Posted on 02/12/2013 5:37:03 PM PST by D-fendr
After John Paul II’s death, Benedict emerged as the indispensable man, without the least bit of angling for that role. He didn’t seek the papacy; it simply fell upon him. He had hoped the college of cardinals would select someone else. But his acute intellect, grasp of the Church’s crisis, and closeness to John Paul II made him the obvious choice.
Given this background, his resignation appears more understandable. He entered the papacy humbly and now leaves it humbly. His resignation is a great loss for the Church and the world. He represented the unity of reason and faith at a moment when the world was fast losing both. Between the West’s culture of abortion and the East’s culture of jihad, he stood as the civilizational center for life.
The media verdicts so far on his supposedly inconsequential and failed pontificate have been useless, reflecting nothing more than the progressive prejudices of reporters and pundits. Long after their spiteful articles have yellowed, his encyclicals will be read. The truth is that they didn’t like him from the start, treating the elevation of a believing Catholic to the papacy as somehow “controversial.” Bill Keller, the former executive editor of the New York Times, once blurted out that “the struggle within the church is interesting as part of a larger struggle within the human race, between the forces of tolerance and absolutism.” That is the only prism through which the media ever saw Benedict: he fell on the wrong side of the progressive “struggle” and so became a target for endless media bias.
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
He was what...78 when he was elected...How dumb is that...
He was the right man at the right time, and accomplished more in eight years than most people do in a lifetime.
Not dumb at all. What he accomplished in eight years is incredible. His papacy was a godsend.
IBTCJBUTHPS
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(In before the calumnious jackwagons bring up the homo priest scandals)
I was reading that the pattern has been long papacy, short papacy, long papacy, short papacy, etc.
JPII had been pope for a long time - too long, in my opinion, because he had no control at all over the Church in his final years and terrible things happened, because while his advisors had control over some things, he was still in charge and could do whatever came into his foggy mind or was suggested to him by some duplicitous person. So after him they chose somebody older who wasn’t going to hold the position for a very long time.
Speculation says that they will chose a younger person this time around, but who knows?
Although I’m not Catholic, I feel compelled to defend them against your premise that it wasn’t smart to elect someone so old. Maybe he was the right man at the time, and was able to do a lot of good until he reached a point where his health problems were too much. Benjamin Franklin did some of his best work in his seventies.
**Benjamin Franklin did some of his best work in his seventies.**
So did Pope Benedict!
Into his 80s, he was one of the prime movers in creating the greatest document ever devised by man.
Pope Benedict has done a good job, and with today's 'instant media' he has wisely decided to remove himself from a position his frail body would not allow him to participate. But I have no doubt that his intellect is just as sharp as ever and hope the next Pope accesses that intellect in his decision making as long as it is available.
It seems like he would be given “emeritus” status, if such a thing exists.
The Holy Spirit chose him to lead the Church. His resignation is understandable but saddening none the less. He too is a great Pope.
One of my first questions was what does a retired pope do? Yes, he certainly deserves emeritus status.
I think others, including the new pope, would greatly wish his counsel; however, I think his wish for his remaining days will be honored:
"…With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer."Thanks much for your post.
Pope Benedict ha been truly a great Pope, he has represented Christ on Earth in as pure and honorable fashion as I could ever have imagined. That the bigots hate him is understandable, Satan hates the Truth. The Paraclete is here and will guide the Church in this terrible hour of emptiness, just as He has always done and always will.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto,
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Pope Benedict ha been truly a great Pope, he has represented Christ on Earth in as pure and honorable fashion as I could ever have imagined. That the bigots hate him is understandable, Satan hates the Truth. The Paraclete is here and will guide the Church in this terrible hour of emptiness, just as He has always done and always will.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto,
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Pope Benedict ha been truly a great Pope, he has represented Christ on Earth in as pure and honorable fashion as I could ever have imagined. That the bigots hate him is understandable, Satan hates the Truth. The Paraclete is here and will guide the Church in this terrible hour of emptiness, just as He has always done and always will.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto,
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
I wish your post had repeated ten times, but amen for three!
I didn’t think it was stupid. I thought it was the most wonderful gift, and a miracle that he was elected. But now I realize he was a total fraud.
i’ve been surprised at the vehemence with with the BBC, CNN etc. call Benedict’s term as “a failure” — until one realizes that this was because he was firmly against and reversed all leftist moves
I think Pope Benedict would be happiest if he just got back to the status of ordinary priest.
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