Humility and love

Shocking indeed was the Pope’s announcement at the Consistory last Feb. 10, 2013. No one in that gathering and for that matter among the 2.2 billion Catholics in the entire world really expected him to “renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of St. Peter” after serving only for a relatively short period of almost eight years. His move was totally unexpected especially because no Pope had ever done so for the past six centuries.

But the initial shock is just a natural and instinctive human reaction. The more genuine feeling is that of admiration. His act of giving up the “Petrine ministry” is truly admirable because it is one of the greatest manifestations of humility and unselfishness.

Even at the age of 85 years, the entire Christendom believes that he has been doing his job faithfully and well. In fact, he has been at the forefront of defending, against the onslaughts of modernism, the infallible teachings of the Catholic Church especially on the value of human life, marriage and family, as revealed by the infallible truth Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ. Pope Benedict XVI is indeed effectively living up to his role as the Vicar of Christ here on earth. Yet he still believes that there are other Church prelates more capable of doing his job as Pope. He thinks that the Church and the faithful will be better served if another Pope will take over the helm. This is really a rare act of humility and love, like that of Jesus Christ and His Mother Mary.

Unfortunately however, some people still try to interpret and give other meanings to the Pope’s recent decision to give up his post. Barely five days after the Pope’s announcement have several pundits and analysts come out with their own deductions and inferences on the real reasons behind the Pope’s renunciation of the Papacy. In their analyses and write ups they are not only trying to show how wise and intelligent they are but they are subtly attacking the Church and its teachings to the extent of undermining its imperishability until the end of time.

Hence in the interest of truth and fairness, reproduced hereunder is the Pope’s announcement. From a reading of it, I believe that the decision of the Pope here was inspired by the Holy Spirit in much the same way that his choice as Pope last April 19, 2005 was also inspired by the Holy Spirit. This is why it is already quite clear enough to ordinary people. Only the “wise and intelligent” people of this world still cannot understand it and try to construe and give their own meaning to it. As the Scripture says, the “wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.” But here is what the Pope actually said:

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

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Don’t fail to watch the second season opening of the public service program, “Kapag Nasa Katwiran, Ipaglaban Mo!” over GMA News TV Channel 11 on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013 and every Saturday thereafter at 2:30 p.m.