Pope Benedict Announces Resignation

[dales]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z2Ke2xKkCm

Perhaps the next pope will be a black man?

[Lord Jim]

Or possibly a Canuck:

With Pope’s Resignation, Focus Shifts to a Successor

ROME — Pope Benedict XVI’s surprise decision to resign on Monday immediately set off a flurry of speculation about his replacement, who will be called upon to guide the Roman Catholic Church through an increasingly secular era in which the church has lost the certainty it claimed for centuries.

Some Vatican observers predicted that the growing importance of the developing world to the church could weigh on the decision and, perhaps, lead to the choice of a non-European pope. But the voting bloc of cardinals coming from Europe remains sizable and influential, experts said.

“It’s a premature question, though it’s clear that two non-Italian popes in a row have broken the notion that the pope has to be Italian,” said Alberto Melloni, a historian of the Roman Catholic Church and director of the John XXIII Center in Bologna, a liberal Catholic research institute. “But the church is not the Austro-Hungarian Empire where leaders alternate between countries. The pope is first of all bishop of Rome, and then the leader of the universal church.”

Vatican experts argued that vision, rather than geography, would likely determine who would replace Benedict, and that the ability to communicate with a distracted world would be high on the list of desirable qualities. As nearly all of the cardinals eligible to vote were appointed by the current pope or his predecessor, John Paul II, it is likely that the next pope will share strong continuity in terms of vision and doctrine.

That said, bookmakers quickly issued the odds on the top contenders, with Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Canada, Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria, and Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson of Ghana among the early favorites. Cardinal Angelo Scola, the archbishop of Milan, was among the few Italians who was considered in the running by outsiders.

But there were those who noted that Pope Benedict appointed 67 of the 118 cardinals who will appoint his successor, and that 37 of them were from Europe, which remains the most substantial voting block and potentially the most influential.

“There’s a very strong likelihood that it would be someone from Europe,” said the Rev. Thomas J. Reese, senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center.

With the College of Cardinals in many ways reflecting the views of the pope and his predecessor, some Vatican experts suggested that the future pope would have similar theological positions, like Cardinal Ouellet and Cardinal Scola, as well as Cardinal Cristoph Schoborn of Vienna.

John Allen, a Vatican expert and biographer of Benedict XVI, said Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, could be a contender in a “multi-power” world in which America is no longer the one super power.

Acknowledgment of the growth of the importance of developing countries might also sway the choice.

In Brazil, the country with the world’s largest Catholic population but one in which many feel distant from the Vatican, news of the pope’s decision to step down came during the throes of the annual Carnival celebration.

“I see so many people who say they are Catholic and do not go to church,” said Francisco Machado, 55, who was selling wigs and confetti to celebrants on a sidewalk in Rio de Janeiro. He described himself and his wife as practicing Catholics but said they were rare among their friends in actually regularly attending Mass.

Mr. Machado expressed skepticism over whether the next pope could come from Brazil. “We are not prepared to have a Brazilian pope, given the way the church is going,” he said.

Andrew Chesnut, an expert on Latin American religions at Virginia Commonwealth University, said that the church faced big challenges in the region, even as Vatican leaders contemplate shifting demographics, with an estimated half of the world’s Catholics now living in Latin America.

“The smart move for the Vatican for the future of the world church, which lies in the global south, would be a Latin American or African pope,” Mr. Chesnut said. Still, he acknowledged that support for a European pope could pose an obstacle to such a choice if the Vatican focuses on the decline of the church in Europe.

Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson of Ghana, the head of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Social Justice, is seen as the most likely African contender for the papacy. Educated in Rome and New York, he is known for his semi-orthodox views on the use of condoms, saying that married couples could possibly use them to prevent infection where H.I.V. is present, although he has also defended Pope Benedict’s remark that condom use increases the risk of AIDS spreading.

Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the prefect for the Congregation for Eastern Churches, is an Argentine, who would excite the Latin American wing of the church. He is also a skillful Vatican insider who served in the Secretariat of State under John Paul II and knows how to navigate the Vatican’s complex bureaucracy, which might make him effective, Vatican experts say.

During the cold war it would have been a long shot, but for the first time there is talk that an American, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, could be a contender for pope. His deep conservatism combined with a folksy charisma make him popular with the faithful, at a time when the church is focused on “new evangelization.”

Benedict was seen as a weak manager, and his papacy was troubled by debilitating scandals, most recently one in which his butler was convicted by a Vatican court in October of aggravated theft after he admitted stealing confidential documents, many of which wound up in a tell-all book that showed behind-the-scenes Vatican intrigue.

His successor will have to contend with a range of staggering practical challenges, including a perennial shortage of priests and nuns worldwide, as well as a sexual abuse crisis that has undermined the church’s moral authority, especially in Germany and the English-speaking countries where it has been most aggressively discovered.

“I’d say the biggest challenge was the collapse of Catholic numbers across Europe,” where “Christianity is in such free-fall in former Catholic countries, that the prognosis is not good,” said Philip Jenkins, distinguished professor of history at the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University, in Waco, Tex., citing Ireland as a particularly telling case.

In much of the developing world, especially Latin America — which accounts for half of the world’s Catholics — and parts of Africa, evangelical churches are moving in on territory once dominated by the Catholic Church, drawing in new faithful with services that offer upbeat music and an emphasis on self-improvement.

“If I were investing the church’s efforts, I would put Latin American high, to avoid a second Europe,” Mr. Jenkins said.

But the church’s concern about the developing world will not necessarily lead to the selection of a pope from that part of the world, Vatican experts said.

Pope Benedict has appointed 67 of the 118 cardinals who will appoint his successor, and of these 37 are from Europe, which remains the most substantial voting block, and potentially the most influential. Nearly all of the 118 were appointed by Benedict and his predecessor, John Paul II, both strong traditionalists, and it is likely that the next pope will share their vision and doctrine.

With more than 150 million Catholics and a rapidly growing population, Africa represents one of the church’s few avenues for expansion, and church leaders have assiduously promoted charismatic bishops and cardinals in nations with substantial Catholic populations, such as Nigeria and Ghana.

In 2002, Benedict, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, spoke of the merits of electing an African pope. “For all its condemnation of racism, the Western world still has reservations about the third world,” he said then. “Yet, in Africa for example, we have truly great figures whom we can only admire. They are fully up to the job.”

But most Vatican experts said that was not likely. “There’s a very strong likelihood that it will be someone from Europe,” said the Rev. Thomas J. Reese, senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center, at Georgetown University.

The Vatican spokesman, Father Lombardi, said Monday that after Feb. 28, the pope would retire from public view and would not participate in the appointment of his successor. But many wondered whether his presence would have an impact. “The fact is that he’s alive, and it’s obvious that his opinion, his perception will be felt,” said Paolo Rodari, a Vatican reporter for the daily Il Foglio.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/world ... ted=2&_r=0

[Joe Guy]

I think the Pope retired because he realized his pension would not get any better than it is now no matter how much longer he continued to Popify.

[Econoline]

My former pastor, now a Cardinal, Dan Dinardo, has all the right boxes checked on his curriculum vitae, and would be a fantastic choice. He is even a smoker. But as an Italian, would be a politically disadvantaged candidate.

I would think that most of the Cardinals would see Dinardo as an American, not an Italian. And "...even a smoker"??? I didn't realize that this made for an advantage in a candidate for the papacy. But now that you mention it, I guess I can see the logic: he could provide his own puff of white smoke.

[dales]

I think the Pope retired because he realized his pension would not get any better than it is now no matter how much longer he continued to Popify.

[Guinevere]

[Lord Jim]

Is there some reason you've decided to try to give me a heart attack Guin?

