Pope Benedict XVI 'to resign'

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godisgood77 said:
How so?
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Youtube has a few examples but from wiki
The Latin language is used for the majority of Papal Masses celebrated within the Vatican City. However, in the last several years of the current pontificate of Benedict XVI, the Latin language is always used for the Eucharistic Prayer when the Pope celebrates Mass abroad.
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I think he did it to Teach.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has been known to say that the Bishop of Rome should return to being a Bishop of Rome abit more as it was in the beginning as this would make a union with the Orthodox more likely.

I also think that he did this to make the papacy look a bit different thatn it has. We should understand that the Pope is not a “God” but a man and the papacy in these days needs to be executed by someone who have physical and mental strengths to deal with the problems of the catholic church (abuse scandals mainly).
These days a pope has to travel constantly. This was not the case back in the days remember. To travel takes its toll.
I think he wanted to humanize the office, modernize it and to prepare it for a younger Vicar of Christ who can but all of his soul and body into defending the church, publicly going to the roots of the scandals etc.
 
I know that I have no reason to fear because the Holy Father won’t change church teachings but I hope and pray that he never gives the media any quotes that they can distort. I would secretly celebrate if it’s someone the media are “disappointed” with as the next Pope.

Know what I mean?
 
Shamati said:
I think he did it to Teach.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has been known to say that the Bishop of Rome should return to being a Bishop of Rome abit more as it was in the beginning as this would make a union with the Orthodox more likely.

I also think that he did this to make the papacy look a bit different thatn it has. We should understand that the Pope is not a “God” but a man and the papacy in these days needs to be executed by someone who have physical and mental strengths to deal with the problems of the catholic church (abuse scandals mainly).
These days a pope has to travel constantly. This was not the case back in the days remember. To travel takes its toll.
I think he wanted to humanize the office, modernize it and to prepare it for a younger Vicar of Christ who can but all of his soul and body into defending the church, publicly going to the roots of the scandals etc.
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To teach? Do you think teaching is any easier than being Pope? LOL
 
meltzerboy said:
To teach? Do you think teaching is any easier than being Pope? LOL
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Popes have 1.2 BILLION ‘students’. Not to mention an omnipotent Employer who is not renowned for being lenient with His staff.

Try teaching under those conditions and then get back to us 😃
 
LilyM said:
Popes have 1.2 BILLION ‘students’. Not to mention an omnipotent Employer who is not renowned for being lenient with His staff.

Try teaching under those conditions and then get back to us 😃
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HA!!!
 
meltzerboy said:
To teach? Do you think teaching is any easier than being Pope? LOL
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It of course depends. He wants ro make a lasting statement about the very nature of the papacy itself that it is infact Ok to step down to let a younger more energetic shepherd up.
It findamentally changes the perspective towards the papacy if abdicating due to Old age is normalized.
To set an example that he is a human being who is a Bishop of Rome, the first among equals as a successor of Peter but still a Human being and Bishop and not some kind if “man-god”
Also, the papacy today is far from what it was when John Paul II was elected. It involves constant traveling by aeroplane and speaking with politicians making statements about phedophilia among the Priests to the media etc. It is a bit like a politician of the type “philosopher King” and I do think he did the right thing since the church will need a leader whose energy is endless to deal with all the problems in the church in a way somewhat satisfying to the media and catholics.
 
Shamati said:
It of course depends. He wants ro make a lasting statement about the very nature of the papacy itself that it is infact Ok to step down to let a younger more energetic shepherd up.
It findamentally changes the perspective towards the papacy if abdicating due to Old age is normalized.
To set an example that he is a human being who is a Bishop of Rome, the first among equals as a successor of Peter but still a Human being and Bishop and not some kind if “man-god”
Also, the papacy today is far from what it was when John Paul II was elected. It involves constant traveling by aeroplane and speaking with politicians making statements about phedophilia among the Priests to the media etc. It is a bit like a politician of the type “philosopher King” and I do think he did the right thing since the church will need a leader whose energy is endless to deal with all the problems in the church in a way somewhat satisfying to the media and catholics.
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Who ever taught the the Pope was a man-god
Jack Chick nonsense
Second its is not a statement at all about the Papacy
It has been done before and the Church has an orderly procedure in place to choose a sucessor.
Its a statement about a private ailing man not willing to let his last days become a circus.
I Thank him for sparing his faithful that.
The Church is not in crisis the World is in crisis.
The Church will survive this World crisis but I’m not sure what if any other institution make it
 
gus said:
Who ever taught the the Pope was a man-god
Jack Chick nonsense
Second its is not a statement at all about the Papacy
It has been done before and the Church has an orderly procedure in place to choose a sucessor.
Its a statement about a private ailing man not willing to let his last days become a circus.
I Thank him for sparing his faithful that.
The Church is not in crisis the World is in crisis.
The Church will survive this World crisis but I’m not sure what if any other institution make it
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Couldn’t disagree more about this not being a bold statement about the role of the Papacy and the sitting Pope in the universal Church…
 
