By Kathleen Sprows Cummings, Special to CNN
Editor’s note: Kathleen Sprows Cummings is an associate professor of American Studies at the University of Notre Dame and the Director of the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism. The views expressed are her own.
Words such as “wow,” “whoa!” and “stunning,” peppered my Facebook feed all Monday morning. But Pope Benedict’s announcement that he is stepping down should not come as too much of a surprise. He said himself on a on a number of occasions that the pope has the right and perhaps even the obligation to resign should he feel unable to carry out the duties of his office.
In light of his increasing frailty, the decision also reflects Benedict’s personality. For decades the world watched the long, slow decline of Pope John Paul II, who characteristically shared his suffering in a very public and poignant way. His successor, a scholar who has never been very comfortable in the limelight, has chosen to impart to the faithful a different lesson: how and when to make a courageous exit.
Benedict’s announcement has prompted widespread debate over his legacy. Any assessment of this will require acknowledgement of his distinctive achievements as pope, including his three encyclicals and other writings and speeches in which he used his formidable intellect to integrate faith and reason in the modern world. But any present or future evaluation must also recognize that Benedict’s papacy has also been marked by moments and actions far less grace-filled than the announcement of his departure. Among these are the clergy sex abuse scandals, dissension and dysfunction in the curia, and repeated papal gaffes – at Regensburg in 2006 about Islam, about indigenous people in Brazil in 2007, and on the subject of condoms in Africa in 2009.
More from CNN: Next pope must open up church
And, of course, any assessment of Benedict’s legacy depends on who is doing the assessing. More traditional Catholics have welcomed Benedict’s vision of a robust Catholic church armed against the evils of a secular world. But that vision has alienated many progressive Catholics in the United States, especially given his suggestion that the church would be better off without dissenters. Many suspect that mentality was behind the Vatican’s announcement, last April, that the Leadership Conference of Women Religious would be placed into a receivership until their orthodoxy could be certified.
And Monday morning, Benedict opened his announcement with the salutation “Brothers,” but one wonders what the news signifies for Catholic sisters, American and otherwise. In their official statement today, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious tactfully thanked him for his service and wished him well in his retirement. That said, question surely at the forefront of their minds, and those of many Catholics, is what his resignation will mean for the Church of the immediate and distant future.
Much depends on who will be elected to succeed Benedict. The speculation began at once. As was the case in 2005, many predict that the next conclave will result in a non-European pope. The composition of the College of Cardinals would suggest that such an outcome is unlikely though not impossible. Either way, considering that all the papal electors were appointed by Benedict or his predecessor, it is certain that his legacy will extend far beyond the time he spends as pontiff emeritus.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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The Author used the words "Pope" and "behind" in the same sentence!!!!!!!!! Hhaahahahhahahah
I'll bet there's a lot of "sucking up" (probably literally) going on right now!!!!!!!! Hahahahahahaahaha
Hey, were you a deprived child? So much for intellectual discussion on this issue!
Since WHEN has religion EVER been intellectual!!!!!!!!! And who cares who the pope is or that even a pope exists??? Moron. Hahahahahahahhaah
Are you a C_cks_cker too John?
Lessee, where's that "report demented user" button...?
Wouldn't a demented user be one that actually follows what the pope says???? Hahahahahahahahaha
.... Seriously? Just no. Please stop. You sound like a grade-school child.
Trolls like you make us non-Christians and Athiests look bad.
And you sound as if anything that anyone posts here will actually MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE!!!! Moron!!! Hahahhaahahaha
A wise decision. It is hard to be a vibrant leader when you can hardly move and most likely in pain.
True, but it isn't hard to sit and do nothing but cover up the rampant pedophilia in the church like he did for years...
Weak minded. Like the followers of Marx and Stallin?
No. Sarah Palin followers!!!!!!!!!! Hahahahahahahah
How fascinating, that these names keep coming up whenever the flaws of the Catholic Church are brought up. I wonder which ultra-right organization is flinging the names of long-discredited (and dead) political figures about?
