Pope Benedict Leaving

From Yahoo:

"Pope Benedict stepping down, cites poor health"

Pope Benedict shocked the world on Monday by saying he no longer had the mental and physical strength to cope with his ministry, in an announcement that left his aides "incredulous" and will make him the first pontiff to step down since the Middle Ages. The German-born Pope, 85, hailed as a hero by conservative Roman Catholics and viewed with suspicion by liberals, told cardinals in Latin that his strength had deteriorated recently. He will step down on February 28 and the Vatican expects a new Pope to be chosen by the end of March. Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the Pope had not decided to resign because of "difficulties in the papacy" and the move had been a surprise, indicating that even his inner circle was unaware that he was about to quit. The Pope's leadership of 1.2 billion Catholics has been beset by child sexual abuse crises that tarnished the Church, one address in which he upset Muslims and a scandal over the leaking of his private papers by his personal butler. The last Pope to resign willingly was Celestine V in 1294 after reigning for only five months, his resignation was known as "the great refusal" and was condemned by the poet Dante in the "Divine Comedy". Gregory XII reluctantly abdicated in 1415 to end a dispute with a rival claimant to the papacy. Before he was elected Pope, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was known by such critical epithets as "God's rottweiler" because of his stern stand on theological issues.

But after several years into his new job Benedict showed that he not only did not bite but barely even barked. In recent months, the pope has looked increasingly frail in public, sometimes being helped to walk by those around him. Israel's Chief Rabbi praised Benedict's inter-faith outreach and wished him good health. The Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the Anglican Church, said he had learned of the Pope's decision with a heavy heart but complete understanding. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the Pope's decision must be respected if he feels he is too weak to carry out his duties. British Prime Minister David Cameron said: "He will be missed as a spiritual leader to millions. The pontiff would step down from 2 p.m. ET on February 28, leaving the office vacant until a successor was chosen to Benedict who succeeded John Paul, one of history's most popular pontiffs, the spokesman said. Elected to the papacy on April 19, 2005 when he was 78 - 20 years older than John Paul was when he was elected - Benedict ruled over a slower-paced, more cerebral and less impulsive Vatican. But while conservatives cheered him for trying to reaffirm traditional Catholic identity, his critics accused him of turning back the clock on reforms by nearly half a century and hurting dialogue with Muslims, Jews and other Christians. Despite great reverence for his charismatic, globe-trotting predecessor -- whom he put on the fast track to sainthood and whom he beatified in 2011 -- aides said he was determined not to change his quiet manner to imitate John Paul's style. He confronted his own country's past when he visited the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz. Calling himself "a son of Germany", he prayed and asked why God was silent when 1.5 million victims, most of them Jews, died there during World War Two.

             

^ I am very glad that he is leaving as I didn't think he was good for the Catholic Church from the very beginning and even made a personal vow to never attend a Catholic mass while he was Pope.I guess I can start going again in March. I have said it many times. Not only did Benedict bring the Catholic Church back several decades by his ultra-Conservative and hateful views, but his Nazi past should never be over-looked. People make excuses all the time that he was forced to join, etc yet everyone has free will and there were countless religious leaders and parishioners (Jews and Christians) that stood-up for their beliefs and many were put to death for them, but they followed their calling. Benedict, even as a child, didn't do that and since he stood by and did nothing than he is just as guilty as the ones who committed the crimes. While no one can ever replace the great Pope John Paul 2 I hope that the next Pope brings the Catholic Church into the 21st Century and works to unite everyone together (unlike Benedict who tore us all apart.) ^

http://news.yahoo.com/pope-resigns-saying-no-longer-strength-fulfill-ministry-112923467.html