February 11, 2013 - VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI
announced Monday that he will step down on Feb. 28 due to failing
health, stunning the world's 1 billion Catholics by becoming the first
pope in nearly 600 years to resign from the office. The German
pontiff, 85, made his surprise statement to cardinals during a Vatican
concistory on Monday, saying “my strengths, due to an advanced age, are
no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry,” a
reference to his duties as leader of the church.
Speaking at a
ceremony held to canonize three new saints, Benedict said he would step
down at 8 p.m. on Feb. 28. Father Federico Lombardi, a Vatican
spokesman, said a conclave of cardinals would be held in March to elect a
new pope in time for Easter. Italian cardinal Angelo Sodano, the dean of the College of Cardinals, said Benedict's announcement was a "bolt out of the blue." Describing
his decision as being “of great importance for the life of the church,”
Benedict told cardinals that “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.” His strength, he added, “has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me.”
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A photo provided by the Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano
shows Pope Benedict XVI, right, greeting an unidentified cardinal
at a Vatican concistory during which Benedict announced his
resignation, effective Feb. 28.
(Osservatore Romano / EPA / February 11, 2013). |
Vatican
insiders have noted that Benedict has become more frail in recent
months; he requires a moving platform to transport him down the aisle at
St Peter’s Basilica during services and has slowed during his walks in
the Vatican gardens. His private life was recently exposed to public
scrutiny after his butler was convicted by a Vatican court for leaking
papal correspondence. Lombardi said Benedict had not been
persuaded to step down by a particular illness, but said "he had become
more tired and fatigued than in the past." Benedict’s decision,
which he described as being "of great importance for the life of the
church," marks the first papal resignation since Pope Gregory XII
reluctantly stepped down in 1415 to end a dispute with a rival claimant
to the papacy. The last pope to resign willingly was Celestine V in 1294
after reigning for only five months. Benedict told cardinals he wished to “devotedly serve the Holy Church of
God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.” Lombardi said
the pope would transfer from his papal apartment to live in a building
in the Vatican’s gardens formerly occupied by nuns. The pope, who has
recently finished a series of three books about the life of Jesus, could
continue to write books, Lombardi said. Beyond giving details
of the coming conclave, Lombardi said the Vatican was entering
unchartered waters with a pope set to replace a living, former pope. “We
are heading into an unknown situation,” he said at a hastily called
Vatican news conference.
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The coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI
featuring the Moor's head with red crown.
Read more on the symbolism of this shield and the
synchronicity with President Obama HERE. |
Describing the moment the pope made
his announcement, Lombardi said “the pope sat down, took the microphone
and read his statement shortly after 11:30,” adding “he said it in Latin
so not everyone understood immediately.” Lombardi said he had
no fear that Vatican officials -- unaccustomed to sharing the Holy See
with a former pope -- might continue to defer to Benedict. “This is
recognized by canon law, there is no risk of confusion,” he said. Lombardi
said the German pontiff, who was elected in 2005 at age 78, had shown
“courage, a humble spirit, responsibility and a desire that the church
be governed in the best way,” adding that he had met the pope recently
and found him “serene.” The pontiff’s decision, he said, “did not
completely surprise me.” Benedict has previously suggested that a
pope could break with tradition and step down if he no longer felt able
to carry out his duties. In a book-length interview, "Light of the World," with the German
journalist Peter Seewald, Benedict responded to a question about whether
a pope could resign: “Yes. If a Pope clearly realizes that he is no
longer physically, psychologically, and spiritually capable of handling
the duties of his office, then he has a right and, under some
circumstances, also an obligation to resign.”
