Pope Benedict Resigning

[Basilisa Marie]

Priestly retirement is a modern practice.  Clerics did not retire in the ancient Church.

 

Yeah, but that's partly because many were usually killed first. 

[Brother Adam]

From Dr. Scott Hahn:

 

Back on April 29, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI did something rather striking, but which went largely unnoticed.

He stopped off in Aquila, Italy, and visited the tomb of an obscure medieval Pope named St. Celestine V (1215-1296). After a brief prayer, he left his pallium, the symbol of his own episcopal authority as Bishop of Rome, on top of Celestine's tomb!

Fifteen months later, on July 4, 2010, Benedict went out of his way again, this time to visit and pray in the cathedral of Sulmona, near Rome, before the relics of this same saint, Celestine V.

Few people, however, noticed at the time.

Only now, we may be gaining a better understanding of what it meant. These actions were probably more than pious acts. More likely, they were profound and symbolic gestures of a very personal nature, which conveyed a message that a Pope can hardly deliver any other way.

In the year 1294, this man (Fr. Pietro Angelerio), known by all as a devout and holy priest, was elected Pope, somewhat against his will, shortly before his 80th birthday (Ratzinger was 78 when he was elected Pope in 2005). Just five months later, after issuing a formal decree allowing popes to resign (or abdicate, like other rulers), Pope Celestine V exercised that right. And now Pope Benedict XVI has chosen to follow in the footsteps of this venerable model.

[Apotheoun]

Yeah, but that's partly because many were usually killed first. 

Actually very few priests, bishops, and patriarchs were killed.  That said, Celestine, who - like the present pope - resigned, was shortly thereafter captured, imprisoned, and died at the hands of his successor Boniface VIII, a man who also had the entire town of Palestrina wiped from the face of the earth ordering the killing of its 6,000 inhabitants.  

 

Postscript:  Dante placed Boniface VIII in the eighth circle of hell in his Divine Comedy.

Edited February 11, 2013 by Apotheoun

[Noel's angel]

Well, euthanasia supporters are probably happy. If you're old and infirm, it's okay to give up.

I fight every day to physically get out of bed. I've had such a bad head injury that I get sundowners. If you don't know what that is, google it. There are times I stop in the middle of conversations because I can't come up with a word. Maybe I should just give up and stay in bed. I don't because I've been given the gift of life, so I'm going to live it.

The Apostles didn't give up. Popes aren't supposed to either. Don't you think when you are elected Pope you know it is for life? Maybe we should make marriage vows until we get too tired or infirm. So what if he can't travel overseas. He can do his job without working 18 hour days. If he needs help to walk down the aisle, what's wrong with accepting help?

I'm not a traditionalist. I didn't like many of the things he did. Yet, I think he should stay. I'm too upset about this to even debate it any further.

 

Wow, hold on a second. I respect you, and this is possibly the first time I haven't agreed with you, but seriously?

 

Imagine being 85 and in failing health and having to keep a schedule like his, whilst leading the Church. I'm 24 and I don't think I'd have the energy to do it. Benedict isn't giving up on life, far from it, he has decided that he is no longer able to serveGod and the Church in a particular way. To me, stepping down now has to be one of the bravest decisions I've seen made in a long time. He could hang on until he has to be wheeled about and he ends up not being able to do any of his duties, or he can step aside and dedicate what time he has left on this earth to prayer and writing.

Your post makes the role of a Pope sound a doodle. I'm sure it isn't. I'm surprised by your attitude and harsh judgement of a man who has given so many years of service to God and the Church.

 

By the way, I have a feeling he is going to come out with a piece of writing that will blow all our socks off. Watch this space.

[Apotheoun]

Who says that the pope has to have some massively burdensome schedule.  They didn't do that in the past.  Leo XIII was pope at 93 years of age and not the healthiest man in the world at that time.

[franciscanheart]

I have tremendous respect for the Pope and for his decision. May the Lord bless his final days -- however many there may be.

