficult to deal with. I would like to say I think it’s a courageous decision, but instead, I’m having abandonment issues.
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Maybe it is a precedent. Maybe it’s not. Maybe it’s something that will happen over the next few papacies or maybe it’s a one-off. I don’t know. But his point is quite salient and rest assured that the Lord is here with us, with you and with our Holy Father. You need not feel abandoned.
 
Other_Eric said:
I don’t think that any medical rationale, on its own, is sufficient for resignation from the papacy. What lies behind that is the dismal assumption that God does not necessarily provide the Roman Pontiff with the tools necessary to do his job. You have a problem with my doubts over this one exercise of temporal authority? What about the doubts over every subsequent exercise of this power that the pope’s resignation now makes possible?
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Oh my goodness, for the last time, it doesn’t matter what you think.
bpcatholic said:
What will the priests say during Eucharistic Prayer? For X, our Pope, and Benedict, our Pope Emeritus?
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It’s weird to think about saying a different Pope’s name…that will take getting used to.
stormcloud said:
I agree with it being unlikely, but technically he is eligible.
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Technically, all baptized men are eligible.
 
TheRealJuliane said:
He is the CEO of the world’s largest corporation, to put it in a way that some people may grasp. Just think of how the office of the POTUS ages the men who hold it - and the Papacy vastly more important and stressful that that! Would people say such uncharitable and stupid things if a President reached the venerable age of 85 and could not fully perform his duties? To say nothing of the fact that no Pope ever runs for the office and is drafted and makes a huge sacrifice to fulfill his duties.
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No they would not, but some people perhaps believe that God provides them some kind of magic elixir to keep popes strong enough to keep doing their jobs at an advanced age or when seriously ill. That’s nonsense and I’m glad B16 is dispensing with that kind of thought process. JP2 showed us the dignity of suffering but recent scandals have proved that old and enfeebled leaders are ripe to be manipulated and sin pervades even the highest reaches of the Church. It’s a fact of life.

If we’re going to re-evangelize the world, it only makes sense we do so with someone who has the physical capacity to lead that charge. It doesn’t make the elderly impotent, it just moves them to another task. B16’s task will be to unceasingly pray for us until the day he dies. That’s a critical role; providing that spiritual armament for us to do battle. He’s just moving off the front lines because he physically can’t lead the way the spiritual warfare is forcing popes to lead today.
 
Patrick_George said:
I echo this. Sometimes I think we like thinking for our Lord too much. Outsiders reading these posts are likely to get the impression that the Catholic Church is indeed too worldly and the Pope some political figure who has to be “the right candidate” like some president. Such posts don’t do justice to what this servant of God has done for the Church in such troubled times in such a short papacy. We must believe in our Lord and in His Church.

God bless Benedict XVI and the Church!
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👍👍👍
 
bpcatholic said:
Here is what Scott Hahn has posted on his Facebook site:

"Back on April 29, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI did something rather striking, but which went largely unnoticed.

He stopped off in Aquila, Italy, and visited the tomb of an obscure medieval Pope named St. Celestine V (1215-1296). After a brief prayer, he left his pallium, the symbol of his own episcopal authority as Bishop of Rome, on top of Celestine’s tomb!

Fifteen months later, on July 4, 2010, Benedict went out of his way again, this time to visit and pray in the cathedral of Sulmona, near Rome, before the relics of this same saint, Celestine V.

Few people, however, noticed at the time.

Only now, we may be gaining a better understanding of what it meant. These actions were probably more than pious acts. More likely, they were profound and symbolic gestures of a very personal nature, which conveyed a message that a Pope can hardly deliver any other way.

In the year 1294, this man (Fr. Pietro Angelerio), known by all as a devout and holy priest, was elected Pope, somewhat against his will, shortly before his 80th birthday (Ratzinger was 78 when he was elected Pope in 2005). Just five months later, after issuing a formal decree allowing popes to resign (or abdicate, like other rulers), Pope Celestine V exercised that right. And now Pope Benedict XVI has chosen to follow in the footsteps of this venerable model."
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That’s interesting and all, but what was to keep him from resigning in 2012 if he really wanted to? Or even 2011?
 
LittleHannah said:
😃 Good one.

Speaking of his twitter, I wonder what will happen to his account. Maybe the new Pope will have one?
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Oh, I would expect that he will. Especially if our new Holy Father is a bit younger. I don’t think Benedict could keep his same account but he could open a new one. But he probably won’t want to, I just hope he stays healthy and can rest in his upcoming retirement.
 
The_Bucket said:
I’m glad that you think that. But you’re not the pope. And your questioning of authority makes no sense. When archbishops hit 75, they are forced to submit their resignations. Is the successor then undermined? I think not.

And why do you make assumptions about what God wants or does not want? B16 clearly prayed much on this subject and believed it to be God’s will. I very much doubt he would have resigned had he felt that God wanted something else from him.

Like it or not folks, B16 is quite right that the papacy is indeed an active ministry that requires both spiritual and physical strength. The latter is failing him and he believes he can no longer be the strong leader that we need. Why is this a bad thing? Modern medicine allows us to live longer but it doesn’t keep us vigorous at the age of 85. And there’s no doubt that we need energy in the papacy.
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A pope’s exercise of his temporal authority does not automatically become impeccable simply because he is pope. Honestly, are some here trying to become the Catholic caricatures some Protestants paint us as? There is ample evidence of papal error regarding the temporal governance of the Church (I include Celestine V in that list, by the way).

An archbishop, not possessing supreme spiritual and temporal authority is not a valid comparison.

The appeal to infirmity is likewise unconvincing, especially when I need not leave my house to communicate with the world. Nor am I about to retroactively imply that John Paul II’s perseverance to the end was foolhardy.
 
Other_Eric said:
Let me make this crystal clear: the issue of the pope’s resignation is not a legal question, it’s a moral question. Just because you’re legally able to do a thing doesn’t make it right.
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Why is it wrong for a Bishop to retire? Most are required to at age 75.
 
TheRealJuliane said:
Oh, I would expect that he will. Especially if our new Holy Father is a bit younger. I don’t think Benedict could keep his same account but he could open a new one. But he probably won’t want to, I just hope he stays healthy and can rest in his upcoming retirement.
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I think he had this in mind when those accounts were opened. They’re all “@Pontifex_[language]”, so whomever is elected would take over those accounts.
 
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