The pope’s decision will trigger weeks of speculation about who will
take his place as the Vatican recovers from the scandal of pedophile
priests and seeks to retain believers as the church challenges rights to
abortion and gay marriage. Asked if Benedict had set an
example for future popes to resign instead of dying in office, often
after debilitating illness, Lombardi said: “This is not intended to
influence successors,” but he added, “Next time [it happens], it won’t
be the first time in centuries, it could be an approach to the problem.” One
Vatican expert said Benedict had probably been mulling his decision to
resign since his election eight years ago. “When he took over the church
had been through the suffering from illness of his predecessor John
Paul II,” said John Thavis. “It will have put in his mind questions about the governance of the church if the pope becomes incapable,” he said. -
LA Times.
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Wisconsin native James Harvey, right, was amongh six new cardinals installed during a ceremony on
Nov. 24. Franco Origlia / Getty Images, file. |
United States Will Have Unprecedented Voice In Electing New Pope.
When the next Papal Conclave meets to replace the retiring Pope Benedict XVI, the United States will have an unprecedented voice in the process. Eleven cardinal electors, almost 10 percent of the Conclave, will be Americans -- the largest share the country has ever had, even though it has historically had a large Catholic population. The retiring pope gets credit for the greater influence of the U.S. Last year, he named three new American cardinals, increasing the U.S. total to 19. Only 11 will be electors because in order to vote in the papal election, the cardinals must be under 80 when the pope being replaced dies or leaves his seat. With 11 votes, the U.S. is now the second-largest bloc, behind only Italy, which has 28 electors, according to the Holy See press office at the Vatican. Germany is third, with six. The shift in power toward the U.S. “reflects the vitality of the Catholic Church in the United States,” John Paul II biographer George Weigel said in November... The U.S. has as many as 78 million Catholics, according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University. For comparison’s sake, Italy, despite having the largest share of electors and being primarily Catholic, has a total population of fewer than 61 million residents, according to World Bank estimates from 2011. "It remains to be seen whether this numerical weight will actually translate into influence at the conclave," Speciale said in November. "Though national links are powerful, many other factors ... play into the secret voting at the Sistine Chapel." -
NBC News.
Obama Plans To Israel On March 20, During Or After Papal Conclave.
President Obama plans to travel to Israel this spring for the first time since taking office, as he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu try to move past the friction of the last four years now that both have won re-election. By making Israel a stop on the first overseas trip of his second term, Mr. Obama hopes to demonstrate support for the Jewish state despite doubts among some of its backers. But the trip also seems designed to signal a new start in a fraught relationship rather than an ambitious effort to revive a stalled peace process. “The start of the president’s second term and the formation of a new Israeli government offer the opportunity to reaffirm the deep and enduring bonds between the United States and Israel,” Jay Carney, the White House spokesman, said Tuesday, “and to discuss the way forward on a broad range of issues of mutual concern, including, of course, Iran and Syria.” Mr. Carney said Mr. Obama would also travel to Jordan and the West Bank.
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Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,
left, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in
New York, in 2009. |
The Israeli news media reported that Mr. Obama would arrive on March 20, but the White House would not discuss any dates for the trip. Mr. Netanyahu’s office said a visit by the president would be “an important opportunity to underscore the friendship and strong partnership between Israel and the United States.” The relationship between the two leaders has been edgy for years over issues like Israel’s settlements in the West Bank and ways to stop Iran’s nuclear program. While Mr. Obama won a clear victory in November, Mr. Netanyahu emerged from elections last month in a weakened state. His party won enough seats for him to retain office, but he will be forced to recruit centrist lawmakers for a coalition that might temper his policies. He has until March 16 to present his new government. Mr. Obama is not expected to unveil concrete proposals for bringing Israelis and Palestinians together during his visit or initiate a specific new peace process. But advisers hope that just by showing up and talking about these issues, Mr. Obama will show that he is not walking away from them. Dennis Ross, a former Middle East adviser to Mr. Obama, attributed the trip to “a desire to connect with the Israeli public at a time when he can go and not have high expectations about having to produce something.”
