Pope Benedict Resigning

[CatholicCid]

No, being humble is recognizing the truth of a situation and responding appropriately.

 

The Holy Father is asking for our help by asking for our prayers in this time. Let us not judge his decision for failing to meet our expectations, but instead pray for him, for his successor, and for the Church.

 

Being humble is asking for help, not giving up.

 

Edited February 11, 2013 by CatholicCid

[Apotheoun]

You said that since Pope Leo was able to make it to ninety-three and be Pope, certainly eighty-five is no big deal. First off, they are different people with different bodies and different immune systems. Pope Leo obviously had an awesome one, and Pope Benedict has an average one. Secondly, that's over a hundred years. Our society is so different, and the role of the Pope has vastly changed in that time. Pope Leo was not expected to visit foreign countries overseas every single year, whereas now the Pope is expected to. This is all because of Pope John Paul II. It's a good thing, but what is expected of the Pope has now changed. I mean, my goodness, 1903 was before the Pope Mobile was even invented and they were still carrying the Pope on a chair with two long poles.

Where did I say that they anything that would imply that people are all the same?  I just see no point in the pope resigning.  The Apostles never resigned, and very few popes have resigned (the number can be counted on one hand) and each time popes have resigned the Roman Church has suffered in some form.

Edited February 11, 2013 by Apotheoun

[the171]

There is nothing inherent to the office of the bishop of Rome that he travel around the world.  John Paul II was the first pope to do that, and even he curtailed his travels as he got older.  Travel is not a sacramental aspect of being a bishop.

 

but it is expected now. Our Holy Father, God bless his soul, knows that there is someone better to do this job. You forget that he is still the pope. He is the vicar of Christ. I am sure he is doing this for a good reason.

I don't understand why we think we know better than our Holy Father.

[Apotheoun]

but it is expected now. Our Holy Father, God bless his soul, knows that there is someone better to do this job. You forget that he is still the pope. He is the vicar of Christ. I am sure he is doing this for a good reason.

I don't expect it.  In fact, I would be happier of the popes stopped traveling about so much, and focused instead on restoring the Roman Church's liturgy.  Perhaps a new pope will do that, but I doubt it.

[Tony]

I'm not mad a Benedict, I'm mad  at idiots that  are looking for scandals just because he resigned :bomb:

[the171]

I don't expect it.  In fact, I would be happier of the popes stopped traveling about so much, and focused instead on restoring the Roman Church's liturgy.  Perhaps a new pope will do that, but I doubt it.

 

I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM! Wars, contraception, abortion. I would rather have a shitty (valid) liturgy than abortion and all these ills that are in the world.

[4588686]

From Dr. Scott Hahn:

 

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.

 

 

Isn't he the one Dante put in hell?  Like his successor was corrupt and convinced him that he soul was in danger and Dante took that as him abandoning his flock to the wolves.  Or did I make that up?  I haven't read Dante since 11th grade but I feel like I remember reading that in the footnotes.  

[Apotheoun]

I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM! Wars, contraception, abortion. I would rather have a shitty (valid) liturgy than abortion and all these ills that are in the world.

They are all interrelated.  The faith is holistic.

[PhuturePriest]

Pope Paul VI was a great and holy man. He did his best to lead the Church, and yes, he did it even to the very end of his life. While he was on his deathbed, he asked his accountant (A Priest) to stay with him and pray for his soul. He was frightened that he would abandon Christ at the end like Peter did. Eventually, they decided on doing a Rosary, and his accountant said it would be for his soul, but the Pope told him no, that they had already prayed for him, and that now they would pray for the good and well-being of the Church after he was gone. Let's remember his example and pray for the Pope, that he does not abandon Christ at the end like Peter did, and then pray for the Church and for its new successor. This is an exciting time to be Catholic, and so much good is going to abound in our time. Let's not mope around because not everything goes the way we think it should. One thing I have learned while being on this site is that adults are more experienced and know what they are doing. Seeing as how Pope Benedict is older than all of us (And seeing as how he is our Holy Father), we should trust his judgment. He has only ever strived to do what is best for the Church. He wouldn't abandon it now.

Isn't he the one Dante put in hell?  Like his successor was corrupt and convinced him that he soul was in danger and Dante took that as him abandoning his flock to the wolves.  Or did I make that up?  I haven't read Dante since 11th grade but I feel like I remember reading that in the footnotes.  

 

No, he is not the one Dante put in hell. His successor (Who put him to death after he resigned) was the one Dante put in hell.

[the171]

They are all interrelated.  The faith is holistic.

 

Yes, and our faith leads to action. Not just sitting around and telling people what to do. You go into those trenches until you can no more. For some this is death, and for our Holy Father it is now. Trust him. I can promise you he is at least wiser than me.

[homeschoolmom]

Just to clarify... Dante didn't have the power to put anyone in hell. Just saying.

[PhuturePriest]

Just to clarify... Dante didn't have the power to put anyone in hell. Just saying.

 

Fact.

[CatherineM]

Again, I ask: How do you know this is not what the Holy Spirit wants? Just because this isn't going the way you would prefer it? The way I would prefer it is if Pope Benedict XVI was in great health and reigned for twenty more years. But that's obviously not going to happen, and God has something else in mind for us. I'll pray for you. This is hard on all of us.

I am probably the person on phatmass who disagreed with Benedict the most. I should therefore be rejoicing that we will have a new Pope. I'm not. I love the Church first and foremost. I know the Holy Spirit will guide us through this. If Benedict's decision is based on only what he has thus far said, it's a cop out. If something else is behind it, that will come out eventually. For now though, I am going on his words alone.

[PhuturePriest]

I am probably the person on phatmass who disagreed with Benedict the most. I should therefore be rejoicing that we will have a new Pope. I'm not. I love the Church first and foremost. I know the Holy Spirit will guide us through this. If Benedict's decision is based on only what he has thus far said, it's a cop out. If something else is behind it, that will come out eventually. For now though, I am going on his words alone.

 

Can it be that the reason you are not rejoicing is because you don't like him anyway and disagree with this just because you don't like him? He's our Holy Father. And a dang good one, too. He has done many great things, including trying to unify the Church (I'm not sure why you take problem with that). The man says he can no longer do it adequately, we should believe him.

[Evangetholic]

I find this news frightening and confusing. The Papacy has proven to be the loudest and clearest moral voice in Christendom and a mighty bulwark  against the Christological heresies that are creeping into the Christian church. I do not share Catholic beliefs about the infallibility of the Popes, not even slightly, but the last two Popes (not speaking against their predecessors) were a mighty rebuke against tthe lawlessness that is over running both Catholicism and the rest of Christendom. I hope that Almighty God shows mercy on the world and that a righteous man is chosen to succeed this righteous man.