The Pope says Peace Out! ( he's not dead)

[Lathum]

Pope Benedict to resign at the end of the month, Vatican says - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/11/world/europe/pope-benedict-resignation/index.html?hpt=hp_t1)

[Suicane75]

Where do I send my application?

[Peregrine]

Be careful when applying Suicane, a lot of people think they can be Pope, but they miss the "Must be infallible." in the small print.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Takes a fair bit of guts to be the first guy to do something in 600 years, much less something like this.

I'm a long way from being Catholic but I think he's one of the more admirable religious figures - regardless of brand - on the world scene in many years. No shortage of courage of conviction in him, and I respect that quite a bit.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Does he get to keep the sweet hat?

[Suicane75]

Be careful when applying Suicane, a lot of people think they can be Pope, but they miss the "Must be infallible." in the small print.

Hey man, I'm just looking for some good insurance.

For real though, I don't know anything about how they pick a pope, but will they try and go younger this time?

[Izulde]

It's hard to say. The general feeling when Ratzinger was elected, I think, was that he would serve as a caretaker Pope until he died and then they would elect someone younger.

This resignation throws a curveball into the mix. I'll have to see if I can find someplace in town that's taking bets on who the next one will be and at least get some odds.

[NorvTurnerOverdrive]

"Strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me," the pope said, according to the Vatican.too pooped to pope

[JPhillips]

Good riddance. Ratzinger is neck deep in the pedophile scandal and should have never been Pope in the first place.

[molson]

I always root for the black guy, is he still a possibility?

[Kodos]

Ray Lewis is available.

[Sun Tzu]

$50 says socialist Obama is at fault somehow.

WHERE ARE MY GUNS? I NEED GUNS IN CASE THE GOVERNMENT ATTACKS!

[claphamsa]

the pope can only be elected from the college of cardinals... so while they wont be as old as ratzinger (he was 78- and 80 is the oldest possible) whoever it is wont be a ton younger.

[Izulde]

I always root for the black guy, is he still a possibility?

Arinze? 80, so too old.

[Izulde]

First article I pulled up:

Experts: Top 5 picks for the next pope | Detroit Free Press | freep.com (http://www.freep.com/usatoday/article/1908839?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cs)

I don't think they'll go back to Italy, or even in Europe. I think this is when they finally get daring with their pick and go South or North America. Not really seeing any viable African or Asian candidates (I thought they would go with Arinze last time, TBH).

[ISiddiqui]

I will say that while I disagreed with him on a ton of things (and don't know just how far he is implicated in the child sex scandels), I admired this Pope for some of the controversial stances he did take. He was rabidly anti-war, anti-consumerism (and anti-free market capitalism), pro-environment, and very pro-dialogue with other religious groups (in fact he got in trouble for seemingly praying with Muslims). I also thought his views on God as love and the beauty of the divine to be very inspiring. I also thought that Benedict's views on the co-existence of faith and science were very good as well.

There is a lot of good to be found in Benedict's reign as Pope (along with the bad).

[Desnudo]

Should be someone who will pull them into the 20th century. I don't think that person exists though.

[JPhillips]

I'd be very surprised if the next Pope isn't Italian.

[claphamsa]

First article I pulled up:

Experts: Top 5 picks for the next pope | Detroit Free Press | freep.com (http://www.freep.com/usatoday/article/1908839?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cs)

I don't think they'll go back to Italy, or even in Europe. I think this is when they finally get daring with their pick and go South or North America. Not really seeing any viable African or Asian candidates (I thought they would go with Arinze last time, TBH).

a good read, thanks!

[JPhillips]

I will say that while I disagreed with him on a ton of things (and don't know just how far he is implicated in the child sex scandels), I admired this Pope for some of the controversial stances he did take. He was rabidly anti-war, anti-consumerism (and anti-free market capitalism), pro-environment, and very pro-dialogue with other religious groups (in fact he got in trouble for seemingly praying with Muslims). I also thought his views on God as love and the beauty of the divine to be very inspiring. I also thought that Benedict's views on the co-existence of faith and science were very good as well.

There is a lot of good to be found in Benedict's reign as Pope (along with the bad).

Ratzinger's old job included overseeing all the church abuse scandals. He wrote some of the letters demanding secrecy from the clergy and he helped reassign a lot of pedophile priests. He, probably more than any other individual, knew the scope and severity of te problem ad he chose secrecy as his top priority.

[Warhammer]

As long as the new pope does not take the name Peter, I'm fine. If he does, I'm running for the doors.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

a good read, thanks!

Of course it was the Free Press, so while having decent content there was a horrible typo (this time it was a repetition.) I don't think they have editors...

