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Subscribe to RSSThe archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, explains the "mixed emotions" he feels about the news that Pope Benedict XVI will resign.
Updated at 4:01 p.m. ET: Pope Benedict XVI’s abdication announcement at a small event at the Vatican on Monday came as such a surprise that even the cardinals in the room were astonished — a sentiment echoed around the world as church leaders and laity alike grappled with the news.
"All the cardinals remained shocked and were looking at each other," Monsignor Oscar Sanchez of Mexico, who was in the room at the time of the announcement, said, according to The Associated Press.
The pope said Monday that he no longer had the strength to carry out his ministry and would step aside Feb. 28 as leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics. Speaking in Latin, Benedict, 85, announced his decision during an address at a small gathering of cardinals.
"I’m as startled as the rest of you and as anxious to find out exactly what’s going on," Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, said on TODAY. "Except for prayer, I don’t know what else to do. I’ll await instruction with everyone else."
Like other prominent figures in the church, Dolan said that it was a somber occasion and that the decision only deepened his respect for the pope.
Dolan, who was appointed to his post in 2009 and elevated to cardinal early last year by Benedict himself, is considered a longshot candidate to succeed the pope. He said that he found himself “kind of somber” upon hearing of the resignation.
"Boy, I love this pope," the cardinal said. "The world looks to him with respect and affection."
Vatican spokesman Greg Burke discusses Pope Benedict XVI's decision to step down, saying it did not come as a complete surprise to Vatican officials, who have known for "at least several weeks."
President Barack Obama said in a statement: “Michelle and I warmly remember our meeting with the Holy Father in 2009, and I have appreciated our work together over these last four years.”
Benedict becomes the first pope to abdicate since the Middle Ages. When he made the announcement, several cardinals in the room did not even understand what was happening, a Vatican spokesman said.
Archbishop Vincent Nichols, leader of the Archdiocese of Westminster, which includes parts of London, said the pope’s announcement “has shocked and surprised everyone.”
“Yet, on reflection, I am sure that many will recognize it to be a decision of great courage and characteristic clarity of mind and action,” Nichols, who is also president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, said in a statement.
He said Catholics would remember Benedict’s papacy “with great affection and the highest esteem for his minister as our Holy Father.”
The spiritual head of the world’s 80 million Anglicans, Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, said that he learned of the news “with a heavy heart but complete understanding.”
“We pray that God will bless him profoundly in retirement with health and peace of mind and heart, and we entrust to the Holy Spirit those who have a responsibility to elect his successor,” he said in a statement, according to Reuters.
At St. Patrick’s Cathedral, in Manhattan, Dave Stacker said that he supported the pope’s decision but wondered how it might affect the church. He said that he admired the pope’s embrace of social media — Benedict late last year posted from a Twitter account, @pontifex.
“It’s gonna be tough,” Stacker told NBCNewYork.com. “Where do we go from here?”
Catholics United, an interest group that wants the church to focus more on social justice and poverty than on abortion and homosexuality, praised Benedict for his humility but said the departure was a chance to reflect on “the challenges of this papacy.”
“To many, the Catholic church hierarchy has been seen as an institution overly focused on issues of human sexuality, such as opposition to access to birth control and marriage equality, rather than first serving the poor as Christ commanded,” said James Salt, the group’s executive director.
House Speaker John Boehner, a Catholic, said that “extraordinary humility and love for the church” had been hallmarks of Benedict’s service and were reflected in his decision.
“Americans were inspired by his visit to the United States in 2008, and by his quiet, steady leadership of the church in uncertain times,” he said in a statement.
The archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, told reporters at St. Matthew’s Cathedral that he had been working on a homily at 5 a.m. when he received a call and learned of Benedict’s abdication.
He said that the move was an “enormous surprise” but also sounded a note of continuity for the church.
“Transitions in the church are not new,” he said. “With each passing pontificate, the church turns to filling the See of Peter. And this has gone on for 2,000 years, so this will not be a new experience.”
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I find it interesting that this announcement comes shortly after the release of records proving that the archdiocese in Los Angeles knew of sexual predators among the priesthood but did not report them to police and reassigned them to duties where they could continue to harm children, in certain cases.
