Pope Resigns

This is very unusual– as Donald R. McClarey at the site I heard it from, The American Catholic, pointed out:

This would be the fifth time that a Pope has abdicated in the history of the Papacy, the first being Pope Gregory XII in 1415. 

The decision comes after a “long period of prayer”

28 Feb he goes into a period of reflection and prayer, and then there will be a conclave to elect the new Pope.  (No period of mourning, so it could be over in less than two weeks after the period of reflection ends.)  This is taken pretty much directly from the video report at the link, which seems to be radio over some stock footage.

I hope that, whatever his health problems are, they won’t be bad enough to prevent him from spending time with his brother (also a retired priest) and his cats.

UPDATE:

EWTN just posted their news article on the subject; the press conference is to be held “in a few minutes” and here is the text of his announcement:

Dear Brothers,
I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both 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. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.
Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.
From the Vatican, 10 February 2013

BENEDICTUS PP XVI

Sign me up as a “ditto” to what SuburbanBanshee says.

Are Catholics Christians?

No.

Okay, we’re done here. Time for you to surf elsewhere.

Okay, maybe we’re not done. There’s another question to be asked.

Are Protestants Christians?

No.

Now we’re done. Move on and surf elsewhere.

Or maybe I just confused you. Let me use a word-picture. Are Chevrolets Corvettes? No. Are Chevrolets built after 1968 Corvettes? No. But are Corvettes Chevrolets? Yes. And that makes all the difference. Can Catholics be Christian and be Catholic at the same time? Absolutely. Can Protestants be Christian and be Protestant at the same time? Absolutely.

But it is my contention that the vast majority of Catholics and Protestants are not actually Christians. You can stand in the garage and go “Vroom Vrooooooom” all you want. Won’t make you a car. Won’t even make you a motorcycle or moped. Likewise, you can attend a Christian church all you want. Won’t make you a Christian. You can lay claim to your Catholicness or your Lutheranness or your Baptistness or or or… won’t make you Christian. But you can be Catholic or Lutheran or Baptist or Wesleyan or Calvinist or Amish or or or … and still be Christian. Because there is an overriding theology involved. Salvation through Grace and Grace alone by way of the Ultimate Sacrifice of Providence’s one and only Son at Calvary. That is the line of demarcation. Accept that gift under those parameters and you’re a Christian. Reject that Gift or change those parameters and you are not a Christian. This means, by definition, Jehova’s Witnesses is not a Christian denomination, nor is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (“LDS” or “Mormon”).

Jehovah’s Witnesses has its own Bible that does not at all comport to the original language. John 1 is proof of that. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was a God.” That’s it. You lose. Because: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Absolute huge difference. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in multiple gods, Jesus being merely one of them. Christians believe in a singular God, Jesus being God.

Mormons have their own book, which is absolutely chock full of falsehoods, including massive amounts of material completely destroyed by histo-facts. That, in itself, proves mormonism is not Christian. But Mormons go further. They claim Jesus and Satan are brothers. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son …” That’s it. Done. Any who claim Jesus and Satan are brothers are in direct contradiction to Providence’s Holy Word, thus, not Christians.

So, can people be Christians while remaining true to Catholic Doctrine? Yes.
Can people be Christians while remaining true to various Protestant Doctrines? Yes (depending on the doctrine).
Can people be Christians while remaining true to Jehovah’s Witness Doctrine? No.
Can people be Christians while remaining true to Mormon Doctrine? No.

There will be a large number of supposedly christian pastors in Hell because they rejected the Holy Word of Providence. And nearly their entire flock will be in Hell with them. There will also be a large number of Catholics and Protestants in Hell, as well. Because they refused the Gift and denied Jesus. Are there people the world calls Christians who are actually not Christians? Absolutely. And likely the vast majority of the people the world holds up as representative of Christians are not actually Christians at all.

(What caused me to write this article? A contributor to this site who is Catholic and, I sincerely believe, Christian, made a defense of Catholicism in allusion to my own allusion to a peripheral Catholic Doctrine.)