By Fr. Eugene Song
News of his resignation came as a thunderstorm to many Catholics who are not familiar with tales of a pope retiring or resigning in modern papal history. According to Church historians, Pope Benedict XVI will be the first pope to resign in 600 years after Pope Gregory XII resigned in 1415 to end the “Great Western Schism” that originated from two men claiming to be the head of the Catholic Church.
The Pope may have shocked the world when he announced his resignation, but his courageous decision to put the Church and the Petrine office before selfish considerations is absolutely consistent with his character and unswerving from his declarations to a German Journalist, Peter Seewald, published under the title “Light of the World”. When Seewald asked the Pope if he will consider resigning in difficult times, he replied, “… one can resign in time of peace, or when one simply no longer has the strength, but one cannot escape in a moment of danger saying “someone else take care of it”.
Peter Seewald further asked, “Would you imagine a situation in which you would think that a pope could resign? The Holy Father clearly stated that, “When a pope realises that he is no longer physically, mentally and spiritually capable of carrying out his role, then there is legally the possibility, and also the obligation to resign.”
Canon 332, paragraph 2 states, “If it happens that the Roman Pontiff resigns his office, it is required for validity that the resignation is made freely and properly manifested…” This means the resignation cannot be the result of coercion, violence or due to a moment of confusion in the church. This freedom was explicit in the pope’s resignation text when he said, “...with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter...”
The Pope’s courageous decision to resign is testimony of his love for the church, his humility and the realisation that there is need for young and vigorous leadership in a church faced with multiple challenges like secularism, liberalism, militant atheism, and sex abuse scandals.
In his resignation text, the pontiff humbly acknowledged that “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 recognise my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me”.
To effectively coordinate the multiple and complex activities of the Universal Church with over 1.2 billion followers, requires a measure of physical effort, mental concentration, regular supervision, pastoral visits, audiences, delivering homilies and sermons, using social media to spontaneously answer deep questions on matters of faith and morals without necessarily convening a Council, a Synod, proclaiming a dogma or writing an encyclical. Benedict XVI who will turn 86 in April acknowledges that he lacks that bodily and mental strength to fulfill such a challenging ministry.
However, he will continue to exercise the Petrine ministry until February 28 at 8pm (Rome time) when the Apostolic Seat will be considered vacant- Sede Vacante. The Pope will retire to the former cloistered monastery in the Vatican where he will spend the rest of his life in prayer and reflections. Since power abhors a vacuum, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone who doubles as Secretary of State and Cardinal Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will govern the institution till a new pope is elected.
The dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano has the competence to make preparations for a conclave to elect a new pope. The Vatican Press chieftain, Fr. Federico Lombardi, has said it is more than likely a new pope would be elected in time to lead the full Holy Week schedule and Easter liturgies.
The conclave that will vote the new pope will have 117 Cardinals with 61 Europeans, 19 Latin Americans, 14 North Americans, 11 Africans, 11 Asians and 1 Australian. Italy has the highest number of Cardinals-21. The exact number may vary depending on the date that the conclave opens. For example, Cardinal Walter Kasper will turn 80 on March 5, 2013.
The unexpected resignation of the pope has created awareness that the church actually lacks laws on the status of a former Pope; how he will be addressed (Pope Emeritus or Bishop of Rome Emeritus); what are his immunities and prerogatives; can he participate in a conclave; if “yes”, does it mean he returns to be a Cardinal?
Furthermore, Church law makes no provision for the situation in which a pope becomes mentally incompetent, when he lapses into a coma, or suffers some malaise that makes it impossible for him to continue ruling the church.
As Pope Benedict leaves office, he will be remembered as a shepherd, a theologian, an academic to the core and a quiet pensive. Reacting to his resignation German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, said, “Benedict XVI is and will remain one of the most important religious thinkers of our times”. The President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, commonly referred to as the “American Pope” issued a statement saying, “The Holy Father brought the tender heart of a pastor, the incisive mind of a scholar and the confidence of a soul united with his God in all he did. His resignation is but another sign of his care for the Church.”
The greatest legacy and reform of his papacy is his resignation in an era where the love of power, honour and respect has gripped the human heart. The pope has offered us a great witness of spiritual freedom, of wisdom in regard to Church government in today’s world. His gesture is even more challenging to the bunch of time-honoured political power mongers in Africa to resign honourably because there is still life after loitering in the corridors of power.
