Vatican Radio is reporting that to date, 35,000 people have registered with the Pontifical Household to attend Pope Benedict XVI’s “last great appointment with the People of God”, announced Holy See Press Office director Fr. Federico Lombardi in his daily briefing with journalists Saturday. Fr. Lombardi told press that the gathering on Wednesday February 27th Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Pope resigns’
Pell: New pope must save Church from waning influence amid evils of modern society
Monday, February 18th, 2013
The new Pope must save the Catholic Church from waning influence amid the evils of modern society – and may well be an Italian – says Cardinal George Pell. Cardinal Pell is one of 117 cardinals who will elect a new pontiff next month and is the only Cardinal from the vast territory in the South Pacific Read more
Own goal as Turkson admits interest in being next pope
Monday, February 18th, 2013
Saying he is prepared to be pope, African Cardinal Peter Turkson may have damaged any ambitions he harbored about the papacy. According to Phil Lawler of Catholic Culture, the possibility that Cardinal Turkson will be elected Pope has become more remote with the publication of the Ghanian cardinal’s statement that he would be prepared to accept Read more
Pope Benedict celebrates his last public Mass at St Peters
Thursday, February 14th, 2013
Pope Benedict celebrated his last Mass as pope in St Peters today. The weary pope said his public farewell to his flock by presiding over the traditional Ash Wednesday liturgy and by receiving the ashes on his head, a reminder to him that while infallible he is still one of us. In his homily, Benedict Read more
Opinion: Benedict’s resignation is not a funeral
Thursday, February 14th, 2013
Yesterday I was stopped by one of my neighbours on our shared drive. Normally a full-of-life type person, she approached me cautiously with a kind of sad demeanour. “I’m sorry for the loss of your Mr Pope”, she said. Taken aback slightly, I didn’t quite know how to respond, and simply replied saying, “Thank you”. Read more
Vatican confirms Benedict will not have role in selecting successor
Thursday, February 14th, 2013
Even though Pope Benedict XVI will spend his retirement near Rome and then inside Vatican City, he will not play any role in the upcoming election for a new pope, and he will not interfere with the responsibilities and decision-making activities of the new pontiff, said Vatican spokesman Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi. Rather, the new Read more
Opinion: Pope’s resignation: Heartland of church in deep crisis
Thursday, February 14th, 2013Whoever takes the helm of the Vatican after the shock resignation of Benedict XVI will inherit a problem on his own doorstep. Home to more than a quarter of a billion Catholics, the headquarters of the Holy See, a wellspring of doctrine and a source of manpower that has helped make converts throughout the world, Read more
Timeline for ending of Benedict’s papacy and election of new pope
Thursday, February 14th, 2013Vatican spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, has given some details on the plans for the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, and for the conclave that will choose his successor. Pope Benedict will hold a final meeting with members of the College of Cardinals in the morning on February 28. His resignation will take effect that evening. Read more
New Zealand bishops surprised but understand Benedict’s resignation
Thursday, February 14th, 2013It was with some sadness that New Zealand Catholic Bishops woke to the news of Pope Benedict XVI is to resign from his papacy at the end of the month. “While we are sad that his papacy is coming to an end, we understand the humility, prayer and reflection that will have been behind this Read more
Opinion: For Pope Benedict dreams did not always come true
Wednesday, February 13th, 2013
Pope Benedict XVI has tried to make his mark on history by repeated and varied attempts to draw the Catholic Church back to its past. So, it is ironic that Benedict’s place in the history books will probably be ensured not by those attempts, but by his going back in history to do what no Read more