Pope Benedict to resign

[Cameron]

Pope Benedict To Preserve Immunity, Security By Remaining In Vatican After Resignation

Despite Pope Benedict XVI’s recent announcement that he will resign from the papacy at the end of this month, he will receive both legal immunity and personal security services by continuing to reside in the Vatican, Reuters reported. . .

The last major concern associated with Benedict's hypothetical relocation that was mentioned by officials centered on his vulnerability to legal challenges associated with the ongoing sexual-abuse lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Church. The pope's Vatican citizenship currently protects him in these cases under the provisions of the Lateran Pacts of 1929. . .

http://www.ibtimes.com/pope-benedict...nation-1089612

[kudzu]

I'd like to get our resident Catholic's educated opinion on this, complete with the entire theological ramifications, before I comment.

Mom... that's you...

[Mom49of4]

What opinion do you want?

[kudzu]

An honest perspective on the whole living ex-Pope thing.

Which should be more than a simple quip.

[Mom49of4]

I honestly believe the Pontiff is quite ill. I think he prayed for guidance and made his decision to resign based on prayer. When I first heard he was resigning the idea of his having dementia or something close to it was mentioned. He is 85 and that is quite possible.

[kudzu]

I'm not seeing anything in there about there being TWO infaliable leaders of the One True Church alive at the same time...

[songfourone]

The Vatican sought Saturday to tamp down rumors involving sex, money and gay priests that have been swirling in the Italian media and have been linked by some to Pope Benedict XVI's decision to resign.

The newspaper stories center on an investigation last year by three cardinals into a scandal involving leaks from the Vatican.

La Repubblica, citing unnamed sources familiar with the investigation, alleged that the investigation revealed a series of scandals involving sex, money and power that touch cardinals, priests and lay people that work in the Vatican.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/23/world/...ss_igoogle_cnn

[slapshot]

The Vatican sought Saturday to tamp down rumors involving sex, money and gay priests that have been swirling in the Italian media and have been linked by some to Pope Benedict XVI's decision to resign.

The newspaper stories center on an investigation last year by three cardinals into a scandal involving leaks from the Vatican.

La Repubblica, citing unnamed sources familiar with the investigation, alleged that the investigation revealed a series of scandals involving sex, money and power that touch cardinals, priests and lay people that work in the Vatican.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/23/world/...ss_igoogle_cnn

If true, would this really surprise anybody besides the true believers, aka, the blind followers?

The Catholic Church has had major moral, ethical and financial problems for decades...maybe centuries.

Anyway, I don't wish him any ill-will. Let him step down in peace.

[ms maggie]

Sounds like the Pope sees this scandal exploding and is removing himself to spare the church. The money scandal sounds really ominous.

[flyboy56]

Imagine a man giving up marriage and a wholesome sex life to become a priest. As a child who was raised a Catholic, as I got older I had a very difficult time understanding such a commitment. I started reading the history of the Catholic church, things that weren't taught in Catechism. It seems many men who joined the church had a criminal history and sought refuge. It also made sense that a homosexual who didn't care about marriage and having a family with a women would also hide in the church and used it to be around children if they were pedophiles. The very same atrocities that took place during the Roman Empire days is still going on today.

[slapshot]

Imagine a man giving up marriage and a wholesome sex life to become a priest. As a child who was raised a Catholic, as I got older I had a very difficult time understanding such a commitment. I started reading the history of the Catholic church, things that weren't taught in Catechism. It seems many men who joined the church had a criminal history and sought refuge. It also made sense that a homosexual who didn't care about marriage and having a family with a women would also hide in the church and used it to be around children if they were pedophiles. The very same atrocities that took place during the Roman Empire days is still going on today.

Not to excuse the Catholic Church, but I think anytime you have such a large organization that is cloaked in secrecy, bad chit is gonna happen.

[Terry K]

Not to excuse the Catholic Church, but I think anytime you have such a large organization that is cloaked in secrecy, bad chit is gonna happen.

yes, just look what we got with Obama, Clinton, Panetta, Rice and Benghazi.

