Community Corner
Pope to Resign, Two Years Before Southeastern PA Visit
The 85-year-old pope cited "deteriorated ... strength of mind and body".
In a surprise overnight (Eastern Standard Time) announcement, Pope Benedict XVI said he will resign on Feb. 28. It is the first time a Roman Catholic Pope has resigned in nearly 600 years.
In an official statement posted on Vatican Radio's website, the 85-year-old leader of the Roman Catholic Chuch cites fading strength and the demands of the job for his decision to step down.
Dear Brothers,
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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
What it means for a scheduled 2015 papal visit to southeastern Pennsylvania is unknown at this early stage.
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What do you think of the Pope's ministry and his decision to step down? Please tell us in the comments section at the bottom of this article.
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