Fr. Raymond De Souza offered a theological explanation for the Holy Father's resignation. According to Fr. De Souza, papal resignation is "canonically possible" but "incomprehensible to the Roman Catholic imagination". Essentially what the Holy Father did had made this canonically possible but almost unused option (used before by Gregory XII in 1415 and Celestine V in 1294) alive and available again, paving the way for future Popes to follow suit for the good of the Church when necessary. As the Pope, BXVI considers himself the Servant of the Servants of God. When poor physical and mental health causes the Servant of the Servants of God to lose the ability to serve well, he should have the humility to accept his inability and step down.
BXVI has never been shy in admitting his personal admiration for the Blessed JPII, the former Pope. But the two of them are two very different persons. Their differences are clearly reflected in how they faced the issue of papal resignation. When asked whether he would resign due to poor health, JPII's response was that Christ did not come down off the cross and neither would he, the Vicar of Christ. This is vintage JPII. Unlike BXVI whose emphasis is on being a good and responsible servant, JPII's appeal is to one's heart and faith. These are two very different approaches that are not in direct contradiction to one another in and of themselves. The goal is the same: to follow Christ, but the means of achieving it are different. One does so by serving and the other by suffering; one is honest and humble in admitting personal inability and the other courageous and persevering in suffering together with Christ until the very end. Both are excellent role models.
Today when we think of JPII, the image that surfaces in our head is not his younger and robust self that had caused communism to crumble. It is rather the haunting look of a frail, hunch-backed, hollow-eyed old man with a bland face that reflected painfully the tortures of many years of Parkinson's disease, and unsteady hands that hung tight to a crucifix that for all practical purposes was his cane - an unmistakable image of the Suffering Servant of the Lord.
I surmise that the Holy Father didn't want the job right from the get go. I think he accepted it at the time only because he realized that there were no one else who could step up to the plate. Maybe now the makeup of the papal conclave has changed and he sees the promise of capable candidates. Coupled with his frail physique and psychological condition (not wanting the job), it's time to step down.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course, this is only pure speculation, no one should take this view seriously.
Tony Chow
BXVI used his weekly general audiences from March 2007 to October 2009 to conduct catechesis on the Church Fathers. The texts of these general audiences were subsequently edited and re-arranged to become a two-volume book series entitled "The Fathers". In introducing the Church Fathers, BXVI showed a fond admiration for monastic and prayer life, which explains his decision to retire to a life of prayer, writing, and living in a monastery. This is probably the kind of life he had wanted to pursue for a long, long time. He was turned down by JPII on his request for retirement at age 65 and then again at 75. At 78 he was chosen to become the Pope. At long last, he can do what he has always wanted to do and we can continue to benefit from his writings.
ReplyDelete"BXVI showed a fond admiration for monastic and prayer life, which explains his decision to retire to a life of prayer, writing, and living in a monastery." - hence the name Benedict, the founder of western monasticism.
ReplyDeleteTony Chow