What does the Pope’s resignation mean for the future of the Church?

What does the Pope’s resignation mean for the future of the Church? February 11, 2013
Like many of you I awoke this morning to the news that the Pope’s announcement that he will be “retiring” or resigning… I’m not sure what you would call it since it has only happened a handful of times. Here is what he said.


Dear Brothers,

I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations  but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.

I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. 

For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is. 

Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.

 From the Vatican, 10 February 2013


This is huge, I think we all can agree, but what does this mean for the future of the Catholic Church? In my own field (liturgy) there has been a great deal of speculation about what the future of the Liturgy might be when a new Pope occupies the Holy See.

A few of my questions:

  • Will we see more approved English translations? 
  • Will there be continued dialog with ultra traditionalists like the Society of St. Pius X? 
  • Will there be greater efforts at ecumenicism?
  • Will there be continued support of the Extraordinary form of the mass?
  • How will the church tackle the truly global nature of the church?
  • Will we see further support of the Anglican Personal Ordinariate and will there be similar groups for other traditions (like Lutherans)?
  • Will the Catholic church take up the possibility of a widespread use of married priests?
  • Will the issue of Women’s ordination be put back on the table?
  • How will the use of Condoms in instances of AIDS prevention be addressed?


Here is a list of possible future popes how do you think each of these folks will address the issues?

  • Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson 
  • Cardinal Angelo Scola
  • Cardinal Tarsicio Bertone
  • Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio
  • Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco
  • Cardinal Christoph Schönborn
  • Cardinal Marc Ouellet
  • Cardinal Timothy Dolan
  • Cardinal Raymond Burke
I am unsure of how these men will address the issues I mentioned above 

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