Pope Benedict XVI To Resign On Feb. 28 Due To Health Concerns

[Crabtownboy]

I believe he as been the pope longer than anyone, including himself, believed he would be in office. I remember him saying when elected something to the effect that he realized he was elected as sort of a stop-gap pope. That his age meant he would not be the pope long.

VATICAN CITY (AP) — 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 fulfill the ministry entrusted to me."

 

[Salty]

Last pope to resign was Gregory XII in the year 1415 on July 4

 

[webdog]

Exciting time to be alive! The next pope will be the last one, IMO, who will witness the Antichrist.

 

[Bro. James]

Does this mean the Pontifex Maximus is not accountable for the atrocities on his watch?

Pope Emeritus--a new religious paygrade perhaps.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Bro. James

 

[Scarlett O.]

If he believed and others believed himself to be pope for only a relatively short time, then those responsible for choosing the next pope must already have someone in mind.

It shouldn't take long and perhaps we won't see any black smoke?

 

[church mouse guy]

I read that the Pope can barely walk and the doctors told him no more long flights.

He was very conservative and the Latin mass revived here to an amazing degree. I heard that he refused to have his picture taken with Pelosi when she was at the Vatican.

On vacation in 2007 at Lorenzago Di Cadore, Italy, this Pope reiterated that there is no Salvation outside the walls of the Roman Catholic Church:

“Christ ‘established here on earth’ only one church,” the document said. The other communities “cannot be called ‘churches’ in the proper sense” because they do not have apostolic succession — the ability to trace their bishops back to Christ’s original apostles.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/19692094/...t/pope-other-denominations-not-true-churches/

Pope Benedict XVI also is the author of Dominus Iesus, which also says that Protestant churches are not real churches:

"...17. Therefore, there exists a single Church of Christ, which subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the Successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him.58 The Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the Catholic Church, remain united to her by means of the closest bonds, that is, by apostolic succession and a valid Eucharist, are true particular Churches.59 Therefore, the Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack full communion with the Catholic Church, since they do not accept the Catholic doctrine of the Primacy, which, according to the will of God, the Bishop of Rome objectively has and exercises over the entire Church.60

On the other hand, the ecclesial communities which have not preserved the valid Episcopate and the genuine and integral substance of the Eucharistic mystery,61 are not Churches in the proper sense;..."​

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html​

 

[Zaac]

Exciting time to be alive! The next pope will be the last one, IMO, who will witness the Antichrist.

Finally something upon which we agree.

Here comes Pope Peter.

 

[thjplgvp]

So in anticipation of the Catholics joining the egalitarian movement will Pelosi be the new Popess? Just asking.

 

[Walter]

Intense prayer for the Catholic Church is called for. In these perilous times for Christianity, if Benedict can no longer vigorously discharge the duty to which he is called, then he is making a responsible decision. But speculation and political intrigue are going to be intense, also.

 

[Matt Black]

A shock but not a surprise (if that makes sense): he's been banging on for the last couple of years or so that he'd throw in the towel if he thought he was too old or infirm.

Good call, IMO - kudos to him.

I dare say Tony Blair will be clearing his diary and waiting for the call....

 

[webdog]

Finally something upon which we agree.

Here comes Pope Peter.

I hope he takes the name Peter.

 

[Zaac]

Cardinal Peter Turkson: 5 Facts About the Potential First Black Pope

Cardinal Peter Turkson 5 Facts About the Potential First Black Pope

As Pope Benedict XVI said on Monday that he would resign on Feb. 28, citing poor health, speculation is already mounting about his potential replacement. And Cardinal Peter Turkson, the current president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, is rumored to be a potential option. Here are five facts about the Vatican's first potential black pope:

Pope Petrus Romanus???

Is it merely coincidental that the United States gets its first Black President and then possibly the Catholic Church gets its first Black Pope?

 

[Jerome]

if Benedict can no longer vigorously discharge the duty to which he is called

I read that the Pope can barely walk and the doctors told him no more long flights.

That is strange. Southern Baptist 'Founders' bigwig Dr. Timothy George participated in a Vatican synod just a few months ago and reported that the Pope was doing well:

http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2012/10/baptist_at_the_vatican_samford_1.html

"[George] has been active for years in ecumenical dialogue between Baptists and Catholics. He spoke at the Vatican on Oct. 16 during the 13th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, hosted by the pope. He was personally greeted by the pope the next day."

