THE RELIGION GUY, instead of waiting for a question to be posted, offers some quick thoughts on Pope Benedict XVI\u2019s surprise announcement today that he will resign\u00a0February 28 as leader of the world\u2019s billion-plus Catholics.<\/p>\n
The timing is notable, coming just before Ash Wednesday without waiting till after Holy Week. Far more\u00a0amazing \u00a0is the resignation itself. Like England\u2019s monarchs or certain other religious dynasts, popes simply do not resign. The last\u00a0one who did, Gregory XII, stepped down in a 1415 A.D.\u00a0emergency deal to end\u00a0the ruinous Great Schism with its\u00a0rival pontiffs.\u00a0Benedict\u2019s move, by contrast, was\u00a0purely personal. He said he \u201crepeatedly examined my conscience before God\u201d and decided he lacked the physical strength for \u201can adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Guy leaves it to expert Vaticanologists to assess this Pope\u2019s accomplishments during a reign of just under eight years. But the resignation will surely be regarded as his most significant act. A highly traditional priest has taken a highly radical step. He may be implicitly questioning his close colleague and predecessor John Paul II, who felt a duty during decline to hang on till death. Regardless, Benedict has forever changed his sacred office. All future popes will face the question of abdication when they reach a phase of physical or mental limitations. The resignation signals to the world Benedict\u2019s awareness that John Paul permanently altered expectations for the ancient office. Popes are now globe-trotters and media stars, not the mysterious and remote figures of old. And in the age of the Internet and cable news, important policy moves (e.g. how to handle those unending and dispiriting\u00a0priestly molestation scandals) can no longer to delayed for months \u2014 or years.<\/p>\n
In nationality terms, the election of John Paul from Poland followed\u00a0 immediately by Benedict from Germany is also historic. Everyone will now speculate whether it\u2019s time for another Italian again or whether the cardinals will innovate by looking to Latin America or Canada or Africa for a pope. (You can forget any idea of a U.S. pontiff.) As always, the subtle politicking will be a wonder. Consider this: Will Benedict as the powerful Pope Emeritus apply leverage behind the scenes? [Updating Feb. 12: A Vatican spokesman says Benedict will be living at Castel Gandolfo outside Rome when the cardinals gather to elect his successor, indicating he will\u00a0play no role.\u00a0\u00a0 Later,\u00a0when renovations are completed, he will move into the Vatican\u2019s Mater Ecclesiae residence near the apartments where the new Pope will live, thus readily available for private advice if asked.]<\/p>\n
When John Paul died, countless supposed specialists \u2014 The Guy included \u2014 figured the then Cardinal Ratzinger would never be elected. He was too controversial due to efforts on discipline while heading the Vatican\u2019s doctrine office, too close to his predecessor, a bit too old, a bit too German, and on and on. Keep that in mind during coming days as papal pundits speculate\u00a0 on who\u2019s in and who\u2019s out in the pre-election maneuvering.<\/p>\n
A final journalistic note: So far as The Guy knows, Benedict was interviewed only once by the \u201csecular\u201d media, when he was running the doctrinal \u201ccongregation.\u201d That hour-plus session involved The Guy alongside \u201cTime\u201d magazine colleagues John Moody and Greg Burke (later of Fox News) who had arranged the remarkable session. The contents are owned by \u201cTime,\u201d but The Guy can say he was struck by this man\u2019s gentle and humble manner, his world-class intellect, and his total command of English in discussing intricate topics \u2014\u00a0 the first pope in history\u00a0to have\u00a0that skill.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE RELIGION GUY, instead of waiting for a question to be posted, offers some quick thoughts on Pope Benedict XVI\u2019s surprise announcement today that he will resign\u00a0February 28 as leader of the world\u2019s billion-plus Catholics. The timing is notable, coming just before Ash Wednesday without waiting till after Holy Week. Far more\u00a0amazing \u00a0is the resignation […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1275,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n