Why not go old-school & get a young pope who starts wars & leads the bishops into battle? :D

[Warhammer]

Of course it was the Free Press, so while having decent content there was a horrible typo (this time it was a repetition.) I don't think they have editors...

Why not go old-school & get a young pope who starts wars & leads the bishops into battle? :D

You want them to party like its nine ninety-nine?

[Logan]

How about this guy?

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lkj4hi0dJo1qa1bzao1_500.jpg

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Is that Pope Corky IX?

[Marc Vaughan]

Be careful when applying Suicane, a lot of people think they can be Pope, but they miss the "Must be infallible." in the small print.

Sounds like my wife is well suited to the job then - she's never wrong apparently ;)

[Suburban Rhythm]

Papal fantasy league anyone?

[cartman]

I know what the Pope is giving up for Lent.

[britrock88]

I know what the Pope is giving up for Lent.

This would appear to be it, no? :)

[DaddyTorgo]

I know what the Pope is giving up for Lent.

I just stole this for Facebook, attributed it to "a guy I know" - so at least I'm giving you some sort of credit. ;)

[Lathum]

I always root for the black guy, is he still a possibility?

Does the catholic church have a Rooney rule?

[ISiddiqui]

Dude... the black guy is like an uber-uber conservative.

[britrock88]

This would appear to be it, no? :)

Wow, I'm a moron. Read your post as a question.

[SackAttack]

the pope can only be elected from the college of cardinals... so while they wont be as old as ratzinger (he was 78- and 80 is the oldest possible) whoever it is wont be a ton younger.

I don't think that's correct. The cardinals tend to select from within their own ranks (what's the point of being one of the Princes of the Church if you're going to turn around and select someone who isn't a member of your august company?), but the only requirement is that the electee be either already consecrated, or willing to be so.

But the Papacy is kind of like a Supreme Court nomination; you don't have to have a law degree to sit on the Court, but in practice anymore the politicians only confirm people with a background in the law. Likewise, you don't have to be a Cardinal to be eligible to be Pope, but in practice, the new Pope tends to come from their ranks anyway.

[claphamsa]

I don't think that's correct. The cardinals tend to select from within their own ranks (what's the point of being one of the Princes of the Church if you're going to turn around and select someone who isn't a member of your august company?), but the only requirement is that the electee be either already consecrated, or willing to be so.

But the Papacy is kind of like a Supreme Court nomination; you don't have to have a law degree to sit on the Court, but in practice anymore the politicians only confirm people with a background in the law. Likewise, you don't have to be a Cardinal to be eligible to be Pope, but in practice, the new Pope tends to come from their ranks anyway.

you are correct, I didnt mean it was possible, i mean there was no chance it would ever happen :)

[finketr]

I don't think that's correct. The cardinals tend to select from within their own ranks (what's the point of being one of the Princes of the Church if you're going to turn around and select someone who isn't a member of your august company?), but the only requirement is that the electee be either already consecrated, or willing to be so.

But the Papacy is kind of like a Supreme Court nomination; you don't have to have a law degree to sit on the Court, but in practice anymore the politicians only confirm people with a background in the law. Likewise, you don't have to be a Cardinal to be eligible to be Pope, but in practice, the new Pope tends to come from their ranks anyway.

I think it's just a Catholic male who is not in schism or a heretic. Even I could be elected pope. Married, father of one.

[Peregrine]

Good riddance. Ratzinger is neck deep in the pedophile scandal and should have never been Pope in the first place.

When I was watching the new documentary Mea Maxima Culpa that HBO showed recently (very highly recommended btw, if you have HBO GO) they really made it clear that because he ran the church office where all the priest abusers got reported to (before he became Pope) he really knows more about the scandal than anyone else - he knows where all the bodies are buried, so to speak.

[claphamsa]

When I was watching the new documentary Mea Maxima Culpa that HBO showed recently (very highly recommended btw, if you have HBO GO) they really made it clear that because he ran the church office where all the priest abusers got reported to (before he became Pope) he really knows more about the scandal than anyone else - he knows where all the bodies are buried, so to speak.

im wondering how much this all affects it... and if well ever know the truth.

[JPhillips]

I was saying at lunch that I think this is about dementia. In the modern age the Pope can't stay out of the public eye for years. If he's starting to show serious signs of dementia the best option for the church is his stepping down.

[Abe Sargent]

The problem is that Catholic Cardinals and churches in places like the Philippines and S America and Africa are even MORE conservative than Europe and North America and west Asia. It's a rough pick to grab someone outside who may push the church into an even more conservative position that Benedict did, but yet do so without the Europe cloth hanging over him.

[Abe Sargent]

I don't remember Celestine V being a Cardinal, I thought he was just a monk and hermit, right?




EDIT: And I'm sure there have been other non-cardinals, but I do;t want to look it up.

