VATICAN CITY (NEWS1130) – Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday that he would resign Feb. 28 — the first pontiff to do so in nearly 600 years. The decision sets the stage for a conclave to elect a new pope before the end of March.
The 85-year-old pope announced his decision in Latin during a meeting of Vatican cardinals on Monday morning.
He emphasized that carrying out the duties of being pope — the leader of more than a billion Roman Catholics worldwide — requires “both strength of mind and body.”
“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,” he told the cardinals. “I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only by 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 St. Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary — strengths which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfil the ministry entrusted to me.”
The last pope to resign was Pope Gregory XII, who stepped down in 1415 in a deal to end the Great Western Schism among competing papal claimants.
Benedict called his choice “a decision of great importance for the life of the church.”
The move sets the stage for the Vatican to hold a conclave to elect a new pope by mid-March, since the traditional mourning time that would follow the death of a pope doesn’t have to be observed.
Benedict was elected pontiff in 2005 after the death of Pope John Paul II.
Cardinal Marc Ouellet — the former Archbishop of Quebec — is being looked at according to Andrew Davis who covers the Vatican for Bloomberg News.
But Davis says, with the number of Roman Catholics rising in the developing world, it’s more likely the next pontiff will come from Latin America or Africa.
“Even in the college of Cardinals, they’re the ones who chose the Pope, are carrying more and more weight than they ever have in the past. I think there is going to be a lot of pressure to reach beyond the US, and certainly beyond Italy, and beyond Europe.
Davis believes Benedict was considered an interim pope when he was selected in 2005, and paved the way for a pontiff from the developing world.
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I am wondering who the next Pope will be. God bless you, Pope Benedict!
If the catholic church, or any religion for that matter, is to stay relevant now, it has to change with the times and admit that certain parts of the religion are outdated, and that grievous acts are done under the name of “religion”.
hoew does religion change with the times?Gods word does not change,you cant decide to change parts of God’s word because you don’t like it ,as for the priests who abuse children they not following God;s word or law
Who cares? Religion, especially Catholicism, is not exactly relevant anymore in the modern world. Maybe 500 years ago it was. It’s just completely pointless now. Even this pope knows it. The only people who care are the sheep who need to be told what to think and how to behave.
I did enjoy when he would start a speech with “Bad evening, boils and ghouls!”
May God bless the Pope and guide the cardinals in the Conclave.
first of why should the church change or”bring it into the 21st century”as nattyone said? Gods word and laws have not changed since the beginning its us the people who should realize that haveing loose morals does not mean that God’s word should be watered down to please us.
And while it is horrible what some and again i will say some priests did to children and natives its not the entire church that did that ,nor should the entire church be condemned on the actions of a few .Which brings us back to the beginning watered down churches,no true believer or followerof God’s word would harm a child the priests who did are what some want the church to become like the united church that has strayed from the teachings of the Bible,lets pray the next pope will be a true disciple of Christ,and not try to water down Gods word.
HA! HA! Good.
….As British comedian Jimmy Carr used to call him….King of the Pedo’s
…Hazah! I’ve smoked out a devout Roman Catholic!!!
Remember, its the Catholic Priests that like little boys praying on their knees…They would say, “remember, God is always watching….” To which is replied with a “…is he a Pedo too Fatha?”
I was a devout Catholic…once…when they kicked me out after they said….”I like the wine, loving the wafer….now how ’bout some cheese!”
Hopefully the new Pope will not be just another member of the “Old Boy’s Club,” time for some enlightened leadership in the Roman Catholic Church – bring it into the 21st Century. Certainly Benedict will be remembered mostly as the do nothing, status quo Pope – just rewarded for long service.
It’s tough to find good help these days…
If only the “good help” would retire when they realize they can’t do the job.
Benedict is obviously much smarter than the average “worker”.