Posted on 02/11/2013 5:52:00 AM PST by NYer
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
However, in the Catholic Church, there is recent precedence. In January 2011, Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir tended his resignation to the pope, citing failing health. He was 90 years of age. In March 2011, a Patriarchal Synod was convened. Bishops from around the world descended on Lebanon to select the cardinal's successor.
After three days of prayer and fasting, and three days of democratic election and consultation, they elected Bishop Bechara Rai of Byblos/Jbeil as Patriarch. On the fifth day of the synod a Bishop proposed that they spend an evening of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. In so doing, they were reminded that this is Christ's Church, not theirs! They are stewards devoted to doing His work and His will.
In October 2012, Bechara Peter Rai was appointed a Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI. The pope has enjoyed a strong friendship with Cardinal Sfeir and now, his successor. Last September, the Holy Father traveled to Lebanon and las week entrusted the Lenten Via Crucis Stations of the Cross, to Cardinal Rai.
Today is Clean / Ash Monday. For Eastern Catholics, Lent has begun. We enter this season with one pope but will celebrate the Risen Christ on Easter Sunday with a new one. Let us all commit to praying for Pope Benedict XVI and the cardinals as they prepare to choose the next successor to the Chair of Peter.
Wishing you all a Blessed Lent
He will be missed.
I’m hoping for Pope Piel I, the Pocket Fisher of Men
I imagine this must of been an extremely agonizing decision for the Pope to make. God is with him and has guided him through this. All of God's blessings be with him.
I’m not a Catholic, but I loved this guy. I have read a lot of his speeches and writings. He’s a very good apologist for the faith. He will be missed. I am sorry to see him go, and the vile attacks he has suffered, but I am sure that he counts it as nothing to suffer for our Lord’s sake. God bless him!
Thank you for your kind words and astute observations. He is an awesome theologian and devoted defender of the faith. May I ask you to please pray for him and the cardinals who will elect his successor.
OK, irreverent, but funny.
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.
Ping for later
We enter this season with one pope but will celebrate the Risen Christ on Easter Sunday with a new one.
&&&
Excellent observation. Prayers up.
Thank you for your prayers for our pontiff. May God bless and keep you.
His Holyness from what I understand made his announcement in latin ...Thank’s for the insight on sucession of Cardinal Sfeir in the Eastern rite.
The umbrella term “Protestant” is incorrect — it includes groups such as Lutherans who believe in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and Oneness Pentecostals who deny the Trinity. It includes too wide and disparate beliefs to be clubbed together.
Bump in deed.
There was a recent thread on what happens if a Pope is incapable of exercising his duties in the case of something like coma or dementia. The answer is that basically the church just spins its wheels until the Pope either recovers or dies because there is no policy in place for removing a Pope who cannot serve. Perhaps Benedict has found himself faced with a disabling illness, like Alzheimers. Knowing that the Church needs strong leadership in these troubling times he has taken the courageous decision to step down and ensure that there will be a firm leader at the head of the church going forward. If that is, in fact, the case then I thank God for his courage and will pray for him as he faces whatever prompted his decision.
Obviously, I don’t know your age; I am a “seasoned” citizen, recently retired. Once I passed 60, I found it increasingly more challenging to keep pace with my coworkers. Working in the field of automation, it became a serious burden to keep up with evolving trends in the industry. What had once come easily, suddenly became problematic. It was even embarrassing. The daily pace of my previous job doesn’t begin to compare with the demands placed on the pope. He is daily faced with a schedule that would make most CEOs wince. His decision to step down is, I have no doubt, take with much prayer and reflection. More importantly, it is done with great humility since he recognizes that it is for the benefit of the church universal. May God give him a few years of well deserved rest with his books, music and brother.
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