There you go. Be ashamed catholic church and all your supporters.
Well...it IS 2013. When he took on the Papal Office, he ..more or less, took it on for his close friends' request, Pope John Paul II. After Conclave, was voted in as Pope. Ratzinger (Benedict) WAS ready to retire with his brother at this time. He made no secret about that back then. He should be able to do as he wishes with his remaining years. Wish him all the best.
Yes, very heavy politics in the Vatican. I feel this has less to do with age and failing health than it has to do with the scandals weighing heavily on the church at this time of which Ratzenberger (before he became Pope) was aware of. Specifically the handling of priests who were sexually abusing minor boys and girls. On a grander scale one has to look closely at the Cardinal in South America who was found over his lifetime to have abused thousands of boys and was married and had children to two different women. This South American Priest/Cardinal had power and influence in Rome and contributed vast sums of money to the vatican coffers.
I read that Ratzenber is retiring to a cloistered monestary. It will be next to impossible to interrogate him once he retires into the walls of this cloister. He is going into the "witness protection program" of the Vatican is the best way to describe it. I wish him well. I hope he finds peace for his soul.
@Inverway -- As 'informed' as you try to sound, your words clearly show you for the ignorand and mis-informed eedjit you are
a) The names Ratzenberger and Ratzenber.. where the H did you dig those from? One of the actors from 'Cheers'?
b) A South American cardinal who abused 'thousands of boys'? The man you're thinking of was a Spaniard, he was never a 'cardinal', and he never contributed any money to Vatican coffers. His ostensible value before he was defrocked had nothing to do with his position or his contributions, but with something altogether different, which I will not elaborate on because someone as imbecilic as you sound is not worth the time or effort.
c) In your view, retiring to a cloister is next to impossible?? What the H do you think cloister walls are made of? If any criminal fault had been heretofore attributed to Ratzinger he would have been indicted already, and even behind the walls of a monastery the arm of the law could easily get to him.
The trouble with people like you, who pretend to speak with authority is that your words in the end show you to be nothing more than an ignorant eedjit with a keyboard, an internet account and a lot of idle time in which you can do little more than spew hateful inanities. Capice?
I was shocked by the Pope's announcement and thought to leave a message to that effect, but after reading the posts, I am more shocked by the hatred and vitriol expressed here. This man is not a pedophile. He is not a Nazi. He is the spiritual leader of over a billion Catholics worldwide. He is a man, a flawed human being as are we all, but if anyone cares to remember, his first communication with the Church and with the world was an encyclical (letter) on love. He is deeply caring, thoughtful, incredibly intelligent and devoted to his church and to the Lord. Why people feel the need to disparage and condemn is beyond me. He is a sinner but he has not sinned against you or anyone else. I pray for him in what is obviously a time of great stress and difficulty for him. Why deny him what most of us would ask for; support and prayer.
i dont think he's a pedophile, but he sure covered up for many of them and that, arguably, did more damage than if he were one himself. perhaps he covered up in the spirit of brotherhood and loyalty and compassion, but that does not justify it, does it?
You make a valid, reasoned point (and imagine that on these discussion boards...) I believe he made grave errors in judgement, and as you say, perhaps with the best intentions, which doesn't mitigate the error. When grave sin is ignored or covered up, we are all diminished. So I pray for him, the perpetrators, the victims and their families and to God for expiation of all sin, mine included.
Yus YOU dont know, nobody does BUT he's still connected IF and that's IF he hasn't.
I am sickened at the hate posted here against the Holy Father - the Head of the Catholic Church - I wonder if you people would be so bold to say these hateful things again the Muslim leader. Allah. No - you wouldn't be because you area bunch of hateful people who would be afraid to offend Allah but have no problem offending the head of the Catholic Church - this is the time of Christian hatred and you people will all regret your hateful thoughts some day - This pope did nothing to harm any of you - he is a kind and loving leader. Yes, there were some bad priests just like bad apples in any religion or profession but you people single out the priests of the Catholic church and dare to accuse this loving Pope for things that happened before his reign. There is hatred of Christians right now and it is fueled by our Muslim President and it is wrong. Do you hold the Muslim leader, Alla, responsible for all the beheadings in the world and all the terrorists who claim him as their leader? NO, but you try to hold our beloved Pope responsible for the actions of some bad priests and it is wrong. I hope you will all think about what you are saying and doing and realize this Pope should not be at the center of your wrath for your hatred of Christianity! Compare what these bad priests have done to what the terrorists, who have Alla, as their leader has done . It is no more right for you to hold the Muslim leader responsible for terrorists than you hold the Pope responsible for Pedofile priests. Neither Allah or our Pope is responsible for the actions of some of their followers !Think about it.