The writer obviously has a flawed poltically correct view of things; that it is not appropreiate to state the truth when the truth may "offend" some people's sensitivittes. If our leaders cannot speak the truth, what good is it to have leaders? While the truth may be incovienant for some to hear, it must be said. To say those things knowing that some may be "offended" is true courage in this age when academics and the media wish to self-censure what they think is "proper" to discuss.
Try spellcheck honey.
Bob, Just how much have you had to drink?
guerisonchretienne @guerisonchretie
If God in midst of his people is binded by Peter answer(yes.I love you)than weaknesses of his successor is our source of celestialcompletion
guerisonchretienne @guerisonchretie
Overwhelming prayer by Church upon Kefial intimacy (.know I love you.. sheep)is resounding in kenotic confirmarion (.but my words shall not)
guerisonchretienne @guerisonchretie
Shallow waters erode ambitions while deep water affiliate obedience of God's word (ICHTUS) journeyed in Peter's Boat
Then why do so many catholics get offended and demand people be quiet when they speak the truth about the RCC and its century and planetary spanning criminal enterprise of child abuse?
There are few things more annoying than having someone who doesn't even know how to use quotation marks correctly lecture one about not being a clear or correct thinker.
Don't know whether Pope Benedict benefits from leaving the Roman Catholic Church or vice versa! The bunch of cardinals and bishops could be likened to the Islamic clerics, who all try to turn the clock back to the Middle Ages, in which scientists were persecuted as sorcerers.
Very funny. Hey, the Vatican has a functioning observatory and hundreds of scientifically trained clergy. And news flash: the Church also has no problem at all with evolution. Come on now - the middle ages are over in Christendom, so refrain from out-dated stereotypes, will ya? Go fix the Mohammudans.
First, it's "Muslims," not "Mohammedans."
Second, the fact that the Vatican has an observatory has nothing to do Benedict's unscientific assertion that condom use increases the rate of HIV infection. It does not, and his assertion that it does is fact sacrificed to dogma at its worst.
Since the Church was the only place to get an education until Universities came into being it is no small wonder that 7 of the modern sciences were founded by Catholic Priests or devout Catholic laymen.The Church and its research departments have been at the forefront of science for millennia.
Sorry, but the last cleric to have much of an impact on science, even a minor one, was Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. The overwhelming majority of discoveries since, oh, the 18th century have been made by secular scientists, most of them not Catholic.
There are so many uneducated even old Protestant stereotype prejudices expressed here. Everyone here has the ability to conduct research online try it. That includes the "professional news" agencies. Evil is everywhere in the world every person makes a choice to serve God or make themselves god. The evil in my beloved Catholic Church was committed by criminals it is particularly heinous because of the harm done to innocents. Priests, true priests are and have given their lives for the people, all people. As a soldier I faced prejudice because of the behavior of other soldiers, evil is a choice, so is good. God bless the good, and pray for the bad.
Well said.
I read many comments that show how low some people are. In their thoughts and in their lives. When you accuse the Pope and the Church in such baseless manner, you only show the world that you are far from religion, but you are also far from humanity and understanding one another.
That simply is not true Justice. People have grown to realize that expressing your thoughts and opinions with religion is no longer taboo. A couple of hundred years go you would have been put to death. (That's even true today with Islamic fascists ). We are in fact closer to humanity and understanding then ever before. The bible is out dated by myths. How can anyone deny science and evolution.
the product of evolution theory! Self labelled close to humanity being open minded does not mean being open genitals. being open minded means to stop destroying the planet and stop robbing the resources of civilized and humane world population. None of the civil nation has ever commited henous atomic attack. you need to pay attention on why 550 open minded people committed sucide who were ex military brain washed killers.
The Church does not deny science or have a problem with evolution. You are mistaken. The Bible is also not "myth". The Old Testament is a record of a people's search for their Creator. The New Testament is a fulfilment of the Old. Everything in the New Testament was witnessed by hundreds if not thousands. Everyone believes in the battles of Julius Caesar that no one recorded yet eyewitness accounts of God's miracles by thousands are rejected just because some people hate religion. The evidence is there if your mind is open enough to see it.
