Pope Benedict XVI 'is to resign'

BBC ^

[Sub-Driver]

Pope Benedict XVI 'is to resign' Breaking news

The Pope is to resign at the end of this month in an entirely unexpected development, reports from the Vatican say.

[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]

:)

[SumProVita]

Apparently, like many Americans these days, you are not very familiar with GOOD. May our Father in heaven forgive you.

[frogjerk]

Cardinal Burke would be better if the nex pope happens to be American

[Cronos]

remember that Cardinal Ratzinger never wanted this honor. He will do, as he said, retire to a live of contemplation and prayer

Pope Benedict is extremely good as a scholar and theologian. he did not believe he was good enough to fill the shoes of a charismatic person like Pope John Paul II.

And, as a person, he definitely was not. He looked old and frail before JP II died, but since then he actually looks younger -- and the only explanation is the Holy Spirit looking after and over him

[fatima]

Would love that.We met him years ago when Pope John Paul was in the US.

[don-o]

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

No surprise to me. At one time a post had to have substance. The board at large demanded it. That is long gone. I've just resigned myself to expect it.

[markomalley]

I personally have no idea who will be chosen. The Holy Spirit is ultimately responsible for the choice, so my advice would be to pray and have confidence.

I sort of find it funny that the MSM is prognosticating Cardinal Turkson...a Ghanan and the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

Naturally, the libs believe that this would be a good, "progressive" choice.

However, Cardinal Turkson also basically said that Americans (left-wingers, specifically) have no clue whatsoever about what Social Justice actually means. In a 2011 interview with CNA, he said:

The council has been surprised to find that common terms were misunderstood or misinterpreted. He emphasized that the misunderstanding was not a general or widespread problem among American Catholics. But, he said, "in certain circles ... there is a difficulty."

For instance, the Pope's teaching on themes of "social justice" have been mistakenly connected to "socialism" and "communism." As a result, he indicated, the Pope is mistakenly seen as promoting socialist or big-government solutions to social problems.

So, if, in the end, he is elected, methinks that the left will be massively surprised.

Myself, I like Raymond Cardinal Burke. Conventional wisdom says he is WAAAAAAAY too conservative to be viable. However, conventional wisdom also said that Cardinal Ratzinger was WAAAAAAAY too conservative to be viable not that many years ago.

Bottom line, it's up to the Holy Spirit.

[fatima]

No.

[Cronos]

(to show that illness and death is a natural part of live - vs. - to show that the office and the church are bigger than any one men).

exactly and both have done bounds to show that the office and the protection of God is more important than any individual

[informavoracious]

Cardinal Burke would be a prayer come true!

[Cronos]

Benedict isn’t slavic....