Your "Holy Father" is just as hateful as the rest. Him being against the right for people to marry who they love. Need I say more?
Meeche: I think most of us, even non-Catholics, even non-Christians, are more are much more familiar with the workings of the Catholic Church than you are with Islam. Allah is the name used by Muslims for the same god that is worshipped by Christians, Jews, and Muslims. And if you actually read some of the less vitrolic posts here, you'd realize that by doing nothing (except covering up!) about the atrocities perpetrated by some very bad priests, by not treating women as equal human beings, by stubbornly insisting that the Church stay firmly embedded in a century long gone, this pope is what he himself says he is: just a tired old man,
@Mr. Magneto -- Need you say more? Mmm.. not much really. It's obvious what illness you're affected with.
@california nurse -- So, as a non-Catholic, what makes you such an authority on either or both, the CC and/or islam? Are you by chance a Christian scholar eminently versed in the History of the Church and on the writings of the Church Fathers? Have you read the writings of all the Councils, the Encyclicals and the voluminous writings of orthodox Catholic theological writers? How about islamist writings? The q'uran, the hadiths and suras?
If you are not a Catholic, or even if by a remote chance you were one and, as you show, you have such negative opinion of the the Church so as to ignore, reject and revile its teachings, in addition to not following them... what difference does it make what century the Church chooses to stay embedded in? The fact is in the end that no matter what detractors like you, and the bottom feeders who revile her on this particular thread say, by all standards the CC is successful beyond human understanding, by the simple fact that despite the errors and sins of a few of its members.... it simply continues to abide. If success is measured by longevity, then the CC is without a doubt the most successful of ALL enterprises where humans are involved, because at 2000 years of existence it has outlived every kingdom, Royal house, every organization and human enterprise, every dictatorship and presidency, the life of every country ever created, and every political philosophy and dynasty! Therefore, there must be 'something' operating behind its success... you think?
So. go ahead and simply ignore its dictates and follow your own will. Leave the rest of us 1.2 billion people (even pared down to a mere 600 or so Million of true followers), to continue living and accepting what is biblical and right. Genesis tells the story of a principal character who chose to reject God's wisdom and will, and for that his place in heaven was forever vacated. Good luck in your future dealings with that particular spirit.
Furthermore, your idea of 'the same God (not god) worshipped by muslims, Jews and Christians is rather flawed. We may all be descendants of Abraham (although Jews rightfully so, through Isaac the rightful heir; Christians rightfully so as well, because we are 'completed Jews', but muslims not so much, because they are descendants of Ishmael, Abraham's bastard son), but the fact is that Jews worship only God the Father, who even though is a single divinity is considered 'a Father'; musloids worship a harsh, vengeful, severe, god whose worshippers are more like slaves than sons or daughters. Christianity by contrast [in the great majority, since Christianity was at some point fragmented, and continues to disintegrate into sects under protestantism], worships a Triune God, who is ONE single God in three distinct persons. As you see, NOT the same idea of God at all! So put that bit of theology under your nurse's cap and stop berating others with what amounts to supine ignorance on your part; not only of Catholicism, but of all religious traditions in general.
He probably saw that one Southpark episode and it got him thinking.
Who cares, whoever gets elected will continue to push for the unjustice, unequal perverted views on all humanity. They should all just do the world a favor and retire.
Are you sure your name isn't Mrs. Magneto?
@Mr. Magneto: Perverted you say?