Leave it to an apologist for the world's largest organization of perverts and pedophiles to lecture the rest of us about "humanity" and "understanding".
I agree with you!!! There is nothing that even resembles humanity and understanding among those monsters. They hid, and will continue to hide their predators. None of the bishops and including the pope should exist anymore. They are nothing but freeloaders and hoarders of rare art, property and anything that is of great value. I despise this cult!!!
I agree completely. As a former Catholic who attended parochial schools for 12 years, and was also abused for many years by a family member (not a priest). I found no understanding or humanity from the nuns and priests who taught me. Once I attempted to confide in a priest about the abuse that i was experiencing, and was told "pray about it and God will give you an answer". The answer was found many years later when I was into my 50's,
These poor priest abuse victims will undergo many years of pain, and this pope could have addressed this issue YEARS ago but chose not to. He might have saved many victims from a lifetime of guilt that is not of their own making.
Legions of faithful Priest disagree. It really shows how hurtful and hateful you truly are by painting everyone with the same brush. To hear of any child molested breaks my heart. I adopted three who were molested by a family member. Stop making it a church issue. It is a societal issue. Look to the teachers, coaches, scouts, doctors, lawyers and family members. They kept their little secret and covered-up also. That is not to say how the church handle it was correct, Unfortunately, the church and many others did exactly the same thing. Spinning the truth is no different than telling a lie! Kindly get your facts straight. And by the way, I am a Priest!
Benedict, why don't you take a seat right over there.
-Chris Hansen
considering John Paul II was a helpless basket case the last 5 years they don't want a replay of that sadness.
Being a catholic I've always considered Pope Benedict to be a transitional pope after the great run of John Paul II. We need a new pope who is going to get the Church into this century and change with the times. That includes working with and accepting the sciences, to letting women play a more prominent role in the church, and to possibly even allow priests to become married. What I totally disagree with though is you take a subject like the popes resignation and revert back to the child molestation cases. Then you stereotype all the people associated with the Catholic church as being perverts and child molesters. For individuals who claim to be so open-minded you seem to have tunnel vision. Sometimes devious, disgusting, and unmoral individuals slip by and commit heinous acts. Equally heinous and devious individuals cover them up. But let me ask you this, do you blame the teacher who words or the student who studies at Penn State for Sandusky's actions? Your equally as devious and unmoral to make a joke and mock the events that occurred just because you don't agree or care to follow a religion. Your probably the same type of individuals who think all Islams are terrorists. Pathetic is the word that comes to mind when thinking how people who claim open-mindedness have the most closed mind of all.
As a Catholic you should know that the Church does not conform to what society thinks is normal, Society is supposed to conform to what the Church believes is normal and good. Women, and one in particular, are exalted as co-creators with God. There are deep theological reasons why women will never be priests, and priests will never be married. If you want gay and/or female priests find an Episcopal Church.
I know all too well what the church allows and doesn't allow. I know what the church expects and how narrow minded they are. It is one of the many reasons I feel people who were once practicing Catholics are turning away from the church. I think it is time though the church needs an overhaul and an outlook change and they need a strong Pope willing to steer the church in a new direction while maintaining the basic values and principles. They need to learn to adapt.
Amen to that!!!! What is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular!!!!
There are married Roman Catholic priests now. My diocese just accepted a converted married Anglican minister to be a priest. Therefore the church doesn't have a problem with married priests. Priests were married in the beginning of the church. Peter was married when he was an Apostle. The church only banned marriage because the priests were bequething the assets of their parishes to their descendents instead of leaving them for the parish.
The only "deep theological reason" for women to excluded from the priesthood is the supposed necessity for a priest to physically resemble Christ (who never actually *was* a priest). This begs the question of why the priesthood is not also confined to Jewish carpenters under the age of 33.
Also, women *were* priests, or at least deacons, as far as the ministry of St. Paul. He specifically gave his letter to the Romans to Phoebe, the diaconos of Cenchraea – and I hate to disillusion you, but "diaconos" is used interchangeably for "priest" in much of the New Testament. Weirdly enough, the only place where so-called scholars *don't* consider it to mean "priest" is when referring to Phoebe....
