Pope Benedict resigns.

[blowsave]

His address:

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

BENEDICTUS PP XVI

Huge news, this hasn't happened in over 600 years.

 

[Kouzan]

This is shocking since never in my life have I witnessed a Pope resigning. All of the modern Popes were in office till their deaths. As a Catholic it's sad , but I understand how being 85 and leading an entire religious administration can be a big responsibility for someone that age. I personally hope that the next Pope can lead the Church strong. Well done Pope Benedict XVI!

 

[blowsave]

This is shocking since never in my life have I witnessed a Pope resigning. All of the modern Popes were in office till their deaths. As a Catholic it's sad , but I understand how being 85 and leading an entire religious administration can be a big responsibility for someone that age. I personally hope that the next Pope can lead the Church strong. Well done Pope Benedict XVI!

I'm not sure Benedict deserves a "well done"

 

[Kouzan]

This is shocking since never in my life have I witnessed a Pope resigning. All of the modern Popes were in office till their deaths. As a Catholic it's sad , but I understand how being 85 and leading an entire religious administration can be a big responsibility for someone that age. I personally hope that the next Pope can lead the Church strong. Well done Pope Benedict XVI!

I'm not sure Benedict deserves a "well done"

I say he deserves it. I know he had some troubles in the past with pedophilia and sexual abuse , but I'm not judging him for his past, but what he did while he was in office as Pope. As a Pope I personally think he did a pretty good job leading. While not as good as others, say Pope John Paul II, but he still good imo.

 

[Bulbajer]

As a semi-practicing Catholic, I wasn't a huge fan of Benedict, but he certainly did some great things, and looks like this may be one of them.

 

[Daxma6270]

Hell Im Protestant and im shocked. I hate to see him call its quits. Wonder who will take his place next?

 

[Nero the Giant Whiscash]

So we'll no longer have a Pope that looks like Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars. Joking aside, Even though i Was raised a catholic i found while i found i loved the history of the church i just couldn't get past the hypocrisy of nearly every little doctrine they have from on gay marriage, to contraception and woman as clergy etc even though the bible says it must be taken literally word for word in it so that rules out all of them because the bible says its so.

 

[Joshawott]

Ratzinger did a lot more about the paedophile scandal than John Paul II probably would have done (if he y'know, wasn't dead). However, it is my hope that come March, Ratzinger either:
1) Willingly speaks to the relevant authorities about everything he knows and learned about the scandal during his time as the Pope.
Or if that doesn't happen:
2) More controversially, he is arrested and made to answer questions.
Either way, this is a window of opportunity for more information about the horrific cover-up to come to light.

I have to say though, it takes a lot for a person to finally admit that enough is enough and they no longer have the gusto to stay in a position such as that, so I will give him props for calling it quits now before he died in office, like every other pope in modern history.

 

[Hunter Blade]

So if the Rebels had just let Palpatine keep ruling a little longer, he would have resigned? Wow.

In all reality, Benedict was decent. Just like any other political or religious leader, he had his ups and downs and scandals. He seemed more... divided? ...confused? on issues than some other popes seemed to be.

 

[UnovaCastaway]

When I first found out, I thought it was a really early April Fools joke until I read an article on a legit news page.

Hope Benedict doesn't set a new precedent because the papacy is supposed to last for life. How poor is his health, anyway? JPII's health deteriorated before he died of natural causes and the news stayed on top of his condition in his final days. (not to mention he had a couple other health scares and survived an assassination attempt in the middle of his tenure)

 

[DCM]

1) Willingly speaks to the relevant authorities about everything he knows and learned about the scandal during his time as the Pope.
Or if that doesn't happen:
2) More controversially, he is arrested and made to answer questions.
.

Neither of these will happen. The very notion of this is ridiculous. You don't arrest a papal figure, the controversy surrounding such an action protects him. In the future, you'll probably see a lot more come to light concerning this, but to start calling for his arrest? Off base.

 

[Joshawott]

1) Willingly speaks to the relevant authorities about everything he knows and learned about the scandal during his time as the Pope.
Or if that doesn't happen:
2) More controversially, he is arrested and made to answer questions.
.

