Thursday, February 28, 2013

OPINION: Five 'most troubling' aspects of Pope Benedict's resignation

For a number of reasons, the surprise abdication of the papacy by Pope Benedict XVI may be troubling to faithful Catholics. The following is a brief summary of 5 'most troubling' aspects...
1. Fathers don't resign. This action may been seen by some as abandonment / quitting / jumping ship (think 'Barque of Peter'). In some ways, it may even serve to cast a shadow over Pope Benedict's pontificate. His very name change signifies something lifelong -- Simon becomes Peter and stays so until death. Unlike other bishops, the Pope changes his name -- like Christ changed Simon's to Peter. This has a special significance. Now he will keep the name, but not keep the papacy -- the very reason for having a new name. It just doesn't seem right. Fathers don't resign for poor health or old age. Even with his difficult position, this action is not necessary from a purely earthly perspective (assuming for a moment such a thing could ever be 'necessary'). Clearly his mind is good and he could always have more help with his day-to-day activities. Many people looked up to Pope John Paul II for 'hanging in there', despite his having worse health than Benedict has now. Suffering is a key part of our faith, and the Holy Father's good example of patient suffering is priceless.
2. More novelty. Men occupying the Chair of Peter have gotten old all along - for 2,000 years - but they didn't resign the papacy due to old age or frail health. Throughout history they resigned only under extraordinary circumstances. With this novelty of a pope resigning for age/health related reasons, people may no longer see the papacy as a lifetime 'job'. One huge danger of this is that it may encourage external pressure on the papacy if a pope is especially disliked by the world - something that wouldn't be an issue if there was 'no chance' of a pope resigning. The idea that a pope may 'resign' due to age/health destroys the sense of certainty regarding a Pope reigning until his death - and like all novelties, it will have consequences.
3. Lack of the spiritual. Wouldn't it have been so much better for Pope Benedict to ask God for strength to do the job and the faithful for prayers for his strength rather than for him to 'examine his conscience before God' regarding a decision he apparently already wanted to make? It recalls to mind how Protestants 'pray on it' rather than use the head God gave them to think with -- as if they have a direct answer line to God. Instead, if we already know the right thing to do, we should pray for God's help with carrying that out. In this case, it seems obvious that the 'right thing to do' for a Pope is to continue on with his duties until God calls him (i.e. death). That's what's been done for 2,000 years - getting old/frail is nothing new to mankind. Although it seems certain that the Holy Father thinks his decision is for the good of the Church, he clearly could be wrong in this NOT infallible determination. In fact, effects of his decision to step down may impact the Church in negative ways for centuries, which brings us to the next point...
4. Possible effects in the future. One of the most concerning aspects of Benedict's abdication is the effects it may have on the Church in future. This is MUCH bigger than the resignation of one pope. In fact, the papacy may never be the same again. Now that a pope has 'resigned' for mere age/health related reasons, other popes may feel internal or external pressure to resign. Some may try to force a pope's resignation. It may 'set a precedent' and future popes may be criticized for not stepping down when they are older. Also, the decision may affect the choice of a pope - older men may be avoided. Later there could conceivably be multiple 'emeritus popes'. Furthermore, now that 'resigning' is a possibility, some popes may not bravely face the papacy and simply step down when things are 'too tough'. We can't pretend this decision of Pope Benedict's won't affect the Church in the future. His decision to unburden himself of the papacy for a few weeks, months or years risks causing serious harm to the Church. Why couldn't he have just hung on, with God's help, like the others before him did, for the good of the Church?
5. 'Lowering' of the papacy. The decision to resign for health/age related reasons may be seen as 'lowering the papal office' - as if it was any other type of human institution. Being Pope is somewhat like being a king and a king should remain the king until his death, regardless of age or health. The Pope is not a CEO. He is Christ's representative. Surely God can use even the most frail or weak of instruments to accomplish His designs.
Faithful Catholics may wish the next pope would condemn the decision and reinforce the idea that the papacy is for life. But, sadly, even that wouldn't carry the same weight as abdicating being something that is 'just never done'. The dam walls have been broken and may never be repairable.
O Iesu, Fili Dei vivi, miserére nobis! (O Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on us!) [Latin / English]
[2/28/13]

Monday, February 11, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI Resigns Papacy

Pope Benedict XVI has announced his intention to resign the papacy, effective February 28, 2013. It is the first time since the 15th century that a pope has abdicated the papal throne. The VIS announcement appears below...
POPE RENOUNCES PAPAL THRONE
Vatican City, 11 February 2013 (VIS) The Holy Father, at the end of today's consistory for causes for canonization, announced his resignation from ministry as Bishop of Rome to the College of Cardinals. Following is the Holy Father's complete declaration, which he read in Latin:
"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 barque 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 fulfil 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."
Also from the VIS mailing...
"The Director of the Holy See's Press Office explained that the Holy Father 'will move to Castel Gandolfo on 28 February, and, once he has finished the tasks he has in progress, he will take up residence in the former cloistered monastery in the Vatican. The process for the election of a new Pope will begin on 1 March. We do not yet know the exact date of the conclave, but obviously there will be no need to wait the normal eight days of mourning (novendali) after the death of the Pope. Thus, in two weeks, during the month of March, in time for Easter, we will have a new Pope ... Benedict XVI will have no role in next March's conclave, nor in the running of the Church during the time between popes, the time of Sede Vacante. The Apostolic Constitution gives no role in this transition to a pope who resigns.'"
[2/11/13]