The church is not a popularity contest, you are free to join, if you believe in its teachings. or leave.if you don't. Those who believe in the churches teachings have no problem with it, it is only those who don't believe who are complaining. With regards to child molesting issues i lay the blame fairly and squarely on gays who have infiltrated the church and are taking advantage of it, there is no reason to blame the religion for it if you are not blaming gays and pedophiles equally.
What a bigoted, mean-spirited, and inaccurate statement. Shame on you.
I agree!!!
I know this is a blog, but CNN is a professional news organization; please proofread spelling and grammar before posting.
Thanks!
There is no such thing as a "professional news organization", certainly not CNN. That hasn't existed since Walter Cronkite retired.
If he leaves his hat behind, I want it.
are you talking about the hat that comes to a point?
It's Obama's fault.
The Pope knows better than anyone that god is a fraud on humanity. All this time and God never really spoke to him. At least this Pope is coming to grips with his personal honesty. I salute this Pope for admitting that make-believe is exhausting.
guerisonchretienne @guerisonchretie
If God in midst of his people is binded by Peter answer(yes.I love you)than weaknesses of his successor is our source of celestialcompletion
guerisonchretienne @guerisonchretie
Overwhelming prayer by Church upon Kefial intimacy (.know I love you.. sheep)is resounding in kenotic confirmarion (.but my words shall not)
guerisonchretienne @guerisonchretie
Shallow waters erode ambitions while deep water affiliate obedience of God's word (ICHTUS) journeyed in Peter's Boat
Eh. What? Can you write something that I can understand?
Legacy? Pedophile Protector ... J.R.Walker, Terrace, British Columbia
The atheists, who flock to any religous article will be crying out ....save us Lord. 'The Prophecy of the Popes' St. Malachy's prophecy of the last of the Popes, time has come. Atheists are given a choice, The same choice, people of faith are given. Whether to believe in God, or not...They chose poorly. When their time comes, somebodies got some explaining to do.
Terrible Ted Sounds like you are threatening.. How can you love and worship someone you fear. Sounds more like a dictatorship. I'd rather live in North Korea under their dictatorship then die and have eternal dictatorship. Do you really think if I don't accept your god as my savior that I deserve to be tortured afteri die?
Okay, anyone in their right sense would know the different between fear and being afraid. Fear in the Biblical sense does not mean to be afraid. In fact those words came from Jesus lips, "Do not be afraid". Fear means respect, just as a child fears their parent as in respect (Oh, that's right we are raising children now without any respect) Just look around you and you will see. I work diligently to teach my children respect and responsibility. They have a healthy fear as I did as a child of not disrespecting my parents, nor letting them down by my behavior!
Gerard a parent that would torture their children if they don't act right is sadistic. God told Abe in the scriptures to kill his own son to proove his love? then stopped him the last moment. i would have told him f- y– That is not healthy respect. Children grow up and don't need parenting. Your god never stops watching you and even knows your thoughts. You go to heaven and worship your god for eternity. I'll pass thanks.
Gerard a parent that would torture their children if they don't act right is sadistic. God told Abe in the scriptures to kill his own son to prove his love? Then stopped him at the last moment. i would have told him f- y– That is not healthy respect. Children grow up and don't need parenting. Your god never stops watching you ( He even knows your thoughts and can convict you of thought crimes) You go to heaven and worship your god for eternity. I'll pass thanks.
The so-called "Prophecy of the Popes" is regarded by the Church you claim to defend as a 16th century forgery. FAIL.
he is a creepy looking guy, more suitable for Darth Vader role.