Neither of these will happen. The very notion of this is ridiculous. You don't arrest a papal figure, the controversy surrounding such an action protects him. In the future, you'll probably see a lot more come to light concerning this, but to start calling for his arrest? Off base.

Sure, to do so while he is currently the Pope would be impossible from a PR stand point (and possibly even a political one considering how the Vatican is its own country), but surely he'd have zero legal immunity once he's quit?

Maybe it will happen a few months down the line when the attention is away from him, but it needs to happen.

 

[DerMißingno]

So a man steps down from a meaningless post. Nothing lost or gained from where I'm sitting.

 

[Dorothy]

So a man steps down from a meaningless post. Nothing lost or gained from where I'm sitting.

I fail to see how the seat of the leader of the Catholic Church (and by extension head of state of Vatican City) is in any way meaningless.

 

[DCM]

1) Willingly speaks to the relevant authorities about everything he knows and learned about the scandal during his time as the Pope.
Or if that doesn't happen:
2) More controversially, he is arrested and made to answer questions.
.

Neither of these will happen. The very notion of this is ridiculous. You don't arrest a papal figure, the controversy surrounding such an action protects him. In the future, you'll probably see a lot more come to light concerning this, but to start calling for his arrest? Off base.

Sure, to do so while he is currently the Pope would be impossible from a PR stand point (and possibly even a political one considering how the Vatican is its own country), but surely he'd have zero legal immunity once he's quit?

Maybe it will happen a few months down the line when the attention is away from him, but it needs to happen.

nope. Will not happen. Period. And putting pressure on people for it to happen is a waste of energy. When reports come out years down the line, they will come out. No one in their right mind would think to arrest a pope. Obama will not be arrested for the murders attributed to the Drones, nor will any governmental leader be forced to pay the crimes for their organization. Stop wasting your efforts and convert it into a positive force of change.

 

[Joshawott]

1) Willingly speaks to the relevant authorities about everything he knows and learned about the scandal during his time as the Pope.
Or if that doesn't happen:
2) More controversially, he is arrested and made to answer questions.
.

Neither of these will happen. The very notion of this is ridiculous. You don't arrest a papal figure, the controversy surrounding such an action protects him. In the future, you'll probably see a lot more come to light concerning this, but to start calling for his arrest? Off base.

Sure, to do so while he is currently the Pope would be impossible from a PR stand point (and possibly even a political one considering how the Vatican is its own country), but surely he'd have zero legal immunity once he's quit?

Maybe it will happen a few months down the line when the attention is away from him, but it needs to happen.

nope. Will not happen. Period. And putting pressure on people for it to happen is a waste of energy. When reports come out years down the line, they will come out. No one in their right mind would think to arrest a pope. Obama will not be arrested for the murders attributed to the Drones, nor will any governmental leader be forced to pay the crimes for their organization. Stop wasting your efforts and convert it into a positive force of change.

I'm not saying arrest him and charge him for what was done - fairly sure Benedict XVI didn't rape all of those kids (and John Paul II did most of the covering up). But bring him in as a witness or something, get him to talk.

People being too afraid to do it because of the position that person is exactly why this problem has become such a long and horrible one in the first place, so why should it continue to be like that?

 

[DCM]

1) Willingly speaks to the relevant authorities about everything he knows and learned about the scandal during his time as the Pope.
Or if that doesn't happen:
2) More controversially, he is arrested and made to answer questions.
.

Neither of these will happen. The very notion of this is ridiculous. You don't arrest a papal figure, the controversy surrounding such an action protects him. In the future, you'll probably see a lot more come to light concerning this, but to start calling for his arrest? Off base.

Sure, to do so while he is currently the Pope would be impossible from a PR stand point (and possibly even a political one considering how the Vatican is its own country), but surely he'd have zero legal immunity once he's quit?

Maybe it will happen a few months down the line when the attention is away from him, but it needs to happen.

nope. Will not happen. Period. And putting pressure on people for it to happen is a waste of energy. When reports come out years down the line, they will come out. No one in their right mind would think to arrest a pope. Obama will not be arrested for the murders attributed to the Drones, nor will any governmental leader be forced to pay the crimes for their organization. Stop wasting your efforts and convert it into a positive force of change.