The president “can create a new beginning with the same prime minister but with a new Israeli government,” Mr. Ross said. Some peace advocates welcomed the trip but said it should go beyond atmospherics. “The key is, they’ve got to use this as a real substantive jumping off point for a serious diplomatic initiative,” said Jeremy Ben-Ami, the president of J Street, a Washington advocacy group. “This has to be more than a photo op to show that he cares.” A former Israeli defense official said the trip’s announcement might have been timed to send a message to Israelis and even influence the composition of the next government amid talk of restarting the peace effort. The former official said a more centrist government would allow the sides more room to maneuver. Also on the agenda this trip will be Iran and the continuing strife in Syria that threatens to descend into a wider regional conflict. Israel last week struck a convoy of antiaircraft weapons inside Syria that it feared was being moved to Hezbollah forces. “The United States can put an end to the Iranian threat,” President Shimon Peres of Israel said in an address to Parliament on Tuesday, “and I believe that the president of the United States is determined to do it.” -
NY Times.
Next Pope Will Have Official Seat In Upper Room Over The Tomb Of King David And Control Over Mount Zion.
Outgoing Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon is leaving his mark on
Jerusalem. After years of negotiations with the Vatican over property
and tax issues, it seems that an historic breakthrough is near.
Headlines in the
Jerusalem Post announced,
"Jerusalem is on verge of signing agreement to formalize diplomatic relations with the Holy See". However, there are conflicting and disturbing reports
regarding the status of the "Last Supper Room" (also referred to as the
"Upper Room", "Cenacle Shrine" or
"Coenaculum"), which sits
above the traditional Tomb of King David and is a central part of the
Diaspora Yeshiva grounds on Mt. Zion. For many years the Catholic church
has been vying for ownership of the room which is considered by many
Christians to be the traditional site of the location of the last
supper. The room itself is a 12th century Crusader structure, built on
top of the traditional Tomb of King David. Whereas
The Jerusalem Post claims that the two sides have
"essentially decided to agree to disagree on the matter",
Israel Hayom is reporting that the agreement will grant the Pope
"an official seat" in the Upper Room, as well as giving the Vatican "
a special modicum of control over the site".
Algemeiner reports that Israel
"did not give up sovereignty", but "
will allow the Vatican control over the site". -
Jewish Israel.
The Ancient Malachy Prophecy Of The Popes: The Rise Of The Moors Or Petrus Romanus - Who Will Be The Next Pope?
With
Pope Benedict XVI's
resignation, speculation about who might succeed him when the conclave
meets in March has begun. Any baptised Roman Catholic male is eligible
for election as pope, but only cardinals have been selected since 1378.
Among those who have been mentioned as potential successors are the
following:
Cardinal Peter Turkson
A TV star, "people's person" and a "wonderful" priest – the Ghanaian cardinal emerging as a strong favourite for the papacy is described by colleagues in glowing terms. Peter Turkson, who is the president of the Vatican's pontifical council for justice and peace, was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2003 after serving for almost 30 years as an ordained priest. Turkson, 64, was born on 11 October 1948 in Nsuta-Wassaw, a mining hub in Ghana's western region, to a Methodist mother and a Catholic father. He studied and taught in New York and Rome, before being ordained to the priesthood in 1975 and appointed archbishop of Cape Coast – the former colonial capital of Ghana and a key diocese – in 1992. As archbishop, Turkson was known for his human touch, colleagues said. "We love him," said Gabriel Charles Palmer-Buckle, the metropolitan archbishop of Accra, who was made archbishop in Ghana at the same time as Turkson and has known him since school. "For Ghanaians he was our first cardinal, and to be made cardinal in his 50s, was a big feather in our cap. "Since then he has shown himself to be a church leader and a young cardinal breaking new ground." "Cardinal Turkson is a wonderful person, very down to earth and humble," said the Rev Stephen Domelevo, from the Ghana Catholic Communication Office. "He lived in a simple way, and he was someone people felt very comfortable with. He is excellent at communicating scripture in a way that people really understand. He speaks many local languages – as well as European languages – and uses jokes and humour to really portray messages to people. He has that human touch."