The pope used to work as teacher and was very eager to reforme the curie. There was the crisis in the seventies and Ratzinger used to prevent the church from being separated in modern christian protestant groups and conservative more fundamental ones. So to unify and to keep all the christian groups together, Ratzinger went back to the earlier middle age theories. He was accused of being a hard-liner, because the II Vatican Council was somehow diminished, the regional cardinals had to loose power and influence. The existence of the devil and all this old stuff was introduced again and practised under his legacy. Inside the vatican among young scholars there was resistance and fear of a new rise of fundamentalism of other religions – Ratzinger openly declared the christian faith as being the most peaceful and the christian good as the best; he could hide his intention of a new form of intellectual crusade by saying that he is against relativism. So his centralizing and powerful christian eagerness didn't even recognize the faith of others as something that should be accepted. It was a kind of conquering, clever hidden behind good intentions.! Now he resigns and wants to go back to hide again – but try to keep the official showmaster more moderate, but the old structures all the same! They don't get rid off the 800 year old dust – never!
What Pope benedict leaves is perhaps the prophecy of St. Malachy, an Archbishop of Armagh who died in 1148, Malachy predicted there would be only 112 Popes and provided a list of them. The next is the last according to Malachy. Interestingly, there are some other events that are going to occur (in the very near future) that seem to add some veracity to the bishops prediction. In 2014 there is a blood moon falling on passover, a blood moon on sukkot in 2014, a eclipse of the sun and a blood moon falling on passover in 2015 and a blood moon on sukkot in 2015. In Genesis 1:14 the bible says "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs" You may discount these "signs" but before you do look at the events that have occurred in history when just passover coincided with a blood moon (I will give you the years 1492, 1948, 1967). There will be some significant event occur with Israel in 2014 and 2015. Since The almighty elected not to tell me what those events were going to be, I can only make a guess.
There have been 265 popes so far, not 111.
I did not make the prophecy, is it possible he was counting the next 112. Good grief google the last pope prophecy.
Get your facts straight
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_popes
In his retirement, he wants to spend more time on his hobbies:
Robbing the gullible and molesting small children.
Go play nice in Mom's basement
Did he remember to destroy all the videos he made of boys?
It seems he forgot yours.
I'm no fan of Roman Catholicism, reading about how the church/state fusion of the 16th century led to a tremendous amount of persecution of the peaceful anabaptists in places like Holland, but give this guy a break: he's stepping down because of his health, so show a little sympathy. The hatetheists posting here do little to be persuasive, but instead come out looking like rabid, basement-dwelling jerks.
what about the childrens lives he helped destroy. Instead of going to their aid, he demanded they be ignored and threatened if they tell. Many victims mentally ill today and others committed suicide.
Why not feel bad for them and treat this pope as the sc-um he is.
The Pope leaves behind the death of the Catholic faith.
Dorothy's red shoes?
Is a Lutheran.
Blood on the Clown Suit...
Readers might find this site quite interesting.. Data came from a canon lawyer who reported to the vatican, investigators and court cases. The site also lists over 5,000 priests who abused children. FBI believes the number is significantly higher since less than 1% of victims were able to come forward.
bishopaccountability. org (remove space before org)
Enjoy
He leaves behind a corrupt dictatorship after his Majesty abdicates.
Benedict XVI is the G.W. Bush of the Vatican leaving behind a mess for his successor to fix and it will take years to do that.
What Pope Benedict leaves behind...a gang of thieves, perverts and parasites, just like before.
What Pope Benedict leaves behind
Edible underwear?
Is he taking his PlayBoy issues?
With all the coverage of benedict, the only thing that I have agreed with fully was his rightfully calling out muhammad. he tried to take it back for the sake of political correctness, but his assessment was spot on.
i learned a couple things today..there's still a pope and his name is benedict
Jesus never resigned, even when his life was in danger. In my view, Benedict is a coward who abdicated his responsibilities to his Lord. Now, he is no longer infallable but fallable just like any of us. He must confess his sins.
Kweso, you have very limited knowledge on the catholic church. So please refrain from saying things without knowing the facts. The Pope has never said he is without sin. The fact is, he goes for confession every week or most likely everyday. It just struck me, you may not know the meaning of confession. Its for sinners and not you since you are perfect.
He will leave behind all the little children holding their behinds.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Amen.
AMEN to Our Lords Prayer.
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