I'm not saying arrest him and charge him for what was done - fairly sure Benedict XVI didn't rape all of those kids (and John Paul II did most of the covering up). But bring him in as a witness or something, get him to talk.

People being too afraid to do it because of the position that person is exactly why this problem has become such a long and horrible one in the first place, so why should it continue to be like that?

You're not listening. This is something that absolutely will not happen. Looking at the immense support this man will have in The Catholic Church it's absurd to try to subpoena him and try to force him to testify as to the full extent of the Church's cover up of the sexual abuses case. Furthermore, the man probably doesn't know everything, or nearly as much as you'd like him to. He's a leader. He delegates. He was probably aware of the coverup and the sexual abuse incidents long before it was reported, but not in nearly the detail you're looking for. It is absurd to try and hold him accountable, you won't be able to and you shouldn't, there are people far more at guilt.

 

[Joshawott]

1) Willingly speaks to the relevant authorities about everything he knows and learned about the scandal during his time as the Pope.
Or if that doesn't happen:
2) More controversially, he is arrested and made to answer questions.
.

Neither of these will happen. The very notion of this is ridiculous. You don't arrest a papal figure, the controversy surrounding such an action protects him. In the future, you'll probably see a lot more come to light concerning this, but to start calling for his arrest? Off base.

Sure, to do so while he is currently the Pope would be impossible from a PR stand point (and possibly even a political one considering how the Vatican is its own country), but surely he'd have zero legal immunity once he's quit?

Maybe it will happen a few months down the line when the attention is away from him, but it needs to happen.

nope. Will not happen. Period. And putting pressure on people for it to happen is a waste of energy. When reports come out years down the line, they will come out. No one in their right mind would think to arrest a pope. Obama will not be arrested for the murders attributed to the Drones, nor will any governmental leader be forced to pay the crimes for their organization. Stop wasting your efforts and convert it into a positive force of change.

I'm not saying arrest him and charge him for what was done - fairly sure Benedict XVI didn't rape all of those kids (and John Paul II did most of the covering up). But bring him in as a witness or something, get him to talk.

People being too afraid to do it because of the position that person is exactly why this problem has become such a long and horrible one in the first place, so why should it continue to be like that?

You're not listening. This is something that absolutely will not happen. Looking at the immense support this man will have in The Catholic Church it's absurd to try to subpoena him and try to force him to testify as to the full extent of the Church's cover up of the sexual abuses case. Furthermore, the man probably doesn't know everything, or nearly as much as you'd like him to. He's a leader. He delegates. He was probably aware of the coverup and the sexual abuse incidents long before it was reported, but not in nearly the detail you're looking for. It is absurd to try and hold him accountable, you won't be able to and you shouldn't, there are people far more at guilt.

And you're not listening. I've never said to hold him accountable for it. It would be a huge miscarriage of justice to personally hold one man responsible for the worldwide actions of an entire church that spanned decades. However, he will know more than we currently do know now or at the very least, know someone who does.

As for the reaction of the Roman Catholic Church if it were to happen? Frankly, pardon my language but I say fuck the Catholic Church's reaction. I and the world should care more for the people who were sexually abused in the past and their families receiving the justice they deserve.

 

[DCM]

1) Willingly speaks to the relevant authorities about everything he knows and learned about the scandal during his time as the Pope.
Or if that doesn't happen:
2) More controversially, he is arrested and made to answer questions.
.

Neither of these will happen. The very notion of this is ridiculous. You don't arrest a papal figure, the controversy surrounding such an action protects him. In the future, you'll probably see a lot more come to light concerning this, but to start calling for his arrest? Off base.

Sure, to do so while he is currently the Pope would be impossible from a PR stand point (and possibly even a political one considering how the Vatican is its own country), but surely he'd have zero legal immunity once he's quit?

Maybe it will happen a few months down the line when the attention is away from him, but it needs to happen.

nope. Will not happen. Period. And putting pressure on people for it to happen is a waste of energy. When reports come out years down the line, they will come out. No one in their right mind would think to arrest a pope. Obama will not be arrested for the murders attributed to the Drones, nor will any governmental leader be forced to pay the crimes for their organization. Stop wasting your efforts and convert it into a positive force of change.