Shamati said:
It of course depends. He wants ro make a lasting statement about the very nature of the papacy itself that it is infact Ok to step down to let a younger more energetic shepherd up.
It findamentally changes the perspective towards the papacy if abdicating due to Old age is normalized.
To set an example that he is a human being who is a Bishop of Rome, the first among equals as a successor of Peter but still a Human being and Bishop and not some kind if “man-god”
Also, the papacy today is far from what it was when John Paul II was elected. It involves constant traveling by aeroplane and speaking with politicians making statements about phedophilia among the Priests to the media etc. It is a bit like a politician of the type “philosopher King” and I do think he did the right thing since the church will need a leader whose energy is endless to deal with all the problems in the church in a way somewhat satisfying to the media and catholics.
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Pope Benedict had to “set an example” that he is not a ‘man-god’ but a human being? I think Catholics and others already knew that. However, I do agree with you that the papacy involves extensive traveling today and is very hard work that requires a lot of energy. My comment about teaching was tongue-in-cheek.
 
meltzerboy said:
Pope Benedict had to “set an example” that he is not a ‘man-god’ but a human being? I think Catholics and others already knew that. However, I do agree with you that the papacy involves extensive traveling today and is very hard work that requires a lot of energy. My comment about teaching was tongue-in-cheek.
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Ok. To have to sit until death as the “vickar of christ” will of course make the Roman Pontiff appear to the catholic masses as a sanctified man. Automatically Holy. This is the way many other christians percieve it to be and this i know from experience. The eastern orthodox also wonder whatver happened to the Bishop of Rome being the Patriarch of the West in a communion of many.
I personally think the pope wants to get closed to a union with the east and he wants to “humanize” the Office.

Anyone saying the catholic church is not in crisis is in denial. Compare it with the orthodox & you will not find the kind of scandals there. It is a spiritual crisis where the soul and meaning of a spirituellt disciplined life seems to have been subordinated to the virtues of reason and legalism in a too large of a degree or perhaps its just the defensive when attacked from out and inside. American indiviualism with its fruits of egoism, materialism etc. permiates all of the western world, including myself and also the catholic church. Christianity is not a bussiness.
The catholic lithurgy only differs in ca. 5% of the state lutheran church where i live with
no icons, protestant hymns, defiant protestant theology from some of those involved with conversion.
To be fair, the whole of the west is a rapidly sinking ship of general depravity and narcisism
 
Shamati said:
It of course depends. He wants ro make a lasting statement about the very nature of the papacy itself that it is infact Ok to step down to let a younger more energetic shepherd up.
It findamentally changes the perspective towards the papacy if abdicating due to Old age is normalized.
To set an example that he is a human being who is a Bishop of Rome, the first among equals as a successor of Peter but still a Human being and Bishop and not some kind if “man-god”
Also, the papacy today is far from what it was when John Paul II was elected. It involves constant traveling by aeroplane and speaking with politicians making statements about phedophilia among the Priests to the media etc. It is a bit like a politician of the type “philosopher King” and I do think he did the right thing since the church will need a leader whose energy is endless to deal with all the problems in the church in a way somewhat satisfying to the media and catholics.
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John Paul II was 58 when he became pope. Had been an actor when young, and was always athletic. So he was well-suited for the role of apostle to the world, constantly on the go like Sts.Peter and Paul as described in the Bible. Benedict was 78 years old: a shy and retiring professor who had been fitted with a pace-maker. He has done remarkably well in trying to continue John Paul’s travels. But there is no gainsaying that he cannot continue at this pace. Owing to his severe wounding, John Paul himself had broken down physically by his mid-seventies. and we witnessed this especially after 2000. Leo XIII lived on until his mid-nineties, but we have film to show how frail he was at the end. Even ten years before, Bismarck’s son made fun of his aged state even then, and though his mind remained clear for many years, he had no need to play the exhausting public role that the pope today is called upon to perform. We do need a replacement, and we must pray that the Cardinals can choose the man that we need. In the end. it is up to the Lord.
 
Shamati said:
Anyone saying the catholic church is not in crisis is in denial.
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A little proud of your opinion? I will say that there is no grave crisis, at least nothing severe compared at other times. I am not in denial. Quite the opposite. I don’t swallow every juicy piece of meat the media feeds its sheep.

Your understanding of the papacy is not Catholic, btw. If you wish to argue Catholic doctrine on a Catholic forum, you should go to the appropriate area designated for such discussion.
 
Crisis is hard to quantify, it seems every age brings on challenges.

Our Lady of Fatima appeared nearly 100 years ago, Portugal was becoming Secularized and the Church was being oppressed during those years, then you had World War II and then, the Iron Curtain which severely curtailed religious freedom.
 
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