"Benedict XVI leaves the Pontificate" is how the OR reports the historic announcement in its issue for tomorrow - English translation of the article from news.va
The unexpected announcement
that rang out in the Concistory Hall
Translated from the 2/11-2/12 issue of
The picture is taken during the liturgy of the consistory, before the Holy Father made his announcement.
Dismay, surprise, amazement and emotion at the words of Benedict XVI who announced his decision to “renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome”. These sentiments were etched on the faces of the cardinals, bishops and prelates – assembled for the Ordinary Public Concistory on Monday morning, 11 February, in the Concistory Hall of the Apostolic Palace – who heard the unexpected announcement in the Pope’s own voice.
Everyone’s eyes met, a light murmur swelled in the hall and astonishment faded into sorrow. Yet, after the first few moments of confusion, the unanimous recognition that the Pope’s act was a very lofty act of humility made headway among those present – who included the papal masters of ceremony, representatives of the postulations, choristers of the Sistine Chapel Choir, papal chair bearers and technicians.
It was a decision that took everyone by surprise. As did the fact that the Pope – accompanied by Archbishop Georg Gänswein, Prefect of the Papal Household, and Archbishop Guido Pozzo, the Pope’s Almoner, Mons. Leonardo Sapienza, Regent of the Papal Household, and Alfred Xuereb of the Pope’s Private Secretariat – chose to communicate it personally, when, at the end of the celebration of Midday Prayer and after the announcement that the three canonizations on the agenda of the Concistory would be held next 12 May, he read the Latin text of the Declaratio written in his own hand.
Speaking in a firm, calm voice, while those present listened to him in an almost unreal silence, he explained the reasons for his decision, made “with full freedom”, and “after having repeatedly examined my conscience before God”.
The prayerful, joyous atmosphere turned into sadness. The spokesman who rose to the occasion was Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Dean of the College of Cardinals who immediately took the floor on behalf of all the cardinals.
“Your Holiness, beloved and venerable Successor of Peter”, he said, “your moving message rang out in this hall like a bolt from the blue. We heard it with a sense of bewilderment, almost totally unbelieving. In your words we noted the great affection which you have always had for God’s holy Church, for this Church which you have so deeply loved”.
Now, he added, “may I be permitted to tell you on behalf of the apostolic ‘upper room’, the College of Cardinals, on behalf of your dear co-workers, that we are closer to you than ever, as we have been especially close in these luminous eight years of your pontificate”.
The Cardinal assured Benedict XVI that “before 28 February, as you said, the day on which you wish to give the last word to your papal service, carried out so lovingly, so humbly, before 28 February we will have an opportunity to express our sentiments to you better. A great number of pastors and of the faithful, scattered across the world, will do likewise, as will numerous people of good will, together with the authorities of a great many countries”.
He then made a reference to the upcoming commitments of the Pope. During this month we shall have the joy of hearing your voice as a pastor: on Ash Wednesday, then on Thursday with the clergy of Rome, at the Angelus on the coming Sundays, at the Wednesday General Audiences. There will thus be many occasions on which to hear your fatherly voice again”.
“Your mission”, he concluded, “will nevertheless continue”. You said that you will always be close to us with your witness and with your prayers. Of course, the stars of heaven always continue to shine and thus the star of your pontificate will always shine among us. We are close to you, Holy Father, and please bless us”.
The future of God
Editorial
by Giovanni Maria Vian
Translated from the 2/11-2/12 issue of
It is an event without precedent [not in 600 years] and consequently, the news instantly went around the world that Benedict VXI has decided to resign the Papacy.
As the Pope himself announced with simple solemnity before a group of cardinals, from 8 p.m. on Februayr 28, the episcopal seat of Rome will be vacant, andshortly thereafter, a conclave will be held to elect a new Successor to the Apostle Peter. Thus he specifies in the brief text which the Pope composed directly in Lain and which he read at the consistory.
The Pope's decision had been taken months ago, after the trip to Mexico and Cuba (in March 2012), and in a secrecy that no one could breach, after "having repeatedly examined" his conscience "before God" (
conscientia mea iterum atque iterum coram Deo explorata), because of his advancing age.
Benedict XVI explained, with his characteristic clarity, that his strengths are no longer suited to an adequate exercise" of the immense task required of him who is elected "to govern the bark of St. Peter and to announce the Gospel".
Because of this, and only because of this, the Roman Pontiff, "well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom" (
bene conscius ponderis huius actus plena libertate) renounces the ministry of Bishop of Rome entrusted to him on April 19, 2005.
The words that Benedict XVI chose indicate with transparency his respect for the conditions provided by canon law for resigning from a responsibility that cannot be compared with anything in the world for its real weight and its spiritual importance.
It is well-known that Cardinal Ratzinger did not in any way seek to be elected Pope, but his election was one of the fastest in the history of the Papacy, which he accepted with the simplicity of one who has truly entrusted his life to God.
Therefore, Benedict XVI has never felt himself alone, in his authentic and daily relationship with he who lovingly governs the life of every human being and in the reality of the communion of saints, sustained by the love and work (amore et lavore) of his co-workers, and supported by prayer and the affection of so many oeople, believers or not.
His renunciation of the Papacy must be seen in this light, a renunciation that was freely made but above all, confident in the providence of God. Benedict XVI knows well that papal service, "by its spiritual nature', can also be carried out "suffering and praying, but he underscores that "in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith", a Pope also needs "both strength of mind and body" a strength that has been deteriorating in him with age.
In his words to the cardinals - who were first dumbfounded and then profounbdly moved - and with a decision that has no comparable historical precedents - Benedict XVI has shown a lucidity and humility which is, above all, as he one said, an adherence to reality, being down to earth (humus, the same root word for humilis).
Therefore, no longer feeling that he is able to 'adequately fulfill' the ministry entrusted to him, he announced his resignation. With a decision that is humanly and spiritually exemplary, in the full maturity of a Pontificate which, from its very beginning and for almost eight years, day after day, has not ceased to surprise and which will leave a deep mark in history. The history that the Pope reads trustfully in terms of God's future.
I hope this is the last time I express my disappointment with Mr. Vian, who adds nothing to the Pope's beautifully composed statement (he simply scrambles it up, and badly) other than that the decision began to take shape after the trip to Mexico and Cuba... Also, one would have expected pictures worthy of the once-in-six-centuries event from the OR, but I understand they only had less than two hours to prepare from the time of the announcement to the time the newspaper had to go to press for tomorrow's issue...
I am trying to keep on top of developments now because if I don't, it will be difficult to catch up enough to do justice to the magnitude of this story. As historic as it is for the Church, for us who love, admire and venerate Benedict XVI as we have not done for other Popes, it represents a most unexpected and draconian adjustment to what we have considered an elementary fact of our daily life that we have been living most joyously since April 19, 2005.
We have 17 days left to have him in office, but I hope that the Forum continues, in order to be able to continue to keep his Pontificate in the right perspective for other laymen like us., and to leave a record, however feeble, of promptly countering the lies, distortions and misrepresentations that have been made of his person and his work.
I will leave it to others to follow the next Pope, whoever he will be, the way we have tried to follow Benedict XVI's Pontificate and the back story of Joseph Ratzinger, and document most of what we could about it. God willing, we can continue to do so, since there is an almost infinite wealth of material to mine.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 12/02/2013 11:02]