I'm not saying arrest him and charge him for what was done - fairly sure Benedict XVI didn't rape all of those kids (and John Paul II did most of the covering up). But bring him in as a witness or something, get him to talk.

People being too afraid to do it because of the position that person is exactly why this problem has become such a long and horrible one in the first place, so why should it continue to be like that?

You're not listening. This is something that absolutely will not happen. Looking at the immense support this man will have in The Catholic Church it's absurd to try to subpoena him and try to force him to testify as to the full extent of the Church's cover up of the sexual abuses case. Furthermore, the man probably doesn't know everything, or nearly as much as you'd like him to. He's a leader. He delegates. He was probably aware of the coverup and the sexual abuse incidents long before it was reported, but not in nearly the detail you're looking for. It is absurd to try and hold him accountable, you won't be able to and you shouldn't, there are people far more at guilt.

And you're not listening. I've never said to hold him accountable for it. It would be a huge miscarriage of justice to personally hold one man responsible for the worldwide actions of an entire church that spanned decades. However, he will know more than we currently do know now or at the very least, know someone who does.

As for the reaction of the Roman Catholic Church if it were to happen? Frankly, pardon my language but I say fuck the Catholic Church's reaction. I and the world should care more for the people who were sexually abused in the past and their families receiving the justice they deserve.

you should think more realistically. The amount of countries you would piss off trying to arrest THE POPE would be ridiculous. This is a man who can receive asylum in Dozens of countries. You want justice? Work to help the victims get over their crimes instead of chasing one of the largest organizations in the world.

 

[Joshawott]

1) Willingly speaks to the relevant authorities about everything he knows and learned about the scandal during his time as the Pope.
Or if that doesn't happen:
2) More controversially, he is arrested and made to answer questions.
.

Neither of these will happen. The very notion of this is ridiculous. You don't arrest a papal figure, the controversy surrounding such an action protects him. In the future, you'll probably see a lot more come to light concerning this, but to start calling for his arrest? Off base.

Sure, to do so while he is currently the Pope would be impossible from a PR stand point (and possibly even a political one considering how the Vatican is its own country), but surely he'd have zero legal immunity once he's quit?

Maybe it will happen a few months down the line when the attention is away from him, but it needs to happen.

nope. Will not happen. Period. And putting pressure on people for it to happen is a waste of energy. When reports come out years down the line, they will come out. No one in their right mind would think to arrest a pope. Obama will not be arrested for the murders attributed to the Drones, nor will any governmental leader be forced to pay the crimes for their organization. Stop wasting your efforts and convert it into a positive force of change.

I'm not saying arrest him and charge him for what was done - fairly sure Benedict XVI didn't rape all of those kids (and John Paul II did most of the covering up). But bring him in as a witness or something, get him to talk.

People being too afraid to do it because of the position that person is exactly why this problem has become such a long and horrible one in the first place, so why should it continue to be like that?

You're not listening. This is something that absolutely will not happen. Looking at the immense support this man will have in The Catholic Church it's absurd to try to subpoena him and try to force him to testify as to the full extent of the Church's cover up of the sexual abuses case. Furthermore, the man probably doesn't know everything, or nearly as much as you'd like him to. He's a leader. He delegates. He was probably aware of the coverup and the sexual abuse incidents long before it was reported, but not in nearly the detail you're looking for. It is absurd to try and hold him accountable, you won't be able to and you shouldn't, there are people far more at guilt.

And you're not listening. I've never said to hold him accountable for it. It would be a huge miscarriage of justice to personally hold one man responsible for the worldwide actions of an entire church that spanned decades. However, he will know more than we currently do know now or at the very least, know someone who does.

As for the reaction of the Roman Catholic Church if it were to happen? Frankly, pardon my language but I say fuck the Catholic Church's reaction. I and the world should care more for the people who were sexually abused in the past and their families receiving the justice they deserve.

you should think more realistically. The amount of countries you would piss off trying to arrest THE POPE would be ridiculous. This is a man who can receive asylum in Dozens of countries. You want justice? Work to help the victims get over their crimes instead of chasing one of the largest organizations in the world.

Hold on just one minute here...did you just seriously suggest that victims of rape should get over it?

Also, he won't be the Pope the moment he resigns on the 28th - that's the point. He'll just be an old guy.