Monday Morning

Well it was certainly surprising this morning to wake up and hear the news of the Holy Father's plans to resign! So we will have a new Pope before Easter. Interesting.
Even more interesting is the reflections that I have heard over the past few years - that Benedict is such a strong "Teaching" Pope. He is certainly a smart and thinking man. Perhaps in an odd sort of way - he is "Teaching" us again.  I believe he was one of the people who had said that, while he did not think John Paul II should resign, it was indeed possible for the Pope to resign.  This was when John Paul's health was faltering in the early part of the new Millenium. Perhaps this is yet another way that Benedict is showing that we do not have to be bound by the long peoriod of time (almost 600 years) since the last Pope resigned.  
While the story is still very fresh - we may learn more details that will explain this surprising (if not shocking) news in the coming weeks.  Here is the text of his announcement this morning:

"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."

This  is indeed a time to pray for the Cardinals who will gather in March to elect the next Pope.

Peace