Pope Benedict XVI says he will resign on February 28 because his age prevented him from carrying out his duties, an unprecedented move in the modern history of the Catholic Church.

He is the first pontiff to do so in nearly 600 years and the decision sets the stage for a conclave to elect a new Pope before the end of March.

The 85-year-old Pope announced his decision in Latin during a meeting of Vatican cardinals on Monday morning.

"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," the Pope told the meeting.

"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," he said.

"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," he said.

Pope Benedict had hinted in a book of interviews in 2010 that he might resign if he felt he was no longer able to carry out his duties.

The last Pope to resign was Pope Gregory XII, who stepped down in 1415 in a deal to end the Great Western Schism among competing papal claimants.

Benedict called his choice "a decision of great importance for the life of the church."

The move sets the stage for the Vatican to hold a conclave to elect a new pope by mid-March, since the traditional mourning time that would follow the death of a pope doesn't have to be observed.
There are several papal contenders in the wings, but no obvious front-runner as was the case when Benedict was elected pontiff in 2005 after the death of Pope John Paul II.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/worl ... to-resign/

(There is discussion of this topic on the GT as well. I will copy posts here so we have a record of events. Something tells me this is very significant, way beyond what appears on the surface.)

Lightning strikes Vatican after Pope Benedict resigns

VATICAN CITY - A lightning struck St Peter's dome at the Vatican on Monday after Pope Benedict XVI announced he will resign as leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics on February 28.

The pontiff, 85, made the announced on Monday, ignited a lot of reaction from across the globe.

He says his vast age prevented him from carrying out his duties, an unprecedented move in the modern history of the Catholic Church.

Global news agency Agence France-Presse published an image of lightning striking the basilica's dome (right), which it said was taken "on the day the Pope" announced his resignation.

(I wonder if this photo was really taken yesterday, or if the photographer is taking "poetic license" to describe how the pope's announcement hit the Roman Catholic Church - "like a bolt out of the blue". The photographer, Filippo Monteforte, has photographed the Pope extensively for for more than a decade. )

Following are a couple of interesting statements in this article, which to me seem to point out possible answers/issues by the very fact of their denying them:

and goes on to say that the announcement came as a surprise, possibly even to his inner circle.



Now why would the pope make this statement (made for him by his spokesperson) if it weren't on his mind that this was a possibility?

To emphasize just how unusual the Pope's resignation is, I quote from this article again:



http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/639773- ... signs.html

Cross-posted from the GT

Bluebonnet:

Yes, Simon, stunning is the word.

Woke up to this news this morning, too.

First Pope in 600 years to resign.

Makes me wonder if he has Alzheimer's?

Sad day, indeed.

*************
Re: The Golden Thread, Volume 6.5 2012

Postby rutsuyasun » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:38 pm
From what I have read so far, the Pope did not alert his cardinals that he was going to make this announcement. I do not know just who in the Vatican knew ahead of time, if anyone. It is certainly a shock, and the minute I saw the news I fear that my first thought was that there is a scandal brewing that he thought he should get out before it broke. (For those who don't know me, I am a practicing Catholic, but one who does not agree with many of Pope Benedict's statements and stands, particularly when he, as Cardinal Ratzinger, ran the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.)

I also thought of the prophecy of St. Malachy, not that I give it credence but just that it is out there, and it is so strange that the Pope would abdicate/retire....

Malachy, a catholic priest serving in the 11th century, reportedly made a long series of predictions concerning future popes. According to his prediction, only one pope will take office following the current Pope Benedict. This pope will be known as "Peter The Roman", and will serve during the reign of the Antichrist. Are these prophecies true? We don't have long to wait....


endoftheage.blogspot.com/2012/01/prophecy-of-father-malachi-martin-we.html

Only time will tell....

********************
Re: The Golden Thread, Volume 6.5 2012

Postby simple simon » Mon Feb 11, 2013 5:41 pm
.........

I too wonder whether there is a scandal of some sort brewing which the Pope wished to avoid having to deal with. Perhaps involving something he did many years ago.

I did see a suggestion somewhere that he is actually recovering from a near fatal illness, and this explains his being so weak.

*******************



Re: The Golden Thread, Volume 6.5 2012

Postby the time traveler » Tue Feb 12, 2013 2:23 am

rutsuyasun wrote:From what I have read so far, the Pope did not alert his cardinals that he was going to make this announcement. I do not know just who in the Vatican knew ahead of time, if anyone. It is certainly a shock, and the minute I saw the news I fear that my first thought was that there is a scandal brewing that he thought he should get out before it broke. (For those who don't know me, I am a practicing Catholic, but one who does not agree with many of Pope Benedict's statements and stands, particularly when he, as Cardinal Ratzinger, ran the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.)

I also thought of the prophecy of St. Malachy, not that I give it credence but just that it is out there, and it is so strange that the Pope would abdicate/retire....

Malachy, a catholic priest serving in the 11th century, reportedly made a long series of predictions concerning future popes. According to his prediction, only one pope will take office following the current Pope Benedict. This pope will be known as "Peter The Roman", and will serve during the reign of the Antichrist. Are these prophecies true? We don't have long to wait....


endoftheage.blogspot.com/2012/01/prophecy-of-father-malachi-martin-we.html

Only time will tell....

********************
the time traveler

I do not understand why everyone thinks this is out of the blue! I knew about his quitting several months ago! I think I read it on GLP posted by an insider. I will try to find that post and bring it here.
the time traveler

****************

Postby rutsuyasun » Tue Feb 12, 2013 11:42 am
Please do, TT, that would be beyond strange and give to "some" of the posts on GLP a credibility that I find surprising for that site. The Pope did not announce his resignation to the cardinals, and I have read references that infer he had not even told his "inner circle".