"George, who previously met the pope in 2009 as part of the International Baptist-Catholic Dialogue group, said he greeted the pope in Latin. "I told him many Baptists around the world prayed for him and his witness for Jesus Christ," he said. As a fraternal delegate, along with AME Bishop Sarah Davis and several other representatives from Christian groups, George took part in the theological discussions with bishops from around the world."

"George said he was able to spend time with key Catholic leaders, including Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., and Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York. "I learned an awful lot," he said. "I made friends from all over the world. We established a real friendship. You find that there's a common commitment to Jesus Christ and spreading the faith.""

"George said Pope Benedict XVI was tireless. "I'm very much impressed with the pope, his tenacity and perseverance. He's a person of remarkable vigor. I didn't see any diminishment of his abilities""

 

[Scarlett O.]

Is it merely coincidental that the United States gets its first Black President and then possibly the Catholic Church gets its first Black Pope?

This isn't the first time that the Catholic Church has considered an African man for the position of pope. America getting it's first bi-racial president in 2008 and Catholic Church considering an African man for pope among other men in 2005 and 2013 have nothing to do with each other - to the point that they don't even coincide..

 

[Zaac]

This isn't the first time that the Catholic Church has considered an African man for the position of pope.

I didn't say anything about the "consideration".

America getting it's first bi-racial president in 2008 and Catholic Church considering an African man for pope among other men in 2005 and 2013 have nothing to do with each other - to the point that they don't even coincide..[/COLOR]

Sure they do. You don't have to think so. But they do.

 

[preachinjesus]

This will be a unique process to watch unfold and probably one which will bring a greater diversity to the leadership of the Roman Church.

If there is one thing that is immediately obvious when studying Pope Benedict XVI's career as a priest, from parish to papacy, is that he is a very strategic leader. It is likely he is making this move now primarily because of his health (which has been in obvious decline over the past year and a half) and likely because he has been able to secure the appropriate votes to bring in a successor who he approves of and who will faithfully carry the office.

As I mentioned in the other thread, I have been thankful for Pope Benedict XVI's papacy.

 

[Scarlett O.]

I didn't say anything about the "consideration".

Yes, you did. You said, "and then possibly the Catholic Church gets its first Black Pope?"

The only "possible" way for the next pope to be an African man is for them to be considering his name - discussing it now as they traditionally do. They are now and they have before. President Obama being elected has nothing to do with it.

Sure they do. You don't have to think so. But they do.

Really? Enlighten us.

 

[Crabtownboy]

Is it merely coincidental that the United States gets its first Black President and then possibly the Catholic Church gets its first Black Pope?

No. Back when Benedict was finally elected there was speculation that a Cardinal from Africa might be elected. It was strongly suggested then that the pope to follow Benedict would most likely be from Africa.

I will make a prediction. If an African is elected pope he will be very conservative. The local church where I live has several priests serving who are from Africa and they are extremely conservative. The younger women are upset as they are basically being told, "Get back in your place where you belong." By that they mean, in my opinion, back to the 1920's.

Scarlett, the powers that be always know ahead of time who has the best chance of being elected pope. It is a political process. There is politics in who will be the next president of the SBC. If humans are involved, there is politics.

 

[Zaac]

Yes, you did. You said, "and then possibly the Catholic Church gets its first Black Pope?"

That's right I said POSSIBLY. And possibly has nothing to do with considering. God possibly does things all the time that we aren't thinking about before hand.

The only "possible" way for the next pope to be an African man is for them to be considering his name - discussing it now as they traditionally do. They are now and they have before. President Obama being elected has nothing to do with it.

What may be possible doesn't have to have anything to do with what they may be considering.

Really? Enlighten us.

You seem to know everything already, so I'll pass on attempting to enlighten your omniscience.:thumbs:

 

[Zaac]

No. Back when Benedict was finally elected there was speculation that a Cardinal from Africa might be elected. It was strongly suggested then that the pope to follow Benedict would most likely be from Africa.

I will make a prediction. If an African is elected pope he will be very conservative. The local church where I live has several priests serving who are from Africa and they are extremely conservative. The younger women are upset as they are basically being told, "Get back in your place where you belong." By that they mean, in my opinion, back to the 1920's.

Scarlett, the powers that be always know ahead of time who has the best chance of being elected pope. It is a political process. There is politics in who will be the next president of the SBC. If humans are involved, there is politics.

I recall those discussions too CTB. And I believe they went with Ratzinger at the time because they needed a "transitional" Pope after JPII had served for so long.

After the previous discussions, I always kinda anticipated that the next and final Pope might come out of Africa.

He's from Ghana. I'll be heading that way next month.