Pope Benedict Resigning

[Debra Little]

Dear Brothers,
I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only
for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision
of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly
examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my
strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate
exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry,
due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with
words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. 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. For this reason, and well aware of
the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I
renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter,
entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that
as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of
Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme
Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.

Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with
which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my
defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our
Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary,
so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal
solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I
wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future
through a life dedicated to prayer.
From the Vatican, 10 February 2013

BENEDICTUS PP XVI

[dominicansoul]

You are like the Packer fans who were against Aaron Rodgers. 

 

Discount double check!!!

 

 

with aaron rodgers, it's more like "discount double choke"

[CatherineM]

I wonder if Cardinal Mahony is going. He's a Cardinal under 80. Is the conclave a public ministry?

[Fidei Defensor]

I read that he is planning to retire to a monastery. If that's the case, I hope he is able to find some peace.

[PhuturePriest]

I'm male, confirmed, and single.  

 

 

I will issues a call to all righteous Catholic men to take up arms and form an army to retake the Holy Land.  I'll also move to retake the Hagia Sophia by force.  

 

 

HASAN 2013!

 

I like the sound of a Hasan papacy already!

[Apotheoun]

...

This is bad for the Church is dozens of ways. When people get over the shock, they will start to realize how bad.

I think you are right.  Past papal resignations haven't gone well.

[PhuturePriest]

Obviously, when my mother woke me up this morning to inform me of his resignation I was in shock and had a hard time processing it. But what has been harder to process is good Catholics turning on the Pope. He has been one of the greatest Popes we could have asked for. The Holy Spirit blessed us with this choice. He is old and sick and can no longer do his job adequately. Who is to say this is not the work of the Holy Spirit? Pope Benedict XVI has been my only experience with Popes (Pope John Paul II died when I was very young and didn't pay much attention to it). I remember watching when Pope Benedict XVI was chosen on the news, and watching him come out for the first time. He has been very dear to my heart, and I will be sad to see him go. It is already a time for weeping. Let us not make it a time of accusations and conspiracy as well. We have been loyal to the Pope this far; let us not abandon him in his greatest time of need.

Edited February 11, 2013 by FuturePriest387

[Apotheoun]

Can you imagine St. Peter hanging upside down on the cross saying, "I resign."

[4588686]

Pope Hasan would never do that. 

[HisChildForever]

I honestly believe it must be something with his health, and he's doing what is best for the Church.  Rather than be an invalid Pope, he obviously wants a healthier, stronger successor to maintain sound leadership of the Church...

 

I agree. We don't know the details of his health, for one thing. Also, in these times, the Holy Father has to be very active and very much in the public eye. A very ill Pope wouldn't, or rather couldn't, perform such duties.

[Apotheoun]

Pope Hasan would never do that. 

If elected you would need to choose a new name.

[FutureCarmeliteClaire]

Um, wow. This thread is just... wow. I'm going to exit before I say something I'll regret later.

Hasan, thank you for bringing some necessary humor to my morning.

[Winchester]

I'm male, confirmed, and single.  

 

 

I will issues a call to all righteous Catholic men to take up arms and form an army to retake the Holy Land.  I'll also move to retake the Hagia Sophia by force.  

 

 

HASAN 2013!

 

I don't think 'single' is one of the requirements.
 

[FutureSister2009]

At first I did think it was a joke. But I heard it from reliable sources so I had to believe it. So many memories. The only Pope I ever really knew besides the wonderful JPII. The first Pope I ever witnessed get elected, the first Pope I ever saw in person, the first Pope I ever read books by and the first Pope I ever knew to resign apparently 

[CatherineM]

I'm not attacking or turning on the Pope. I'm saying his quitting is a bad idea and will hurt the Church. I hope I'm wrong. You can disagree with something your parents or kids do without hating them.