[Critch]

Somebody on another board (who is Irish, so therefore obviously au fait with Catholics and their ways) says 1378 was the last time a non-Cardinal was selected. So it seems unlikely this time.

[Simbo Klice]

Popin' ain't easy.

[booradley]

I'd like to see an Arab pope. Juuuuuuust to see what happens ...

[Raiders Army]

The best thing I saw on the internet was that he got caught with a consenting adult woman. You know the Catholics can't stand that.

[tucker rocky]

Where's Mel Kiper or Mike Mayock for these type of things?
Those 2 need to be here, to tell us the scoop on potential pope candidates.

[Young Drachma]

Cardinals From Canada, Africa Lead in Papal Betting - Bloomberg (www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-11/ghana-s-turkson-favorite-to-be-next-pope-after-benedict-resigns.html)

My money is in Ouellet or Turkson. Turkson being a few years younger.

[JPhillips]

All of the Pope speculation is way premature. Wait until after the combine. I hear there's a guy from El Salvador that can do a 4.3 Our Father.

[Izulde]

Interesting. I wasn't aware of Turkson as a possibility. Hmm. My money's still on Ouellet, I think... but this intrigues.

[Dutch]

I'd like to see an Arab pope. Juuuuuuust to see what happens ...

Here ya go!

Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria
Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coptic_Pope)

Pope Theodoros was born Waǧīh Ṣubḥī Bāqī Sulaymān (وجيه صبحى باقى سليمان) on 4 November 1952 in the city of Mansoura (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mansoura) in Egypt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt).<sup id="cite_ref-Le_Parisien_2-2" class="reference">[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Theodoros_II_of_Alexandria#cite_note-Le_Parisien-2)</sup> He studied at the University of Alexandria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Alexandria), where he received a degree in pharmacy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmacy) in 1975.<sup id="cite_ref-EI_5-0" class="reference">[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Theodoros_II_of_Alexandria#cite_note-EI-5)</sup> After a few years of managing a state-owned pharmaceutical factory, he joined the Monastery of Saint Pishoy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monastery_of_Saint_Pishoy) in Wadi Natrun (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadi_Natrun) to study theology (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theology) for two years. He was ordained priest in 1989.<sup id="cite_ref-ap_1-2" class="reference">[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Theodoros_II_of_Alexandria#cite_note-ap-1)</sup>

[stevew]

Hopefully the Cardinals aren't planning to go with Kolb/Skelton/Lindley as their options to lead going forward.

[Izulde]

Miaphysite isn't the same as Catholic, though.

[sabotai]

I hear there's a guy from El Salvador that can do a 4.3 Our Father.

There's been speculation that he's taken some papal enhancing drugs, though.

[Thomkal]

Hopefully the Cardinals aren't planning to go with Kolb/Skelton/Lindley as their options to lead going forward.

Actually as a non-Catholic, but Cardinals fan, I hope the "Holy Trinity" is their best option going forward ;)

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Actually as a non-Catholic, but Cardinals fan, I hope the "Holy Trinity" is their best option going forward ;)

When I watched a Cardinals game this year I did see a few people in attendance mouth what seemed to be "Jesus Christ."

[kcchief19]

I was born into a strongly Catholic family and consider myself Catholic even though I wasn't raised in the church. I just don't see the Church as reformed enough to do anything that would be seen as progressive by the rest of the world.

Look what happened last time -- the rest of the world said know was the time to find a more liberal, non-European who could move the Church away from its past mistakes. Who do they elect? The German youth Nazi who tried to cover up the pedophiles.

The smartest thing for the church from a growth and relevance standpoint would be to choose someone from Asia or Africa completely fluent in English. South America would be a reasonable third choice. I don't see a North American Cardinal getting elected anytime soon for a myriad of reason, unless it's the Canadian.

But know the Church, that makes it all the more likely they will elect the 65 year old Italian, since they haven't done that in a while.

[ISiddiqui]

Miaphysite isn't the same as Catholic, though.

Well the request was for an Arab Pope, no one said they had to be a Catholic Pope :D.

[ISiddiqui]

Look what happened last time -- the rest of the world said know was the time to find a more liberal, non-European who could move the Church away from its past mistakes.

Non-European cardinals tend to be far more conservative socially (but liberal in terms of social gospel - then again Benedict XVI was strongly anti-war, pro-environment, anti-free market, etc.)... so that would be difficult.

[Peregrine]

Cardinals From Canada, Africa Lead in Papal Betting - Bloomberg (www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-11/ghana-s-turkson-favorite-to-be-next-pope-after-benedict-resigns.html)


Calling my bookie for some big money on Quellet - when that white smoke goes up, cha-ching!

