Pope Benedict XVI Will Resign, Vatican Spokesman Says

Sure to be the big story of the day.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-21411304

 

Reads like he didn't feel like he had his fastball any more.

 

If I remember correctly, when he was named Pope it was sort of in thinking he wouldn't live but a few years and that would give them time figure out who they really wanted and could prepare him for the job.

 

I think he was definitely picked as a sort of steady pair of hands post-JP2. They always knew he was definitely NOT going to follow in that mold.

 

I guess Benedict is waiting until the end of the month to give the Vatican time to figure out what to do, what to call him, etc. The last pope to resign was in 1415. My guess is the church doesn't have an up to date contingency plan for this sort of thing.

 

Live boy or dead girl?

 

Will this derp also get a $37 million golden parachute for failing?

 

Has the job been posted yet? I'd make a good pope, dammit!

 

That whole 50-plus years of heresy thing is really discriminating against the younger applicants.

 

Oh goody, we'll get to see the puffs of smoke again.

 

Good evening.

This is the 37th time I have spoken to you from this office, where so many decisions have been made that shaped the history of this Church. Each time I have done so to discuss with you some matter that I believe affected the religious interest.

In all the decisions I have made in my public life, I have always tried to do what was best for the Church. Throughout the long and difficult period of Child Diddling, I have felt it was my duty to persevere, to make every possible effort to complete the term of office to which the cardinals elected me.

In the past few days, however, it has become evident to me that I no longer have a strong enough political base in the College of Cardinals to justify continuing that effort. As long as there was such a base, I felt strongly that it was necessary to see the constitutional process through to its conclusion, that to do otherwise would be unfaithful to the spirit of that deliberately difficult process and a dangerously destabilizing precedent for the future.

But with the disappearance of that base, I now believe that the constitutional purpose has been served, and there is no longer a need for the process to be prolonged.

I would have preferred to carry through to the finish whatever the personal agony it would have involved, and my family unanimously urged me to do so. But the interest of the Church must always come before any personal considerations.

From the discussions I have had with Cardinals and other leaders, I have concluded that because of the Child Diddling matter I might not have the support of the Cardinals that I would consider necessary to back the very difficult decisions and carry out the duties of this office in the way the interests of the Church would require.

I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is abhorrent to every instinct in my body. But as Pope, I must put the interest of the Church first. The Church needs a full-time Pope and a full-time College of Cardinals, particularly at this time with problems we face at home and abroad.

To continue to fight through the months ahead for my personal vindication would almost totally absorb the time and attention of both the Pope and the Vatican in a period when our entire focus should be on the great issues of peace abroad and prosperity without inflation at home.

Therefore, I shall resign the Papacy effective at noon tomorrow.

 

What's the over/under the new Pope will be at least 72 years old?
And white?