1. How are you so sure the pope felt no fear?
Becausse he has and had nothing to fear. What reason would he have had for personal fear? Do you think some homosexual was going to break into the papal apartments and beat him up? Say even nastier things to him than were said to him on Twitter? Be tougher than the Nazis and Communists he had to contend with in his youth? It's pretty difficult to envision a scenario in which he would have faced any physical risk. What earthly thing might have struck fear into the heart of a man who is 86 and has already looked death in the eye several times?
2. Who told you the next pope will be someone younger, stronger, be able to fly to distant cities and leap tall buildings in a single bound?
I can't find the place in my post in which I suggested that the next pope will be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound; perhaps you would be kind enough point that bit out to me if you find it. However, it's safe to say that the next pope will be younger than 86-year-old Benedict, since only those cardinals under 80 can even vote. Almost anyone would be stronger than Benedict, who has, as mentioned, suffered two strokes and can barely get through the day. And since most of the cardinals had to fly to arrive at the conclave, they are apparently all capable of flying.
I do not know, and none of us can know, that the next pope will be a better theologian, a better administrator, a better logician, or a better Christian. For that we can only pray, asking the Lord to direct the hearts and votes of the cardinals.
With the likes of you, and your predictions, who needs the Holy Spirt’s guidance.
I and the other readers on the thread are at a loss to know what has generated such snarkiness on your part, but whatever it is I apologize for it.
Thank you for all your comments. Freeper ebb tide, it is patently wrong to compare popes. Each one has borne a cross, out of love for Jesus Christ. It is no secret that Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger wished to retire at age 75. JPII reminded him that he was older and asked him to stay on. He selflessly complied. When the cardinals elected him to succeed JPII, he was asked "Do you accept?" He had the option to say no but acceded to the will of God. He addressed this at his final audience last Wednesday:
When, almost eight years ago, on April 19th, [2005], I agreed to take on the Petrine ministry, I held steadfast in this certainty, which has always accompanied me. In that moment, as I have already stated several times, the words that resounded in my heart were: “Lord, what do you ask of me? It a great weight that You place on my shoulders, but, if You ask me, at your word I will throw out the nets, sure that you will guide me” – and the Lord really has guided me. He has been close to me: daily could I feel His presence. [These years] have been a stretch of the Church’s pilgrim way, which has seen moments joy and light, but also difficult moments. I have felt like St. Peter with the Apostles in the boat on the Sea of Galilee: the Lord has given us many days of sunshine and gentle breeze, days in which the catch has been abundant; [then] there have been times when the seas were rough and the wind against us, as in the whole history of the Church it has ever been - and the Lord seemed to sleep. Nevertheless, I always knew that the Lord is in the barque, that the barque of the Church is not mine, not ours, but His - and He shall not let her sink. It is He, who steers her: to be sure, he does so also through men of His choosing, for He desired that it be so. This was and is a certainty that nothing can tarnish. It is for this reason, that today my heart is filled with gratitude to God, for never did He leave me or the Church without His consolation, His light, His love. - See more at: http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-final-general-audience-full-text#sthash.UUFifWrG.dpuf
As several others have pointed out, it is also unfair to compare contemporary society with the past. Throughout history, the Catholic Church has always been under attack. These sieges have come from without but now they are also coming from within. Government and the mainstream media whip up public sentiment against the "antiquated teachings" of the Catholic Church; internally, as some of us have experienced first hand, a network of dissenters have launched their attacks through progressivist policies. JPII began the clean up but passed away before it was finished. It has recently come to light that over the past year, pope Benedict has eliminated hundreds of bishops around the globe, done quietly through suggestion to step down or immediate termination upon retirement. I know of one bishop in NY whose retirement letter was accepted upon submission last year. Normally, the bishop is asked to remain until a new one can be appointed. In that particular instance, he was told to step down and the diocese has been temporarily turned over to another bishop.
In the past century, communications have rapidly expanded and the popes have responded, first with the radio, then television, jet travel, a web site, Facebook and now, Twitter.
I posted a thread yesterday from a Vatican reporter who provides great insight into how all of these factors have aligned with the pope's decision to pass the torch to another. He writes:
In the face of an Enemy who seeks to destroy the human couple of Adam and Eve, distorting that couple and transforming their offspring into merchandise at the mercy of merciless laws and governments, the Church, supreme protectress of a free humanity, though attacked from without and betrayed from within, remains nevertheless the best, last hope humanity has to escape from the enslaving chains now being forged against our race.Benedict’s decision to resign must be seen in this perspective, the perspective of a man who wishes to hand on, while he yet breathes, the weapons to fight a colossal battle.
The battle has not ended. Indeed, it is only now about to begin in earnest.
Please take a few minutes to read through this report and examine the content. You will find it at THIS LINK.