[PhuturePriest]

Who says that the pope has to have some massively burdensome schedule.  They didn't do that in the past.  Leo XIII was pope at 93 years of age and not the healthiest man in the world at that time.

 

Did Leo XIII live in our times? Don't compare a Pope from long ago to a Pope from now. Their roles are played out differently and they have different duties.

[CatholicCid]

Well, euthanasia supporters are probably happy. If you're old and infirm, it's okay to give up.

I fight every day to physically get out of bed. I've had such a bad head injury that I get sundowners. If you don't know what that is, google it. There are times I stop in the middle of conversations because I can't come up with a word. Maybe I should just give up and stay in bed. I don't because I've been given the gift of life, so I'm going to live it.

The Apostles didn't give up. Popes aren't supposed to either. Don't you think when you are elected Pope you know it is for life? Maybe we should make marriage vows until we get too tired or infirm. So what if he can't travel overseas. He can do his job without working 18 hour days. If he needs help to walk down the aisle, what's wrong with accepting help?

I'm not a traditionalist. I didn't like many of the things he did. Yet, I think he should stay. I'm too upset about this to even debate it any further.

 

There is a difference between giving up and acknowledging our own limitations. As someone with limitations as well, I too have to struggle to do certain things and have to acknowledge that there are certain things that I can no longer do. That last act is particularly humbling, especially for someone who is young, and is very difficult to accept. God bless the Pope.

[Apotheoun]

Did Leo XIII live in our times? Don't compare a Pope from long ago to a Pope from now. Their roles are played out differently and they have different duties.

I don't know what that has to do with anything, but it's not like Leo XIII was a medieval pope (he died in 1903).  Heck, if he had been a medieval pope his longevity would be even more amazing. 

Edited February 11, 2013 by Apotheoun

[the171]

I don't know what that has to do with anything, but it's not like Leo XIII was a medieval pope (he died in 1903).  Heck, if he had been a medieval pope his longevity would be even more amazing. 

 

We live in a different age. More traveling, more speaking, more is needed.

[CatherineM]

Being humble is asking for help, not giving up.

[PhuturePriest]

I don't know what that has to do with anything, but it's not like Leo XIII was a medieval pope (he died in 1903).  Heck, if he had been a medieval pope his longevity would be even more amazing. 

 

You said that since Pope Leo was able to make it to ninety-three and be Pope, certainly eighty-five is no big deal. First off, they are different people with different bodies and different immune systems. Pope Leo obviously had an awesome one, and Pope Benedict has an average one. Secondly, that's over a hundred years. Our society is so different, and the role of the Pope has vastly changed in that time. Pope Leo was not expected to visit foreign countries overseas every single year, whereas now the Pope is expected to. This is all because of Pope John Paul II. It's a good thing, but what is expected of the Pope has now changed. I mean, my goodness, 1903 was before the Pope Mobile was even invented and they were still carrying the Pope on a chair with two long poles.

[Gabriela]

I am actually not surprised. He wanted his Pontificate to be the opposite of everything John Paul's was. Being a quitter is the opposite. Maybe he wanted to be able to influence who his successor will be. That's another reason they shouldn't resign. They shouldn't be able to influence the conclave outside of picking those who get the red hats. It's also not fair to his successor. Imagine trying to be in charge and having to make a decision Benedict doesn't agree with. The Church doesn't need public pissing matches.

I'm obviously disgusted.

 

Man, CM, how about a little trust?

[Apotheoun]

We live in a different age. More traveling, more speaking, more is needed.

There is nothing inherent to the office of the bishop of Rome that he travel around the world.  John Paul II was the first pope to do that, and even he curtailed his travels as he got older.  Travel is not a sacramental aspect of being a bishop.

[PhuturePriest]

Being humble is asking for help, not giving up.

 

Again, I ask: How do you know this is not what the Holy Spirit wants? Just because this isn't going the way you would prefer it? The way I would prefer it is if Pope Benedict XVI was in great health and reigned for twenty more years. But that's obviously not going to happen, and God has something else in mind for us. I'll pray for you. This is hard on all of us.