The next Pope will not be what you say. The next Pope will be a liberal progressive in the Roman Catholic Church. I truly believe that Jesus Christ is at work in the Church. His time is not our time and although it has taken many years to reveal the evils behind church politics, Jesus who is the truth and the light has brought the church out of darkness. The next Pope will have to be a priest who is free of controversey and one that will be inspired by the Holy Spirit to move the Church forward in policy. It is much needed that priests be allowed to marry and have a family, women to be ordained in the priesthood and many, many other archaic traditions invalidated. This is my hope. I will pray that this will bring about change and not merely a tactic to hide more dirt under the carpet. The Roman Catholic Church must change to stay alive in the world. I feel confident that this is not the church Jesus had in mind.
What a nice set of hopes. And I hope you're right.
Priests ability to marry in the catholic church was not written in the bible ..it was declared by one of the early popes to keep the preists family wealth within the church rather then being left to his offspring. It was all about money.
http://atheism.about.com/od/romancatholicism/a/celibacy.htm
@evil tessmacher-- Why is it you even bring politics into this thread? Could it be the GOP lost due to the fact they didn't have as many freeloaders and had to show picture I.D.s to vote? Remember Obama won in several places that did not require I.D. (think illegals, dead people, etc.)
I'm not a Catholic, but admire the Pope for admitting he doesn't think he can do the job any longer.
good move, he stepped down before he is forced to when all the pedo scandal breaks out pretty soon and he's in the center of it all.... do it before all sh1t hits the fan and all the dogs let loose. this is a good way to do damage control and minimize the liability of the church... very good move.
You're on to something there.
Church leadership - what a bunch of bs. These clowns have had their heads up their asses since the days of Coperinus. The only thing shocking is that people still follow these pedophiles and this old fossil of a joke for a pope.
Well, well, well... how ironic that this announcemet came only a week after the former head of the Los Angeles dioces, a cardinal whowas one of his great supports was strpped of all administrative duties after thousands of emails and memos came to light implicating him and the pope in the pedophile scandal for years and years. Not only implicating, but revealed the fact that benedict has all the files of all the pedophile priests from around the world in his possession at the vatican and did nothing other than to conceal the crimes. I'm sure he is resigning before he is called to testify and perhaps sentenced for his complicity
Yeah, how about that?
This just reinforces my belief of phrhecy for the end times. You had better pray up you nonbelievers.
“Boy, I love this pope,” the cardinal said. “The world looks to him with respect and affection.”
Da fuq?!?
The last absolute monarch of Europe just abdicated. Can he now be arrested?
Who is Cardianl Dolan kidding? The world does not look to this Pope with affection and admiration. This Pope has done nothing to solve the Church's sexual abuse problem. Each time one of his Bishops and or Cardinals has been found to be part of the "cover up", the Pope ends up promoting the person. He blames the media when the offenses are uncovered and he has made no real major changes. In Church pratices and teachings, he has dragged everyone back to the Dark Ages. Bishops are still covering up and moving around clergy instead of reporting to the police and then dismissing the priests. There are various dioceses throughout the US that still REFUSE to settle their court cases. Meanwhile, all of he different dioceses are asking their parishoners for millions of dollars to keep them going and pay their court costs. . Hypocricisy is at an all time high in the Church and this Pope is part of that problem. On the one hand, he encourages his Bishops to wage a war against abortion while, on the other, his Church lawyers in the current Arizona case are arguing that a fetus is NOT a person. He encouraged the US Bishops [who have no minds of their own] to wage a war against the President because our religious freedom was at stake. NO ONE bothered our religious freedom in the least. The Church got told to make contraception available in their insurance programs. They were not told to USE it, just to treat all women fairly. That is a far cry from violating anyone's religious freedom. The Pope stood by and approved the American Bishop's lies and stupidity. Then, there was his war on nuns. How stupid was that? Those nuns are the backbone of his Church. The Church and the world will be better off with someone else as long as he is not a member of the Curia or an American Bishop.
Disgusting old men that rape boys. He is out as CEO because profits are way down. Nothing more, nothing less. A new CEO of the church will probably allow priests to marry, taking the heat off all the perverts - and causing the baskets to be full again. Mea Copa, mea copa, mea maxima copa.
