Last Monday an unexpected announcement came from the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI declared that he will be resigning in a few weeks, setting the date as Feb. 28. This is the first occurrence of a pope resigning in over 600 years, surpassed by Gregory XII who stepped down in 1415. He is also the first pope to resign voluntarily since Pope Celestine V in 1294. The leader of the one billion Catholics in the world proclaimed that he was stepping down “for the good of the church.” “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,” he claimed in his statement. “I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me.” Benedict, who took office in 2005, will also be known as having one of the shortest papacies in history.
Although the 85-year-old is said to have no medical ailment that would influence his decision to retire, reports have explained that he has been showing signs of age in the past few months. According to huffingtonpost.com, “He often seemed tired and even appeared to doze off during Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.” That same night he was said to have been brought to the altar on a “wheeled platform.” As for his future plans, the soon-to-be ex-pope is planning to live a quiet life of prayer in a residence made by the Vatican.
“Certainly, the decision of the Holy Father is an act of great courage, humbleness and reflects great inner freedom,” says Gretchen Rodriguez, president of UT’s Catholic Student Organization. “With this decision, Benedict XVI reflects his deep love for Christ and the Church.”
A recent event in mother nature is leading people to question if Benedict made the right decision, seeing as how papacy is usually a service for life and every pope for the past 600 years has died in office. A mere few hours after his resignation announcement, USA Today captured a photo of a lightning bolt striking St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, which some are claiming to be a sign from above. Others believe that the Pope’s resignation will even be an improvement for the Catholic Church. “This new stage that the Catholic Church lives in is hopeful,” says Rodriguez. “I think this is a moment of great hope and internal renewal for the church. [This gives] the possibility of choosing a new Pontiff who can, with audacity, row deep in this project of the New Evangelization.”
There is now the speculation of who will be the next pope. In order to make the decision, “a conclave of the church’s 117 cardinals under age 80 will be held to appoint a new pope. The Vatican said a decision should be reached before Easter,” as reported by ABC News. The process is said to begin after March 15. Some possible contenders for the position are Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, the Archbishop of Genoa; Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the former Archbishop of Quebec and Cardinal Peter Turkson from Ghana. Television personalities are even trying to get famous Americans elected. Bill Maher of HBO’s “Real Time” jokingly suggested two women candidates: Hillary Clinton and Oprah. “Maybe Pope Hillary could clean up the church,” claimed Maher. And if Hillary won’t do it, pope-rah.”
Being born and raised Catholic, the Pope’s resignation comes as a shock to me. Pope Benedict XVI did what he believed was best for himself and the church. He had the right to resign, however, it may have been a better idea for him to have not taken the position when he was elected at age 78. By that time, a person typically knows their health and capability. For a church that holds strong in their beliefs, it’s surprising that a member would choose to change something that has been the same for 600 years. Before taking the position, he should’ve considered the fact that the papacy is a position that has been held for life by almost every other pope in the past.
It comes across as eerie that a bolt of lightning would hit the Vatican only hours after Benedict announced his resignation. This occurrence seems awfully similar to an instance in 2011, when a tree next to the Caylee Anthony memorial was struck soon after her mother Casey was acquitted on murder charges. I’m not entirely sure that the lightning in the Vatican would be a “sign,” but it seems a bit too coincidental that a streak of lightning would hit that exact spot in the Vatican only a few hours after Benedict XVI announced he was resigning. I can only hope that the Catholic Church will find a good candidate who will continue to lead the Church in the right direction.
Jessica Forte can be reached at jessica.forte@spartans.ut.edu