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Cardinal Peter Turkson gets his red hat from Pope John Paul II.
The Ghanaian is one of the cardinals tipped to succeed Pope
Benedict XVI who is stepping down.
Photograph: Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images. |
Turkson speaks his native Ghanaian language, Fante, and English, as well as other Ghanaian languages and French, Italian, German, and Hebrew, as well as understanding Latin and Greek. "Cardinal Turkson likes to be able to joke with people in their own languages," said Domelevo. "It would not surprise us in Ghana if he were to be the next pope. He has what it takes. It would really be a gift to the church." Turkson's popularity in west Africa has been boosted by his regular television appearances, particularly a weekly broadcast on the state channel Ghana TV from 2006 called Catholic Digest, which airs every Saturday morning. He has maintained strong ties with his native country while carrying out his duties in the Vatican. "Cardinal Turkson has kept up his links with Ghana," said Palmer-Buckle. "He comes home as and when his duties allow. He has served as chairman of the national peace council, he has been on the board of our university – he is a very Ghanaian cardinal." However, Turkson has not been without controversy. He sparked outcry last year when he screened a YouTube film at an international meeting of bishops featuring alarmist predictions at the rise of Islam in Europe. The clip, titled Muslim Demographics, included claims such as: "In just 39 years France will be an Islamic republic." Pope Benedict XVI also attracted the ire of Muslims after a 2006 lecture in Regensburg, his former university, in which he used a quotation to suggest that contributions made by the prophet Muhammad were "only evil and inhuman". Ghana, whose population is roughly 63% Christian – including around 11% of which is Catholic – and 16% Muslim, is known for its relative tolerance and peaceful co-existence between Muslims and Christians. Colleagues in Ghana voiced approval for Turkson's stance on social matters, but said he would be unlikely to take the church in a radical direction on contentious issues such as abortion and contraception. In the past Turkson has not ruled out the use of condoms but advocated abstinence and fidelity, and treatment for HIV-infected people above spending and promoting the use of contraception. "In matters of scripture and morality, no leader of the church comes to change anything," said Palmer-Buckle. "But in pastoral matters, that is where the church has been much improved. "When dealing with homosexual activity, it is morally wrong. The truth must be spoken but it must be spoken with compassion."
Cardinal Francis Arinze
Francis Arinze, who was born in Eziowelle, Nigeria, on 1 November 1932, has long been touted as a possible pope. Although his parents worshipped Ibo deities, Arinze – one of seven children – was sent to an Irish missionary school and soon set his heart on becoming a priest. He was ordained in 1958 and went on to teach liturgy, logic and basic philosophy at Bigard Memorial Seminary at Enugu in south-eastern Nigeria and study at the Institute of Pedagogy in London. He was 32 when he was consecrated bishop on August 1965, and became archbishop two years later. Arinze witnessed the horrors of conflict first-hand during the civil war between Nigeria and Biafran secessionists, and was later asked by John Paul II to lead what is now the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, which is responsible for managing the Vatican's relationships with other faiths. His ability to get on with those outside the Vatican has been widely praised, with one colleague remarking of his charm: "The beautiful thing about the cardinal is that he can say the hardest thing with a smile on his face and not offend people." However, even the great communicator is sometimes unable to read his audience. During an appearance at Georgetown University in Washington almost a decade ago, he was booed for equating homosexuality with adultery and divorce, and claiming such sins mocked the family. John Paul II made him cardinal in May 1985, cementing his rapid rise through the Roman Catholic ranks. He was hotly tipped to be the first African in 1,500 years to sit on the throne of St Peter in 2005, but was beaten to the post by Cardinal Ratzinger. Read the rest of the list
HERE.
WATCH: Religious Literalism - Tom Horn's Trailer for Petrus Romanus.
WATCH: Prophecy of the Popes.
Read more on the Prophecy of the Popes
HERE.