Monday, February 11, 2013, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and World Day of the Sick, will remain engraved in the annals of Church history and in the memories of Catholics and non Catholics alike as the day when they woke up to the stunning and startling news that the Sovereign Pontiff, Benedict XVI, Successor of Peter and Vicar of Christ, was stepping down from the Chair of Saint Peter.
News of his resignation came as a thunderstorm to many Catholics who are not familiar with tales of a pope retiring or resigning in modern papal history. According to Church historians, Pope Benedict XVI will be the first pope to resign in 600 years after Pope Gregory XII resigned in 1415 to end the “Great Western Schism” that originated from two men claiming to be the head of the Catholic Church.
The Pope may have shocked the world when he announced his resignation, but his courageous decision to put the Church and the Petrine office before selfish considerations is absolutely consistent with his character and unswerving from his declarations to a German Journalist, Peter Seewald, published under the title “Light of the World”. When Seewald asked the Pope if he will consider resigning in difficult times, he replied, “… one can resign in time of peace, or when one simply no longer has the strength, but one cannot escape in a moment of danger saying “someone else take care of it”.
Peter Seewald further asked, “Would you imagine a situation in which you would think that a pope could resign? The Holy Father clearly stated that, “When a pope realises that he is no longer physically, mentally and spiritually capable of carrying out his role, then there is legally the possibility, and also the obligation to resign.”
Canon 332, paragraph 2 states, “If it happens that the Roman Pontiff resigns his office, it is required for validity that the resignation is made freely and properly manifested…” This means the resignation cannot be the result of coercion, violence or due to a moment of confusion in the church. This freedom was explicit in the pope’s resignation text when he said, “...with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter...”
The Pope’s courageous decision to resign is testimony of his love for the church, his humility and the realisation that there is need for young and vigorous leadership in a church faced with multiple challenges like secularism, liberalism, militant atheism, and sex abuse scandals.
In his resignation text, the pontiff humbly acknowledged that “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 recognise my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me”.
To effectively coordinate the multiple and complex activities of the Universal Church with over 1.2 billion followers, requires a measure of physical effort, mental concentration, regular supervision, pastoral visits, audiences, delivering homilies and sermons, using social media to spontaneously answer deep questions on matters of faith and morals without necessarily convening a Council, a Synod, proclaiming a dogma or writing an encyclical. Benedict XVI who will turn 86 in April acknowledges that he lacks that bodily and mental strength to fulfill such a challenging ministry.
However, he will continue to exercise the Petrine ministry until February 28 at 8pm (Rome time) when the Apostolic Seat will be considered vacant- Sede Vacante. The Pope will retire to the former cloistered monastery in the Vatican where he will spend the rest of his life in prayer and reflections. Since power abhors a vacuum, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone who doubles as Secretary of State and Cardinal Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will govern the institution till a new pope is elected.
The dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano has the competence to make preparations for a conclave to elect a new pope. The Vatican Press chieftain, Fr. Federico Lombardi, has said it is more than likely a new pope would be elected in time to lead the full Holy Week schedule and Easter liturgies.
The conclave that will vote the new pope will have 117 Cardinals with 61 Europeans, 19 Latin Americans, 14 North Americans, 11 Africans, 11 Asians and 1 Australian. Italy has the highest number of Cardinals-21. The exact number may vary depending on the date that the conclave opens. For example, Cardinal Walter Kasper will turn 80 on March 5, 2013.
The unexpected resignation of the pope has created awareness that the church actually lacks laws on the status of a former Pope; how he will be addressed (Pope Emeritus or Bishop of Rome Emeritus); what are his immunities and prerogatives; can he participate in a conclave; if “yes”, does it mean he returns to be a Cardinal?
Furthermore, Church law makes no provision for the situation in which a pope becomes mentally incompetent, when he lapses into a coma, or suffers some malaise that makes it impossible for him to continue ruling the church.
As Pope Benedict leaves office, he will be remembered as a shepherd, a theologian, an academic to the core and a quiet pensive. Reacting to his resignation German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, said, “Benedict XVI is and will remain one of the most important religious thinkers of our times”. The President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, commonly referred to as the “American Pope” issued a statement saying, “The Holy Father brought the tender heart of a pastor, the incisive mind of a scholar and the confidence of a soul united with his God in all he did. His resignation is but another sign of his care for the Church.”
The greatest legacy and reform of his papacy is his resignation in an era where the love of power, honour and respect has gripped the human heart. The pope has offered us a great witness of spiritual freedom, of wisdom in regard to Church government in today’s world. His gesture is even more challenging to the bunch of time-honoured political power mongers in Africa to resign honourably because there is still life after loitering in the corridors of power.