Pope Benedict XVI to Resign

monkeysip · February 2013

I don't know how you can have a schism if the Pope resigns. What would they be following? He wouldn't be making any more papal announcements.

I only see schism happening if a pope were forced out for some reason.

And anti-popes happened when multiple popes were chosen by schismatic groups. I know we've had plenty of popes who did or said things that weren't in keeping with Catholic teaching, but we can rest assured that no pope has ever or will ever teach false doctrines.

MedStudent13 · February 2013

I second whoever it was that said they suspect Alzheimers. It's a particularly nasty disease that will incapacitate even the greatest of minds very quickly. If it is Alzheimers and he didn't step down immediately, the church would probably be left without proper leadership for several years until his death

lalaith50 · February 2013

<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:14px;">[QUOTE]Maybe someone can better explain how the church normally deals with really old popes, but I don't see anything suspicious about him retiring. Yeah, my grandpa is 92 and doing great, but it's been years since my 86/87 year old grandma would have been capable of doing anything like what the pope has to do. Also, FI just told me that some people are concerned that since Pope Benedict is still alive, if people don't like the new pope, it could lead to a schism with some people following Benedict. Thoughts? We think this is an extremely bizarre concern.</span>
Posted by Chloeagh[/QUOTE]
I think that up until now, it hasn't really been an issue to have "really old popes," but with the way technology is, and the world is, I can see how it is really important to have someone who can basically "move fast." Prior to really recently, if there were some crisis, there wasn't the internet to amplify it, so the pope could take more time to talk to his advisors, and many people in the world would probably never even find out about it, etc.<div>
</div><div>And as for following Benedict to create a schism... I just don't know how that would happen. He plans on hiding away in a cloister. How do you follow someone who not only doesn't want to be followed, but makes literally not public appearances or statements?</div>

bibliophile2010 · February 2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_pope-benedict-xvi-to-resign?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:54e8f1f7-9915-4102-a428-d8294b6b846bPost:80f4b837-b5d1-4019-8514-8fc943ea1a54">Re: Pope Benedict XVI to Resign</a>:
[QUOTE]I think that up until now, it hasn't really been an issue to have "really old popes," but with the way technology is, and the world is, I can see how it is really important to have someone who can basically "move fast." Prior to really recently, if there were some crisis, there wasn't the internet to amplify it, so the pope could take more time to talk to his advisors, and many people in the world would probably never even find out about it, etc. And as for following Benedict to create a schism... I just don't know how that would happen. He plans on hiding away in a cloister. How do you follow someone who not only doesn't want to be followed, but makes literally not public appearances or statements?
Posted by lalaith50[/QUOTE]

And Benedict will, himself, follow the new Pope to whatever extent one follows a Pope out of sight in a monastery. In fact, I would assume that's part of why the decision was to enter a monastery -- he can quiety devote his live to prayer and, effectively, be out of the way for the new Pope.

APDSS22 · February 2013

FI texted me at work yesterday to tell me about this. I didn't know popes could resign, in all honesty.

Pope Benedict XVI to Resign

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