[oldr_n_wsr]

The guy ius resigning, he realizes his diminished capabilities and (IMO) is doing the right thing. I don't think (although I don't know) he was involved in the abuse coverup, and I don't think anyone here knows that either. We can "assume" but we know how many asses that makes. You can fault the whole hierarchy of the Catholic Church for covering for the abuses, but this pope resigning has nothing to do with that.

Bash the Catholics, it seems to be like bashing smokers and males in general now-a-days.

The guy is doing what he thinks is the right thing. Diminishing capabilities is not a problem as long as he stops being hte end all to the Catholic faithful

[Gob]

You'd think that god would keep his one true pope in better nick than that.

[Econoline]

Sorry about taking so long to get Dave's Smoking Popes joke.

(I may not be quick...but I AM slow....)

[rubato]

Look who will be electing the next Pope!



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Mahony


"...
Sexual abuse cases
Main article: Sexual abuse scandal in Los Angeles archdiocese

On July 16, 2007, Mahony and the Roman Catholic Church in Los Angeles apologized for abuses by priests after 508 victims reached a record-breaking settlement worth $660 million, with an average of $1.3 million for each plaintiff. Mahony described the abuse as a "terrible sin and crime", after a series of trials into sex abuse claims since the 1940s were to begin. The agreement settled all outstanding civil lawsuits against the Archdiocese. The deal dwarfs the $157 million settlement paid by the Archdiocese of Boston since Massachusetts law places a legal dollar cap on how much money a non-profit group can be required to pay.[15]

The 2006 documentary Deliver Us From Evil chronicles accusations that Mahony knew that a priest serving under him, Oliver O'Grady, a native of the Republic of Ireland, had a two decade history of sexually abusing and molesting children (including one infant) but failed to keep him away from children. The film claims that in 1984, a Stockton police investigation into sexual abuse allegations against O'Grady was reportedly closed after diocesan officials promised to remove the priest from any contact with children. Instead, Mahony reassigned O'Grady to a parish approximately 50 miles (80 km) east, in San Andreas, where O'Grady continued to molest and rape children. Not long after, Mahony was promoted from bishop of Stockton to archbishop of Los Angeles. By 2012, local authorities had obtained internal Church documents showing Mahony had organized the movement of sexual predators across jurisdictional boundaries to complicate any possible prosecution. In 1987 he prohibited a priest from seeking therapy for his urges on the grounds that a therapist might report the crimes to the police.[16]

In January 2013 The New York Times editorialized: "No member of the Roman Catholic hierarchy fought longer and more energetically than Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles to conceal the decades-long scandal involving the rape and intimidation of children by rogue priests. For years, the cardinal withheld seamy church records from parents, victims and the public, brandishing endless litigation and fatuous claims of confidentiality."[17]
..."


yrs,
rubato

[rubato]

And this smiling Irishman! Very big on forgiveness esp. when it's forgiving his own lies and buggering priests.



"...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Se%C3%A1n_Brady
Subsequent revelations and calls for resignation

In March 2010 it became widely known that the then Father Seán Brady had participated in an internal Church legal process in 1975 - a process that required all participants to maintain the confidentiality of the tribunal. Smyth went on to abuse dozens of children before being brought to justice in 1994.[20] Taken alongside his statement in December, this led to widespread calls for Cardinal Brady's resignation.[21][22] The information of this internal process had been publicly available as far back as 10 August 1997 in an article by Declan White in the Mirror.[23]

One of those who was a child interviewed in the internal process is suing Cardinal Brady on the grounds that complaints about Fr. Smyth were not reported to the Garda, that steps were not taken to prevent Fr. Smyth from committing further assaults, that the children were required to sign oaths not to discuss the complaints and that the failure to report the complaints led to the plaintiff and others not receiving appropriate medical treatment.[24]

