Report: Cardinals Urge Pope to Abdicate

NEWSMAX ^ | 3/28/02 | Limbacher

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

The Times of London reports that the Pope, who has had to cut back his Easter programme because of ill health, is under increasing pressure from his cardinals to step down, according to a leading Catholic writer.

In a front-page article in Corriere della Sera, Vittorio Messori said that calls were coming from liberals and conservatives inside the Vatican for the 81-year-old Pope to abdicate.

He said that whereas liberals were impatient for a new and vigorous pontiff to tackle the "pressure cooker” of social change, traditionalists were alarmed by the Pope’s repeated calls for the Church to apologize for its past errors and ask for forgiveness from such groups as Muslims and Jews.

The last Pope to step down voluntarily was Celestine V, a 13th-century mountain hermit who had reluctantly agreed to take the office and resigned in 1294 after only a year. His abdication was partly the result of intrigues by Cardinal Benedetto Gaetani, who succeded him as Pope Boniface VIII.

In January 2000, Monsignor Karl Lehmann, the Archbishop of Mainz — who has since been made a cardinal — caused a furore by saying that he felt sure the Pope would step down if he felt no longer able to guide the Church.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Well, since it has not happened since 1294, and since things in the church move so slowly, I would suspect this Pope would stay in until he passes away. With frail health and being 81 already those impatient Cardinals should not have too terribly long to wait.

[Slyfox]

The liberal cardinals would be clamoring for JPII's retirement if he were suffering from a hangnail.

[ex-snook]

"The Times of London reports that the Pope, who has had to cut back his Easter programme because of ill health, is under increasing pressure from his cardinals to step down, according to a leading Catholic writer. "

God will punch out his time card at the proper time. In the meantime however the headling should read POPE URGES COVER-UP U.S. CARDINALS TO ABDICATE (The Pope is more healthy for the Church than they are)

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Cardinals 'Urging Enfeebled Pope to Abdicate'.

[Romulus]

His abdication was partly the result of intrigues by Cardinal Benedetto Gaetani, who succeded him as Pope Boniface VIII.

Whose disastrous papacy precipitated the Avignon captivity and the Western schism. Another argument against abdication.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

He is in charge, why shouldn't the decision be his?

[Romulus]

Don't worry; it will be. But an anonymous rumor campaign isn't really consistent with this, is it?

[Psalm 73]

impatient for a new and vigorous pontiff to tackle the "pressure cooker” of social change,

Read: accept both abortions and homosexuality as normal aspects of human existence.
You know it's comming - and the end is near.

[ex-snook]

"Read: accept both abortions and homosexuality as normal aspects of human existence. You know it's comming - and the end is near. "

Hope the Church will resist the 'ways of the world'. The world needs to be uplifted not dragged down.

[Gophack]

Pope John Paul II has been truly and literally a Godsend to the Catholic Church and the faithful. He has done more to reinvigorate the Church, and hold firm to our moral foundations.

I hate to make a political comparison, but it's apropos, at least to me. I became a Republican because of Ronald Reagan; I came back to the Catholic Church of my youth because of Pope John Paul II and the Holy Spirit.

God bless the Holy See, and may he continue to do God's work.

[genefromjersey]

Last I heard, Popes don't " abdicate ". They die with their boots on ( so to speak ); and, once a doctor pronounces them dead, a specially designated Cardinal goes over and taps the forehead of the corpse with a little hammer; saying : "( Name of Pope )are you dead ? "

This question is asked 3 times- ( guess you can't be too careful when dealing with the absolute ruler of a feudal state ! )-and , if the late lamented does not object,he is prepared for burial...and the horserace of choosing a successor begins.

I'm sort of curious as to what would happen if one of the Pontiffs were to say ( Monty Python style ): " Well, actually, I'm not quite dead yet. "

[Proud2BAmerican]

I'm sort of curious as to what would happen if one of the Pontiffs were to say ( Monty Python style ): " Well, actually, I'm not quite dead yet. "

Or, "Ouch! Stop that!"