The resignation of Pope Benedict XVI has come as a surprise to millions around the world. He is the first serving head of the Roman Catholic Church to announce a resignation in 600 years. By the time he assumed office in 2005, Pope Benedict XVI was 78 years old making him one of the oldest to assume the role of the Head of Universal Church and Bishop of Rome. In his resignation address to the cardinals and the wider church the pope said “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. The pope continued "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 recognise my incapacity to adequately fulfil the ministry entrusted to me."
The Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi during what could be described as a hastily-arranged news conference assured the faithful that a conclave would be held within 3 weeks from 28th February to choose a new pope. Cardinal Ratzinger became a Pope at a very critical time when the church was facing challenging issues ranging from allegations of sexual abuse against priests, rising debate about abortion, ordination of married and women priests, attitudes towards homosexuality to accusation of the corruption and the allegations of the church meddling in political affairs of countries in which priests are sent to serve. Some of these problems are not exclusive to religious organisations but are common and central to the challenges of our rapid evolving world. His proponents would also say that he was the first head of the Catholic Church to make adequate and necessary changes to the system that addressed these allegations and under his leadership the church modernised and finally moved in the 21st century.
As a cardinal, Pope Benedict was John Paul’s right hand man and in many cases his logical successor and pursued similar agenda be it with a difference touch. He also witnessed the difficulties of carrying out demanding papal duties in old age and the consequence that had on the health of John Paul II. Therefore, one can only applaud the clear and inherent humility that is evident by very nature of this courageous decision. He recognised that he could not carry on his responsibilities as able has he would have liked due to old age. The truth is that the Pope is at liberty like any other head of state through his mandate to resign as the archbishop of Rome. Unlike any other high office of the land, the papacy carries political, moral, social and spiritual responsibilities and the decisions and activities of the Papacy go far beyond the Catholic Church. As an individual Pope Benedict was a humble theologian with deep intellect and remarkable gift of simplifying complex issues. In the third world, the Pope Benedict is loved because of his stance on poverty and abortion. Roman Catholicism membership is growing in developing nations while Western Europe and United States is increasingly becoming secular thus it is only natural that the next pope comes from the developing world.
