Retiring Cardinals

[Lil Red]

well, Pope Benedict XVI accepts resignations [url="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2012/01/las-bishop-zavala-resigns-admits-fathering-two-children/"]as early as 60[/url]

[dominicansoul]

wow. i wonder how such things remain hidden for so long.....

[Lisa]

[quote name='Lil Red' timestamp='1325696537' post='2362804']
well, Pope Benedict XVI accepts resignations [url="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2012/01/las-bishop-zavala-resigns-admits-fathering-two-children/"]as early as 60[/url]
[/quote]

[elizabeth09]

Some times, they retired when they are older.

[Maggyie]

Did John Cardinal O'Connor die in his see, at the age of 80? I think Popes routinely refuse resignations, when they like what the bishop is doing and it's clear the bishop would really like to stay.

[Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam]

Please do not misunderstand me. I very much love the Pope. Pope Benedict is easily the most capable theologian and intelligent man we have had as the successor to Sts. Peter and Paul in a long time, with the most recent competition coming only from Leo XIII 100 yrs ago. Normally I am also a very great supporter of papal authority. However, and I understand that this may be a minority opinion, by what power or authority is the Bishop of Rome able to demand [i]other[/i] bishops retire/set the retirement age for other bishops? Maybe I am reading this original post wrong or don't properly understand how such a discipline is actually set in the Church but this way of going about things doesn't seem proper to me. Normally, when a bishop is to be removed there is a visitation from his brother bishops (this happened in Australian, Archbishop Chaput was part of the visitation) and they investigate the local Church and the bishop and deliver a report to the Church. Then, the Pope along with the rest of the bishops removes the other bishop. As such, it is an act of the Church and I think properly understands the Pope as first among equals, making decisions with other bishops while still fulfilling his role of leadership (Such a view is directly contrasted with that of the Pope as Bishop of bishops). I think the age of retirement can be moved or remain the same (I don't really have an opinion on either) but such a decision should be a general decision of the bishops along with the Bishop of Rome and not simply a decision made by the Pope for when [i]other[/i] bishops have to retire.

I dislike the idea of a bishop having to mail his resignation to the Pope when the bishop serves his local Church and not the Pope. Each bishop, as a successor to the Apostles, is the autonomous hierarch of his own Church (think of how St. Paul addresses the Church of Corinth or the Church of Rome) with the Pope being the locus of Church unity. It seems odd to me that the Bishop, who serves the local Church and not the Pope, would have to ask the Pope to resign, and also it seems to in some way violate the horizontality between the bishops and the Pope of Rome. However, that being said, I do very much like the idea that there is a one in the Church who can ask bishops, who are doing a good job, not to retire and continue to serve the Church, this does seem to me the proper place of the Bishop of Rome and a proper exercise of his juridical power. Hmmm much to think about.

Edited January 16, 2012 by Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

[Slappo]

Maybe it should be moved to 65 so that Pope Benedict can move out some of the bishops not taking care of their flock, and just ignore the letter for 15 years of the bishops doing well .