What's an Old Pope to Do?

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

As many of you have no doubt heard by now, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has chosen to step down as acting leader of the 1 billion strong unified Catholic Church yesterday. Very little is known has to why Benedict has chosen to retire aside from the fact that he claimed on the Vatican Radio:

"In today's world, subject to many 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."

 Due to this statement many believe Benedict to be ill, though it is unlikely. The higher probability is that due to the high stress brought on from mass social changes within His Holiness' reign, such as the issue of gay marriage, has taken a toll on his health not in the form of illness but in the way of waning on him mentally. As some may view this as a sign of weakness in comparison to his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, but in truth it is a strength has he recognizes he is no longer fit for his office.

Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Italy

One of the biggest questions on everyone's mind now though is 'what will Benedict do now?'. Inside sources say he intends on staying at Castel Gandolfo in Lazio, Italy for a short time but his primary place of residence will be a monastery on the Vatican grounds though it is speculated he may move in with his brother [Monsingor Georg Ratzinger, 89] whom he is very close to. This is about as much as we know however. Christopher Bellitto, a professor at Kean University who has written 9 books on the Catholic Church, believe Benedict will undoubtedly continue writing on the Holy Trinity, a topic that is something of great interest to His Holiness.

Photo provided by the Vatican newspaper, L' Osservatore Romano

Now all that is left is the election of a new Pope. The College of Cardinals, consisting of 120 holy men, will be gathering in the Vatican at the end of this month, after Benedict steps down as of the 28th of February, to take part in the Papal Conclave to vote on the new leader of the Catholic world. It is a well kept secret as to how the College decides whom to vote for as no cardinals are allowed to campaign for the position, but there are a number of candidates that hold favor amongst the Church. Cardinals Angelo Bagnasco, Angelo Scola, and Gianfranco Ravsi of Italy and Cardinal Cristoph Schonborn of Austria are prime runners for the position, but with the ever growing church other possibles are Odilo Scherer of Brazil, Peter Turkson of Ghana (who currently heads the Vatican's Justice of Peace Bureau), and Mark Ouellet of Canada who is the current leader of the Congregation of Bishops. It is also possible that New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan could be chosen but it is believed that the College, half of whom are European, will look down on a possible Pope from a world superpower.

Now I can only hope, as many others both inside and outside the church, that the new Pope will be more open and accepting of gays and females, but it will be a challenge. Pope Benedict will not be voting along side the cardinals, but his influence will still be very present as he hand picked the cardinals, most of whom are older, conservative, European gentlemen. Benedict and I share very opposing views on a number of subjects, but none the less I wish His Holiness a peaceful and pleasant retirement and wish the College good luck in the coming month.