[kandace]

I actually find myself beginning to form a somewhat favorable impression of Pope B16. At least he had the honesty to admit that he was not up to the task of leading the Catholic Church through its massive sexual, financial and political scandals, and just left. One of the most serious problems facing many churches today is the presence of persons in leadership positions for which they are wholly unqualified and/or not up to par for. Such persons would most ably serve the cause of Christianity by just knowing when to go rather than cling to positions they lack spiritual qualifications to occupy.

[zenwalk]

The theories abound because the legal noose is tightening around the Vatican hierarchy in so many ways and directions you could fill a wheel of fortune. Benedict has been wallpapering a s==thouse when what's needed is demolition. The Vatican has been running a ratline too long. Rome views these charges as a publicity embarrassment. Until they are prepared to call a crime a crime and hand over these rapists nothing changes.

[zenwalk]

My money is on this as the reason for Benedict's hasty retirement.

"Ratzinger wanted to elevate John Paul to beatification," said Barba, coauthor of La Voluntad de No Saber ("The Will Not to Know"), an analysis of Vatican documents on Maciel. The book's publication last March and Benedict's refusal to meet with Maciel victims on a trip to Mexico ignited an onslaught of bad press for the pope. Benedict had to reckon with the embarrassment of John Paul's praise of Maciel after the 1998 case, in essence scoffing at allegations against one of the most notorious sexual criminals in church history. By keeping a lid on Maciel's secret life, Barba said, Benedict hoped "to defend the sainthood case against the accusations that John Paul protected predators."

Jason Berry has been the point man on this case and there are plenty articles over the years online if you are looking for further reading. It's always about the money.

http://ncronline.org/news/accountabi...te-wider-cover

[songfourone]

yes, just look what we got with Obama, Clinton, Panetta, Rice and Benghazi.

And just look at what we had (Bush, Chaney, Rumsfeld, Rove) and why we needed them

[ODENTON]

The Vatican sought Saturday to tamp down rumors involving sex, money and gay priests that have been swirling in the Italian media and have been linked by some to Pope Benedict XVI's decision to resign.

The newspaper stories center on an investigation last year by three cardinals into a scandal involving leaks from the Vatican.

La Repubblica, citing unnamed sources familiar with the investigation, alleged that the investigation revealed a series of scandals involving sex, money and power that touch cardinals, priests and lay people that work in the Vatican.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/23/world/...ss_igoogle_cnn

S____s about to hit the fan..............get out while you can.

[DaggerJohn]

The Vatican sought Saturday to tamp down rumors involving sex, money and gay priests that have been swirling in the Italian media and have been linked by some to Pope Benedict XVI's decision to resign.

The newspaper stories center on an investigation last year by three cardinals into a scandal involving leaks from the Vatican.

La Repubblica, citing unnamed sources familiar with the investigation, alleged that the investigation revealed a series of scandals involving sex, money and power that touch cardinals, priests and lay people that work in the Vatican.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/23/world/...ss_igoogle_cnn

Lots of speculation there and not much substance. I'm surprised you quote from and link to such a weak source.

[Sprightly]

Lots of speculation there and not much substance. I'm surprised you quote from and link to such a weak source.

My daughter lives in Rome and obviously has many Italian (Catholic) friends. I enjoy listening to her accounts of the reactions. Apparently it's a very exciting time to be in Rome.

[Cameron]

Scotland's Roman Catholic archbishop, mired in rape claims, resigns

Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Scotland's Roman Catholic archbishop, the Vatican said in a statement released Monday.

The announcement follows weekend allegations that Cardinal Keith O'Brien abused four men studying to be priests in the 1980s. The resignation was submitted months ago, and it was accepted last week, the statement said.

On Sunday, the British newspaper The Observer reported that three priests and one former priest leveled allegations against O'Brien that date back 30 years.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/25/world/...html?hpt=hp_t1