Pope Benedict XVI blesses Cardinals during a consistory at the Vatican February 11, 2013, in this picture provided by Osservatore Romano.
Posted on 02/11/2013 11:42:47 AM PST by NYer
Pope Benedict XVI blesses Cardinals during a consistory at the Vatican February 11, 2013, in this picture provided by Osservatore Romano.
Pope Benedict XVI told a gathering of cardinals Feb. 11 that he no longer has the strength to carry out ministry and will resign on Feb. 28.
“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,” Pope Benedict said.
He made his remarks in Latin to a meeting of cardinals who were gathered to vote on whether or not to canonize three people.
The last pontiff to resign was Gregory XII, who left office almost 600 years ago in 1415.
At a quickly arranged Feb. 11 press conference, Father Federico Lombardi told the media that there is no sickness the Pope is suffering from that is behind this decision.
“It’s something that happens normally in people with advanced age, “ the Vatican spokesman said.
Pope Benedict observed his lack of strength “over the past few months and courageously came to this decision,” the spokesman said.
He also stressed that Pope Benedict made the decision after carefully examining his conscience and the responsibilities of his office.
“This is an absolutely personal decision made with his conscience before God,” he remarked.
One member of the press commented on the contrast between Pope Benedict and Pope John Paul II, who suffered with Parkinson’s disease until he passed away on April 2005.
Fr. Lombardi said Benedict XVI respects the decision of his predecessor and that with his suffering he offered a great testimony to the Church.
God bless and keep him.
My prayers belong to Pope XVI
Given the ignorance of the mainstream media with regards to the Catholic Church, I will limit my news postings to articles from reliable Catholic sources.
EWTN will have a special live edition of the World Over Live program, tonight at 8 pm. EWTN also ran a special EWTN Live edition this morning with Michael Warsaw, the President of EWTN, Colin Donovan, a canon lawyer and Fr. Mitch Pacwa. They are calling the pope's resignation an act of humility.
“They are calling the pope’s resignation an act of humility. “
This (non-Roman Catholic) Christian fully agrees. A wise and humble decision. May God bless him richly for the days he has remaining.
Good for him. Let someone with more health and vigor take over the responsibilities, and perhaps this Pope can make a positive influence on the choice of his successor.
The media will not remind everyone of the great strides this Shepherd made in bringing many back into the fold.
I am also struck that he has decided this in the Year of Faith. Come Holy Spirit, enkindle us!
Rather than bothering to read even half of that the man has written, a great many people who claim to be Catholic have painted Benedict as a "slave to tradition". Clearly he is not and never has been.
This is an incredible example of someone following Christ who sees themself as a servent to others.
Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through contention, neither by vain glory: but in humility, let each esteem others better than themselves:
Philippians 2:4 Each one not considering the things that are his own, but those that are other men's.
Philippians 2:5 For let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus :
Philippians 2:6 Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God :
Philippians 2:7 But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man.
Philippians 2:8 He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.
God Bless you PAPA! We love you!
That is precisely how he described himself following the conclave that elected him pope. He stood on the balcony and referred to himself as "a humble servant in the vineyard of the Lord". God bless him! And thank you for posting the quotes from Philippians.
Wow, I didn't know that.
The trappings of power and the prestige of his office didn't sway him a bit.
He never wanted the position -- he wanted to retire to his cats and his music, and write a book or two, but the Holy Spirit said otherwise and he acquiesced.
"As the trend in the ballots slowly made me realize that — in a manner of speaking the guillotine would fall on me — I started to feel quite dizzy. I thought that I had done my life's work and could now hope to live out my days in peace. I told the Lord with deep conviction, 'Don't do this to me. You have younger and better men who could take up this great task with a totally different energy and with different strength.' Evidently, this time he didn't listen to me."
I am not an emotional person but this news has left me saddened all day. I pray that Benedict has a long retirement and that his successor has his wisdom.
“...this news has left me saddened all day.”
Yes, I felt the same way. He was true to the Word and did not see himself as exaulted, only put in a position to do what more he could.
I really will miss him.
Too pooped to pope?
It did come as quite a shock. Can you imagine how the cardinals at the consistory this morning reacted?! GMA invited Cardinal Dolan to come on this morning. He had only just heard the news and had that "deer in the headlights" look, which spoke volumes. When Matt Lauer asked Dolan how the process would work, Dolan, in his typical Irish style, responded: "I'm still unpacking the red socks from last year's consistory, Matt. I have no idea but I expect we will be given guidance before convening in Rome. He made some interesting observations based on his perception of contemporary pope. He said "look at Pope Benedict" someone who is savvy about the world, a theologian, personal piety & Holiness, someone with linguistic abilities, and knowledge of the church universal.
Like you, I was quite saddened at the news, followed by concern over the selection. Then I reflected on the timing of the announcement - the beginning of Lent (it began for those of us in the Eastern Catholic Churches today), a time of prayer and drawing closer to our Lord. That is bound to have a strong impact on the cardinals as they assemble in conclave. Ultimately, as catholics, we have faith that the process is guided by the Holy Spirit. At this evening's mass with distribution of ashes, our pastor asked us as a community to commit our lenten prayers to the Holy Father and the cardinals. Instead of a homily, he told us to spend that time in silent prayer for the pope and ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance for the cardinals.
Pray and thank God for the gift of our Holy Father.
As they say, “I love my German Shepherd” and I’ll miss him being Pope.
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