BTW, there is a thread (on this site) on the Pope's resignation, found here: viewtopic.php?f=43&t=4365&p=48084#p48084

Pope Benedict's brother says he knew of resignation several months ago

Georg Ratzinger, 89, accepts brother's decision to step down, saying Benedict had done 'everything he possibly could'.

Pope Benedict's older brother has spoken of how he managed to keep silent for months about the pontiff's resignation plans, despite knowing the news would stun the world.

Georg Ratzinger, 89, who has a close relationship with his brother, admitted he had known when the news was due to break, Spiegel Online reported.

snip

Ratzinger has always been open about the frailty of his brother – sometimes even being chastised by Vatican officials alarmed at his frankness with reporters, particularly after he revealed Benedict had suffered a heart attack.

Complete article here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/fe ... esignation

from the link posted on the GT:

Pope Benedict resigned to avoid arrest, seizure of church wealth by Easter
Posted on February 13, 2013 by itccs

Diplomatic Note was issued to Vatican just prior to his resignation
New Pope and Catholic clergy face indictment and arrest as "Easter Reclamation" plan continues
A Global Media Release and Statement from The International Tribunal into Crimes of Church and State

Brussels:

The historically unprecedented resignation of Joseph Ratzinger as Pope this week was compelled by an upcoming action by a European government to issue an arrest warrant against Ratzinger and a public lien against Vatican property and assets by Easter.

The ITCCS Central Office in Brussels is compelled by Pope Benedict's sudden abdication to disclose the following details:

1. On Friday, February 1, 2013, on the basis of evidence supplied by our affiliated Common Law Court of Justice (itccs.org), our Office concluded an agreement with representatives of a European nation and its courts to secure an arrest warrant against Joseph Ratzinger, aka Pope Benedict, for crimes against humanity and ordering a criminal conspiracy.

2. This arrest warrant was to be delivered to the office of the "Holy See" in Rome on Friday, February 15, 2013. It allowed the nation in question to detain Ratzinger as a suspect in a crime if he entered its sovereign territory.

3. A diplomatic note was issued by the said nation's government to the Vatican's Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, on Monday, February 4, 2013, informing Bertone of the impending arrest warrant and inviting his office to comply. No reply to this note was received from Cardinal Bertone or his office; but six days later, Pope Benedict resigned.

4. The agreement between our Tribunal and the said nation included a second provision to issue a commercial lien through that nation's courts against the property and wealth of the Roman Catholic church commencing on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2013. This lien was to be accompanied by a public and global "Easter Reclamation Campaign" whereby Catholic church property was to be occupied and claimed by citizens as public assets forfeited under international law and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

5. It is the decision of our Tribunal and the said nation's government to proceed with the arrest of Joseph Ratzinger upon his vacating the office of the Roman Pontiff on a charge of crimes against humanity and criminal conspiracy.

6. It is our further decision to proceed as well with the indictment and arrest of Joseph Ratzinger's successor as Pope on the same charges; and to enforce the commercial lien and "Easter Reclamation Campaign" against the Roman Catholic church, as planned.

In closing, our Tribunal acknowledges that Pope Benedict's complicity in criminal activities of the Vatican Bank (IOR) was compelling his eventual dismissal by the highest officials of the Vatican. But according to our sources, Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone forced Joseph Ratzinger's resignation immediately, and in direct response to the diplomatic note concerning the arrest warrant that was issued to him by the said nation's government on February 4, 2013.

We call upon all citizens and governments to assist our efforts to legally and directly disestablish the Vatican, Inc. and arrest its chief officers and clergy who are complicit in crimes against humanity and the ongoing criminal conspiracy to aid and protect child torture and trafficking.

Further bulletins on the events of the Easter Reclamation Campaign will be issued by our Office this week.

Issued 13 February, 2013
12:00 am GMT
by the Brussels Central Office

http://itccs.org/2013/02/13/pope-benedi ... by-easter/

From their website, this International Tribunal "has been established to enforce common law and try and convict the institutions and their officers responsible for such historic and ongoing crimes against humanity. We therefore constitute a de jure Court under common law, with full power of arrest, conviction and enforcement."

Personally, I don't know enough about international law to say if they have any authority, as they claim to. I'll try and learn more about them, but this fits in with my initial reaction that this resignation was due to some scandal about to hit... ???

from Reuters, quoted in another article, which I will quote so as to avoid directly quoting Reuters.

Pope will remain in Vatican to avoid prosecution for child sex abuse

After resigning Pope Benedict XVI will remain in the Vatican to avoid criminal prosecution for his role in the sexual abuse of children by clergy, according to Vatican sources.

Church sources and legal experts say Pope Benedict's decision to live in the Vatican after he resigns will provide him with legal protection from any attempt to prosecute him in connection with sexual abuse cases around the world, according to a report issued by Reuters on Feb. 15.

A Vatican official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said:

"His continued presence in the Vatican is necessary, otherwise he might be defenseless. He wouldn't have his immunity... if he is anywhere else."

Charges against Pope Benedict XVI alleging crimes against humanity have already been initiated at the International Criminal Court. Two German lawyers, Christian Sailer and Gert-Joachim Hetzel from the Pope's home state of Bavaria, have submitted a 16,500-word document indicting the Pope for various crimes against humanity.

con. http://www.examiner.com/article/pope-wi ... -sex-abuse