[Drake]

Late to the party. Not catholic. Seeing JPII in the window one Sunday morning in St. Peter's square when I was in Rome is like the only connection I've got to Catholicism.

That said, I have a great deal of respect for a guy who realizes he's not up to the demands of the job anymore and walks away. That makes him like Pope John Elway vs Pope(s) Brett Favre, in my mind.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

...when that white smoke goes up, cha-ching!

Pope Cheech!

[Breeze]

Lightning strikes the vatican on the same day the the pope announces he's stepping down...

http://www.weather.com/video/lightning-strikes-the-vatican-34284

[Icy]

As a conspiracy theory, I wonder if it has something to do with his secretary being caught stealing docs and letters a few months ago, maybe he was forced to resign or something would be made public.

Anyway I feel this whole Pope elections thing totally out of it's time in the XXI century as much as I do about our king succession rules in Spain. It should be made publicly accepted by the church that the pope is not elected because God's inspiration, but because he is supposed to be a good politician/economist to run the whole organization.

[RainMaker]

I think he is just old and that is why. In the 1600's you didn't have to appear on TV or have every move tracked by the internet. If you've been around people in their mid to late 80's, you know how tough it could be to handle that schedule.

[Drake]

I couldn't handle his schedule in my 40's.

[kcchief19]

Non-European cardinals tend to be far more conservative socially (but liberal in terms of social gospel - then again Benedict XVI was strongly anti-war, pro-environment, anti-free market, etc.)... so that would be difficult.
I'm using liberal in terms of church doctrine. Most Cardinals are going to be anti-war and pro-environment, as would most Catholics. Not sure I agree about the anti-free market -- I think that's an over simplification.

But in terms of church doctrine, Benedict was and has been as conservative as the come. Cardinal Turkson from Ghana, who is believed to be a favorite, has been less hardline on some issues than Benedict has.

And by liberal no one is expecting a pope that is going to come out in favor of birth control, gay rights or abortion. You generally don't get to be a Cardinal if you support birth control. But whereas Benedict opposes all forms of birth control, Turkson has made statements in the past that birth control for married couples may have limited uses in places such as Africa in protecting against HIV. Not a huge step, but a step in the right direction.

[ISiddiqui]

I'm using liberal in terms of church doctrine. Most Cardinals are going to be anti-war and pro-environment, as would most Catholics. Not sure I agree about the anti-free market -- I think that's an over simplification.

But in terms of church doctrine, Benedict was and has been as conservative as the come. Cardinal Turkson from Ghana, who is believed to be a favorite, has been less hardline on some issues than Benedict has.

And by liberal no one is expecting a pope that is going to come out in favor of birth control, gay rights or abortion. You generally don't get to be a Cardinal if you support birth control. But whereas Benedict opposes all forms of birth control, Turkson has made statements in the past that birth control for married couples may have limited uses in places such as Africa in protecting against HIV. Not a huge step, but a step in the right direction.

I actually don't think anti-free market is an exaggeration. Benedict has spoken out against worldwide capitalism on numerous occasions - indicating how capitalism tends to cheapen human dignity (and he's correct about that).

As for anti-war, a lot of Cardinals, I imagine still subscribe to Augustinian Just War theory. Benedict obviously did not.

As for Turkson, he may be slightly better on birth control, but he tended to not really care so much that Uganda was about to sign a kill the gays law, whereas Benedict wasn't so much in favor. Maybe it isn't gay rights, but at least it is better. Also it is acknowledged that Benedict, even for his missteps, was likely better at Catholic-Muslim relations that other pontiffs and definitely be better than Turkson, who has made some interesting statements on that regard.

[ISiddiqui]

To add...

In his encyclical Caritas in Veritate, he was clear that the social justice teachings of the church and the teachings about sexual morality flowed from a single source and, in his mind, were irrevocably bound together. As I mentioned in my article at The New Republic yesterday, the fact that the pope was as devoted to social justice issues as he was to issues of sexual morality has been somewhat opaque in the U.S. because so many of his loudest supporters in the U.S. tended not to mention his commitment to social justice or minimized the radicalness of the demands he made in that regard. Catholic neo-cons dismissed his call for a conversion of Western lifestyles, his commitment to environmental protection, his denunciation of "unregulated financial capitalism" as a threat to world peace, his abiding lament at growing income inequality, and because these neo-con voices claimed to be authoritative and because the mainstream media does not know any better, Benedict's rigorous critique of modern consumer, capitalist culture was underplayed. Whenever he spoke against gay marriage, however, the headlines of a reactionary pope could be found everywhere.
Why I came to love Benedict XVI | National Catholic Reporter (http://ncronline.org/blogs/distinctly-catholic/why-i-came-love-benedict-xvi)