With no malice toward the resigning pope, I'm hoping nonetheless that this will be the dawn of a new era for the Catholic Church. As a non-Catholic I reject at the idea of papal infallibility-to me an out-of-touch virginal man has no business telling anyone, let alone 17% of the world how to conduct their sex life. I blame much of the world's woes on indiscriminate procreation, and hope that the Catholic Church can be prodded, cajoled, or dragged into into the twentieth century (the twenty-first seems like asking for too much, too soon) sometime before this earth implodes from its burgeoning population.
@california nurse -- Lady, you're certainly not keeping yourself abreast of the world news regarding diminishing birth rates either (along with some very flawed ideas you have on religion as well!). I recommend you check the archives of the Wall Street Journal for an excellent article on the 'Review' section, titled "America's Baby Bust" (Feb 2-3, 2013) actually pertinent not only to 'America' but to the world-wide crisis brought on by decreasing population, through forced abortion (as in China) and through the unwillingness of the younger generations to procreate, leaving the few who will be born in the future to sustain, care and pay for the growing elderly population.
Man can't have eternal life in God's Kingdom on earth until man practices
the killing of man in wars no more,as Isaiah 2:4,says,and as Jesus says he
fulfills in fulfilling all the prophets,including the prophet Isaiah.Jesus
Christ's Sacrifice on the Cross is for his fellow man to love one another,as he
loves them,not a sexual love,not everybody to have sexual love with
everybody,but a brotherly love,with everybody having brotherly love for
everybody.Man must be Born Again of the Spirit,God's Holy Spirit,and turn the
will of his sinful nature,his flesh over to the will of God.For God is a Spirit
and must be worshiped in spirit and truth,not in wars of the flesh with guns and
bombs,that kill even the innocent.Ephesians 6:12,says,for we struggle not
against flesh and blood (we are to turn the will of the flesh over to God's will
and be Born Again of Spirit),but against evil spirits in high places.And guns
and bombs can't kill evil spirits,or the souls of evil men,all souls and spirits
are eternal,the evil separated from God in Hell,and the good with God forever in
His Kingdom.John 3:16,says,God so loved the world,the world is all the people,so
God is liberal with his compassion,not conservative,despite what many in the
Media say.It's this liberal compassion,and love of God that works no ill,that
never fails,that fulfills all of God's Laws.Being conservative with
it,withholding of love,won't fulfill all of God's Laws,and it's destined to
fail,as the measure you give,is the measure that you get.
While I think this pope is doing the right thing I cant help but notice all the people who are judging this particular religous icon when there are so many others in other denominations that have done the same, and even worse, sort of unspeakable things and they are not held to the same standards? How many other religious leaders have been caught with their pants down and have been forgiven by their particular followers? I dont condone a thing this particular pope has done..I tended to think he was abit odd from day one but I am not going to judge as he has to answer to the almighty for his actions. I for one have a strong belief in a power greater then ourselves but I do not believe in "organized" religion..anyone with any sort of common sense can see it is just a big hustle.
Because there is no other religious leader who wields the worldwide power of the Pope.
What power? I dont know any catholics that actually follow the church edicts ....i.e. birth control.
@california nurse --- And... with how many armies and weapons does the Pope pursue his power-wielding? Can you elaborate on that? Or is it that whenever there is a voice of moral authority needed in the world there is NO OTHER LEADER anyone looks up to? That must chap your hide!
@11madness -- You don't know any Catholics who actually follow the Church edicts as it pertains to birth control? Wow!!! With 1.2 Billion people whose sexual lives you seem to make the claim you know... you must be an effing busy-body!
I think his participation as a German guard during WW II in a concentration camp is getting ready to come boiling to the top of the pot and he fells its time to go.
Will he still be infallible after he leaves his pope position? Or will only the
new guy be infallible?
I hope the new pope gets a new make-up man, I mean seriously...
Yep.. The current one is having trouble making it look like he is still alive. Especially when that string somebody pulls to make it look like he is waving.
They need to stop the bull@!$%#.....he's either done IT himself or connected and We all know by now he's connected to something. The Church preaches crap.
I think he is taking the job as GM for the Jets. They need all the help they can get.