Comments on: Is Pope Benedict’s resignation a catastrophe?

By: GREG SMITH

GREG SMITH — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 22:46:23 +0000

Hi Stephen ~
My empathize was “professors” I do believe that some “ivory tower” academics w/o a lot of real life experience sometimes don’t “get it.” Benedict has been a philosopher but so much more as his bio attests. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe these two have spent some time “toiling in the vineyards.
Ss. Peter and Paul, of course never made it to 85. The Lord asked of them what they could give just as he did of Benedict. Of course being pope isn’t just being the RCC’s CEO. Other roles are primary but it’s just as stressful and draining as being a president or prime minister. Probably more.
Maybe if I were 26 again and healthy as a horse I’d feel differently, but I think Dulau and Steffens may have a 4th Commandment problem here. Our priests, from the new ordinand to the pope have terribly difficult jobs. We laity who benefit from their labors need to take better care of them.
Thanks for letting me rant. Greg

By: Stephen Kokx

Stephen Kokx — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 15:36:11 +0000

Greg,

Just a quick reaction.

I don’t know what you mean when you say because they are philosophers they are more susceptible to ignoring basic humanity. JP II was one of the greatest philosopher’s of the 20th century. Did that make him somehow less capable of relating to the world? Your argument makes little to no sense.

Second, Yes, the Pope is human, and thus, capable of error. I question what you mean when you say he deserves ‘respite’. I cant imagine St Peter or St Paul agreeing with you. Abdicating the papacy is, as the authors mention, not like retiring as CEO. It is a different ‘position’ if you will and not something that should be viewed in the same lens as other professions.

By: Quanah

Quanah — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 01:16:15 +0000

Wow! Dulau and Steffens come off pretty strong. I wonder if, like Dante, they too think Pope St. (I emphasize SAINT) Celestine V is in hell. Their comparisons for non-commitment are atrocious. Unlike marriage or parenthood there is nothing binding on a pope to be pope ’til death do us part. The recognition of this is in canon law and it certainly has precedence among other holy popes from the past, distant as that past may be. Finally, when announcing his resignation he fully acknowledged the “essential spiritual nature” of the Petrine ministry and that prayer and suffering are necessary to its being exercised. His Holiness, Benedict XVI, did not ignore this. He is recognizing how our time is significantly different from all other times before it and what this means for the exercise of the Petrine ministry. He had the courage to look clearly at reality. Perhaps the rest of us should do so as well, instead of holding to a time that no longer is and never will be again. One thing Church history makes abundantly clear is that the Petrine ministry has never been exercised in exactly the same way and at significant moments in its history has had to make adjustments.

By: Mack

Mack — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 22:55:41 +0000

I think Benedict’s resignation was directly the will of God, otherwise the Pope would not have done it.
The reasons may not be clear to us now, but we will see why as the next papacy unfolds. I believe we are in for another great pope.

By: GREG SMITH

GREG SMITH — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:15:39 +0000

Hi Stephen~ Some thoughts on the Dulau & Steffens article.
1) The pope is not God or an angel. He’s a human who, like the rest of us, deserves respite after a long lifetime of service.
2) Would these two prefer that we find ourselves in a situation where a pontiff has a crisis and goes into a coma, leaving us without a pope for years.
3)I guess when one is a philosophy professor, one can ignore basic humanity and reality. They should think about this terrible piece when and if they are 85 and in ill health.
Sorry for the snarkiness but these guys really got me angry.
Regards, Greg