General Chat

Oooer, I thought they were in office for life!

NB All references to the selection process of the next Pope are nothing to do with the incumbent.

I hope that clarifies the situation.

Warning: if you are offended by atheists please do not read beyond the first couple of pages.

ooh, that's very unusual!

Same here! When you posted I thought that he might have had a serious illness, but Reuters quotes

The Vatican says it is to spare him fatigue and that there is no concern about his overall health. His brother has said Benedict suffered two mild strokes before his election in 2005 and he reportedly suffers from high blood pressure and arthritis.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/04/16/uk-pope-idUKBRE83F0UW20120416

hmmmmmmmmmm wonder what's behind that then !!!

Same as Muffy.



Julia in Derbyshire

He has sown the seeds since at least 2010.

In a book of interviews, the 83-year Pontiff challenged centuries of Catholic Church tradition by saying that he would not hesitate to relinquish his post if no longer felt "physically, psychologically and spiritually" up to the job

http://goo.gl/dbMcG (The Telegraph)

There had been rumours for over a year about a possible resignation due to difficulties caused for him by advancing age.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-21411304
Pope Benedict XVI is to resign

The Pope is to resign at the end of this month in an entirely unexpected development, the Vatican has confirmed.

The 85-year-old became Pope Benedict XVI in April 2005 following the death of John Paul II.

The reasons behind the pontiff's surprise resignation have yet to emerge.

At 78, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was one of the oldest new popes in history when elected.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21409149
1104: Vatican spokesman Frederico Lombardi has told the AFP news agency that he will step down at 20:00 on 28 February.

1109: The Pope says his strength is no longer adequate to continue in office, in a statement reported by Reuters news agency.

Well he was old when he became pope so the illness thing doesn't sit well with me tbh..loads of popes are ill and or infirm...none that I can think of in recent history have resigned.

FB and Twitter is already awash with the Pope Jokes!

If what I've just read is true..then he's the first pope in nearly 600 yrs to resign...double.hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/02/11/pope_benedict_xvi_announces_his_resignation_at_end_of_month/en1-663815

Full text of Pope's declaration

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

Why hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Muffy?

I think he made a sensible and brave decision.

I have a suspicious mind Joy !

I think I am right in saying that the last pope to resign was Pope Gregory XII 1415

lololol I think some of us (me included) have inbuilt alarm bells when somebody with a high profile resigns ;-)

We all seen a few Popes who have been decidedly unwell, and one maybe unfit to keep office.

Sue (scratching head in Wales)

and it's NOT nits!

Life's too short, Muffy :)

I admire him for his decision and for saying that he "had to recognise my incapacity to adequately fulfil the ministry entrusted to me".

Maybe, hopefully, the next Pope will be a younger one :)

lol Joy..yes very likely..but I'm rather attached to my inbuilt cynicism after all these years..I'd be lost without it !!! :-D

Good luck to him - at 85 he deserves to put his feet up.

I'm not a Roman Catholic, nor a particular 'fan' of Pope Benedict (loved John Paul), but I think it's a brave and honest decision to take. He may be more unwell than is actually being publicised.


His style of ministry was very outdated and took the church backwards rather than forwards. The pressures of recent events may simply be too much for him to bear so, like Joy, I hope the next choice will be that of a much younger man who is more in touch with today's world.





Cx

It is a precedent in modern times but not a total surprise, really. A couple of years ago, the Pope had said that if it all got too much for him, then he would resign. And why not? :)