Pope Benedict XVI 'is to resign'

BBC ^

[xsmommy]

that is the first thing i thought of. i knew Benedict was not the last.

[KevinDavis]

Will there be a Pope named Ringo I????

[bgill]

I've been expecting this. The world has been on the fast track to upheaval so guess we'll see if St. Malachy was correct. Hold on to your seat, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

[informavoracious]

My heart hurts. I love my German shepherd. The SSPX may have seen its last best hope to regularize. Let us pray that the Holy Father’s successor is a coservative and brilliant man, though no one comes to mind at the moment...

[Tanniker Smith]

Strange to hear. Pope's don't resign. None has in six centuries.

That said, when assistant to Pope John Paul II, then-Cardinal Ratzin... (you know), said that the Pope would step down if his health prevented him from his duties. So he's being consistant, but I can't say I like it.

That said, with all the crap being spewed online, the one one-liner I found slightly amusing:
(Not really) according to Dick Morris: Romney will be elected Pope in a landslide.

[reg45]

they’d eat their own foot off to get the job

So! You are calling it for a Cardinal with a limp?

[Tainan]

I see what you did there...Now thats funny!

[HapaxLegamenon]

I think you are confusing Malichi Martin with St. Malichi

[xzins]

Does that mean the Pope will either (1) get to choose his successor, or (2) be a part of the Cardinals who choose the next Pope, and (3) if he doesn’t like the selection, can he revoke his resignation?

[fatima]

Wow,prophesy says next one is Black.

[SumProVita]

Is he saying he has lost faith?

___________________________

Absolutely NOT!

It’s clear that he is referring to a WORLD that has been shaken by such questions. It is also clear that he is saying that such a world needs a Church led by someone strong both in mind and BODY.

[Cvengr]

He's always wanted to serve his fellow man.

[AnAmericanAbroad]

Wouldn’t be too bad either. He was an adviser to John Paul II. Born in 1932, so about what, 80 years old?

Might be too old.

The biggest growth in the RCC is coming from Africa and Asia right now, so to a certain extent, it would make sense to have a Pope from either one of those two areas.

Who knows? The College of Cardinals is full of surprises, so personally, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

[bgill]

If he were going to die soon, I don’t think he’d resign.

Agreed.

I can't believe all the disrespect and jokes from FR.

[markomalley]

(1) get to choose his successor...(2) be a part of the Cardinals who choose the next Pope

He is over 80, so he cannot vote in the conclave

(3) if he doesn’t like the selection, can he revoke his resignation

His resignation is effective on the 28th...before that time, he could theoretically reconsider...after that time, not so much.

[John W]

No, no and I wouldn’t think so.

[Tax-chick]

No. Because Pope Benedict is over 80 years old, he is not a voting member of the College of Cardinals.

[SoFloFreeper]

Ha! Ha! This Pope news is sucking ALL OF THE NEWS OXYGEN out of the clown's Lie-Fest tomorrow night!

[IbJensen]

Utterances by all popes since Pope Pius XII are very difficult to analyze. Subsequent to the Vatican II debacle Vatican doublespeak has been rampant.

[Servant of the Cross]

Wow,prophesy says next one is Black.

Cardinal Francis Arinze

[xsmommy]

I’ve been very sad about this news, but your post brightened me right up!! LOL!

[Happy Rain]

Perhaps, if the Vatican Cardinals can somehow “drum up" enough support...nyuck nyuck...reckon the chimney smoke that signals their decision will have that certain familiar acrid odor?

[reg45]

The fix is in. ACORN will make certain that the next Pope is gay.

[CondorFlight]

Cardinal Dolan of New York is said to be one possible candidate.

[Tax-chick]

They certainly did well electing a gay president.

[Vaquero]

Good for him, probably thought he’d go on his own terms rather than get ill or bumped off.

who is going to bump him off...the ‘fags’

or Joey Zasa?

[ToxicMich]

LOL.... Good one.... :-)

[delchiante]

And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Mark 1:15

[SoFloFreeper]

I would love to see a Pope from Africa, a black one, who would RAIL against the pro-infanticide occupier of the Oval Office....

Having a black pro-life proponent....one who can bypass the pro-infanticide media, would be wonderful.

