Posted on 02/17/2013 7:06:13 PM PST by Salvation
I am of the Lutheran heritage. There have been doctrinal and behavioral differences with the Catholic church/faith during my lifetime. In all my years I still maintained a very friendly relationship with many Catholic friends. Of particular heart for me was my friends faith in their Catholic beliefs and the leadership of the Pope. I do not understand your attitude towards your church because the Pope recognizes the need for a more physically stronger person to carry on the enormous tasks for leading the Catholic Church.
I think I understand that feeling. Even though I could understand and respect the decision from an intellectual standpoint, underneath it all my gut-level emotions for the first few days were still telling me that this was quitting.
Then I watched Benedict on Ash Wednesday. As I wiped my tears I had to admit a few things to myself. First, I've noticed for the past year or so that he seems to be having neurological difficulties. And on Ash Wednesday he looked much worse. So I had to admit that I've been in denial. Not wanting to acknowledge what I've observed for a long time: He's deteriorating. Quickly. I have such an affection for Benedict (won't bore you with the reasons). I just didn't want to admit to myself that we won't have him for decades as we did John Paul.
Second, I had to admit that I was still honestly disappointed. But in whom? It was easy to project my feelings onto Benedict. To see him as not fulfilling his role. But who was I to say that? Does he take direction from me? Or from the Holy Spirit? If it's the latter, then it really isn't Benedict I'm disappointed in. It's the Holy Spirit. It's God. Do you see how arrogant and judgmental I can be? To think I know what God should do in His Church? To think I know better than Benedict whether it's best to delegate his responsibilities or relinquish them altogether?
Third, I realized that if I have trusted that Benedict has followed the lead of the Holy Spirit all these years in exercising his role as Supreme Pontiff, then I have to trust that he's done so before, during, and after the announcement of his decision to step down. That's been very comforting to me.
I don't know if my experience is similar to yours in any way. I just thought I'd share with you the way I came to terms with the announcement. And tell you that you aren't alone in your reaction of disappointment. I hope you stay in the Church. I will pray for you :) Please pray for me too! May the Holy Spirit give you His comfort and His peace.
"This is not a joke. I am no longer a Catholic."
Good, don't let the door hit you on the way out.
The sooner all those who don't really believe the Holy Spirit guides the One Holy,Catholic, and Apostolic Church Jesus Christ Himself founded, are all gone, the better. The Jews refuse to believe Christ because He didn't measure up to their expectations and people who think the Pope and/or the Church don't measure up to their expectations have a good example to follow, the Pharisees.
I'm sure those who don't mind the pews being full cafeteria food addicts feel differently.Especially the folks who seem to think keeping foxes snug and warm in the hen house is an act of Charity.
In theory, they could name me, a lay Catholic, as the next Pontiff.
= = = = = = = = = = ==
Since I don’t ‘know’ you I am not trying to ‘insult’ you
BUT
if the above were to happen, DON’T hold your breath waiting for the ‘puff of white smoke’. <: <:
Why are you quiting?
Pope B16 is not quiting, he is simply coming to terms with the reality that he has to give thanks to God just to be able to put his two feet unto the floor each motning. When one is in one’s 80’s just being ALIVE each new day is a blessing. He could be dealing with health issues and seeing Blessed JP2 suffer from ill health while still Pope may very well has haunted him and wants peace and quit in what remains with his life.
I have a mother a few short years up from Pope B16 and just last has gotten a pacemaker herself.
I should have taken a hint late last year when having his most recent book coming out about the life and times of Jesus he said this would be his laste book. Those books about Jesus and the apostles are very intense books and must have taken a lot out of him to be able to wrtie them all.
Good grief. You’re the quitter — not the Pope. How shallow your faith must be.
This may have been posted on FR but I found this about Pope B16’s ailments:
http://www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-pope-blesses-thousands-20130217,0,589861.story
Great article. I love the humilty that radiated in his farewell letter. It was a refreshing sound of heaven, in barren desert.
May God Bless Pope Benedict, protect His church, and fill the hearts of His faithful.
“But Christ bore the cross for hours, and JP II bore the papacy under much greater physical detriment than Benedict. It is a testament to Popes who carried on this tradition.”
And who was really running things when JP II was dying? How much of the reason that JP II did not step down is because of the calls for him to do so?
Perhaps Pope Benedict XVI does not want the Church in that position again.
I have watched him and noticed how frail he has become in the past several months. Look at him, look closely. He will not be with us much longer.
" . . . may very well has haunted him and wants peace and quit in what remains with his life."
He also may have seen people trying take advantage of JP2 being ill and having protective people around him. I'm sure there are people would try to keep some things from reaching the Pope by arguing that there's no reason to upset him and so forth. Why give someone the opportunity to try and take negative advantage of the positive human inclination to be protective of someone who is ill?
Had taken a brief look and I see the word “quiet” misppelled. I sense that Pope Benedict wants to have that needed “peace and quiet” for what does remains of his life as well.
Or try to make things that belong to the Pope to reach us, like his butler did.
The critical question of our days is the same as has been prior to the abdication: who will the successor be? His Holiness made sure the Council will elect someone is this pope's mold; he wouldn't want some maneuver behind his back damage the composition of the conclave.
I second it also.
I may not be a Catholic however I would never blame the Pope for stepping down now.
Gods will be done.
I sincerely hope that you follow what you yourself have written on your profile page: “... everytime I have an understanding of a given problem another poster provides insight I had not considered. I am not always openminded, but the wealth of experience and knowledge shared helps to change or modify my positon(sic).”
Perhaps you should consider that the Holy Father, Benedict, was led by the Holy Spirit to make this decision. That is what many faithful Catholics believe. They believe that it was WISDOM that led to this decision.
PS. It is clear that he did NOT *quit* the Church. He loves the Church and has done much to help the Church.
I’m curious - why quit Catholicism altogether, highp? I’m still confused by his leaving. But it seems Benedict isn’t quitting the Church, just the office.
When I quit something, the catalyst is rarely the only reason. It’s usually the “final straw”.
The final straw that caused my wife to leave the church was not the only reason she left. It just made the decision easier.
Such folks should read what Pope Benedict XVI has written over the years then maybe they'd get a clue.
People have bought into the lie that surrendering to Christ doesn't include surrendering their ego driven intellect and therefore apply the thought process to what they claim to believe as they apply to shopping for a new electronic toy. If it's popular they don't worry about rationalizing it and if it's not popular, they generate all sorts of exceptions to justify their doing what they want.
A pope resigning the office is highly unusual but not unprecedented.
A pope resigning the office BECAUSE of advanced age or because he is physically weak IS unprecedented, and has NEVER been done in the 2000 year history of the papacy. I will repeat a third time: Popes is far worse physical condition than Benedict, and older, continued to reign.
If you disagree with my argument, show we any example in the last two millennium where a Pope "retired" because of his age of physical strength.
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