Labour Party spokesman on social and family affairs Róisín Shortall TD, said Cardinal Brady was “hopelessly compromised by what has emerged”. She said, “There should be a Garda investigation to determine whether or not the failure to report Fr Smyth’s crimes to the civil authorities was, itself, a criminal offence."[25]

On 17 March 2010, the Deputy First Minister for Northern Ireland, Martin McGuinness, called for Brady to resign.[26]

In May 2010, Cardinal Brady said that he will not resign as archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.[27]

Dr. Brady has faced calls to resign since it emerged on 14 March 2009 that in 1975 he participated in an investigation into allegations of child sex abuse by Fr Brendan Smyth which required him to swear two teenagers - who were interviewed as part of this investigative process - to secrecy. Standing outside Armagh Cathedral, the cleric acknowledged there were some who would not agree with his decision but vowed to lead the Church’s efforts to improve child protection measures. “It certainly wasn’t an easy decision” he said. “I have listened to a lot of people, reflected as I said I would, I listened to survivors, to priests, to religious people up and down the length of this diocese and I have decided to continue in my present role, to play my part in this diocese. “Because I want to maintain the momentum towards better child safeguarding and not alone that, also the momentum towards renewal of the faith, which is essential here and a big challenge.”

Dr. Brady said the vast majority of people he had spoken to wanted him to remain in post. “I was on pilgrimage to Lourdes yesterday with 800 people from this diocese and not one said they had no confidence in me, they said they wanted me to stay and continue this work.” Cardinal Brady told mass-goers at his St Patrick’s Day homily in March that he would take a period of time to reflect on his future in the church. He confirmed he would stay on following the announcement yesterday of an all-island audit into how the Church handles abuse allegations. He said he had asked for his own diocese to be inspected by Vatican officials.[28]

In September 2010 Cardinal Brady asked whether Irish people have lost their capacity for mercy and forgiveness. “Have we become too aggressive and impatient in relation to the weaknesses and failings of others,” he asked. Speaking at a Mass in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon, held to mark the 200th anniversary of St Nathy’s College there, he said: “I sometimes wonder if we are in danger of losing our sense of mercy and forgiveness in Ireland today.”[29]

In May 2012 the BBC's This World show found that Sean Brady had the names and addresses of children being abused by the paedophile priest Brendan Smyth, but "did not ensure their safety".[30] ..."

[Sue U]

I understand that Catholics the world over may be experiencing a profound sense of popelessness.

(Stolen from a friend.)

[rubato]

The Vatican having become suddenly de-Popeulated.

There is an immediate clamor for a contest for the new "Mr Popeularity".

yrs,
rubato

[Sean]

Yes! That's what they need... a proper contest.

Bring on Pope Idol!

[rubato]

Yes! That's what they need... a proper contest.

Bring on Pope Idol!

And we can ALL vote as often as we like for a mere $3 per.

Brilliant. I'd even turn Catholic for a week to vote for the Monsignor who "rocks the vestments" with the most abstemious authority.

yrs,
rubato

[oldr_n_wsr]

How about we let the Catholics, who are an active part of the religion decide. Everything else is just nonsense.

[Big RR]

Oldr--Nonsense? Does that include not letting the active catholics decide, but leaving that decision to an appointed board?

[oldr_n_wsr]

Does that include not letting the active catholics decide, but leaving that decision to an appointed board?

Well that's the system the religion has. Seems like our electoral congress (or whatever it's called) to get the president in office. I voted against Oboma as did many others yet 100% of our electoral votes went to Obama. I would guess some significant percentage went to other candidates, yet Obama got them all.

Let the Catholics deal with it. You join the society (religion) you deal with the rules they have to pick a leader. I was raised Catholic (but have no interest in it now) and believe they can do what they want and my (or anoy other non-Catholics) opinion does not matter nor should it.

[Big RR]

I agree, it's their church and selection of their leadership is their business. I thought maybe you were campaigning for the members to have a direct vote and say in the matter.