[frogjerk]

What about Cardinal Arinze?

He would be awesome but he is already 80 yrs old.

[informavoracious]

Cardinal Dolan is a wishy washy jokester. I hope not.

[Tax-chick]

Ezio Auditore da Firenze. He got some of the Borgias, according to my son.

[reg45]

Black!
Black!
Black!
Blacker than Baraq!

[SumProVita]

May our merciful Savior forgive you...

[Tax-chick]

You’re cracking me up!

[Cronos]

(1) get to choose his successor, No

or (2) be a part of the Cardinals who choose the next Pope, no

and (3) if he doesn’t like the selection, can he revoke his resignation? No

I don't complete understand his decision and don't know if it's to be verified or not, but the answers to your question are all no.

[Pinkbell]

Wow. You never know what you will wake up to. I'm shocked. I knew his health was not the same as when he took office in 2005, and he was obviously more frail, but I guess I expected him to stick it out like Pope John Paul II as no Pope has resigned since 1415. I don't know if he feels he can't physically do it and that's it or if there is a health issue like cancer or Alzheimer's we don't know about, but wouldn't he have just come out and said if he was diagnosed with something as he is leaving anyway? He's leaving in a month which seems so soon.

I see it mentioned, but for those who have read the Saint Malachy prophecies, he is supposed to be the second to last Pope. Here is what was predicted about Benedict from Wiki:

111 Glory of the olive.

Benedict XVI (2005–2013)

Joseph Ratzinger

Chose the regnal name Benedict after St Benedict of Nursia, founder of the Benedictine Order. The order's crest contains an olive branch.

The next Pope prediction says:

Petrus Romanus, qui paſcet oues in multis tribulationibus: quibus tranſactis ciuitas ſepticollis diruetur, & Iudex tremẽdus iudicabit populum ſuum.[66] Finis.

268

112 Peter the Roman, who will Nourish the sheep in many tribulations; when they are finished, the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the dreadful judge will judge his people. The end.

[I-ambush]

How about Raymond Cardinal Burke, former archbishop of St. Louis, then head of the Vatican’s “Supreme Court” (Apostolic Signatura), brilliant, staunchly conservative. He was an advocate of withholding Holy Communion from pro-abortion politician. As far as I know, he has not been tainted with the pedophile priest scandals. I believe he is a holy man. And, once when I attended Mass at the Cathedral-Basilica in St. Louis, he looked at me, nodded and smiled. How wonderful if that was my encounter with a future pope!

[frogjerk]

Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke - first American Pope. - Liberals heads exploding at the thought.

[SumProVita]

Cardinal Arinze would be wonderful. ;-)

[RoosterRedux]

Petrus Romanus

That was my first thought.

[frogjerk]

Cardinal Burke would be wonderful

[ToxicMich]

I am not well versed in Christian Studies but wasn’t it “Or Lady of Fatima” who said “Poor Canada”...

Hummm

[xzins]

Thanks for your answers, FRiends.

Being an outsider, I have to seek guidance on this.

With time to reflect, do you think the conclave would be more inclined toward a younger Pope having a longer tenure or an older Pope having a shorter one? (Recognizing, of course, that God can call any of us home at any time.)

And, the question already asked about the conclave, is there a group(s) within the church known for their spirituality who could give insight into the actual needs of the church?

[Cronos]

My prayers are that he has appointed enough conservatives - as did JPII to have a staunch conservative to take this forward.

[AnAmericanAbroad]

Cardinal Turkson is the British bookies odds-on favorite right now. From Ghana, and 65 years old.

[xzins]

Thank you for your answers, Cronos. Would you mind looking at my additional questions at #144?

[Happy Rain]

The RCC could do worse...and he IS in the College of Cardinals which puts him in the running.

Dolan being young (by Pope standards),ideologically conservative and an American would go a long way in fighting the evil Left in America and in inspiring the faithful worldwide to do the same as the global paradigm still remains: as America goes so does Western Civilization and the hopes of humanity.

[SumProVita]

...that certain familiar acrid odor...

___________________________

Hmmmm, it sounds as if YOU are quite familiar with such an odor. May God forgive you.

[fatima]

:)