Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Catholic News

Home

Home
Catholic
Religion News
Cardinal recalls shock of Benedict XVI’s resignation

Cardinal recalls shock of Benedict XVI’s resignation

Last updated on: February 10, 2014 at 12:06 pm by CNA Daily News

Cardinal recalls shock of Benedict XVI’s resignation 2014-02-10T12:06:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Vatican City, Feb 10, 2014 / 05:06 am (CNA/EWTN News).- One year later, Cardinal James Stafford reflects on the meeting where Benedict XVI announced that he was stepping down as Bishop of Rome, noting that it was an “unexpected” moment of “shock” for all.

“Total surprise, total shock,” was the experience of all those present when they heard the Pope’s words that day, Cardinal Stafford explained in a Feb. 7 interview with CNA.

On the occasion of the one-year anniversary of the Feb. 11, 2013 announcement of Benedict XVI’s resignation, Cardinal Stafford, President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council of the Laity and Archbishop Emeritus of Denver, CO, spoke of his experience at being in the room when the pontiff revealed his decision.

Calling to mind the meeting where the announcement was made, the cardinal revealed that “it took place at a consistory of the cardinals,” which was “basically” a gathering of “the cardinals of Rome.”

The consistory meetings, he explained, were held regularly in order to discuss “the presentation of those who were being beatified and canonized within the Catholic Church.”

“So we were gathered in the room of the ‘consistorio,’ where we usually gathered with the Holy Father,” the cardinal observed, noting that they “were gathered around him in prayer” for the daily recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours.

The Liturgy of the Hours is the official set of daily prayers prescribed by the Catholic Church to be recited by clergy, religious institutes, and the laity, and consist mainly of psalms, which are supplemented by hymns and readings.

The cardinal also observed that there was “a presentation by the prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, of those that were to be presented and voted upon that day, for beatification and canonization.”

All of this “took place without any eyebrow raising,” he expressed, however “at the end of the prayer, “we were asked to sit down,” which “was something unusual.”

“We all sat down, including the Holy Father, Pope Benedict, and a rather extensive paper was brought up to him by his secretary to read.”

Originally, “I didn’t put any meaning upon all of that,” the cardinal reflected, stating that “I just thought we would be having an adjunct, that was somewhat unusual, but not very unusual,” but “within ten seconds” he knew something was happening because the Pope was “speaking in Latin, not in Italian.”

“I was alerted to the fact that it was about something very special by the fact that he was speaking to us not in the usual language of Italian, but in Latin,” Cardinal Stafford recalled, noting that the pontiff had not spoken to them in Latin “in this setting” since “his election,” so he thought “’I better listen in on this.’”

“So I listened very attentively, and very soon the words came out that he was resigning,” the cardinal observed, “and he continued about the reasons, but that came out within the first thirty seconds of his address.”

Then they “concluded the celebration of the Liturgy of Hours,” he explained, and Benedict XVI “left immediately, and we were left there stunned.”

“A cardinal who was sitting next to me said, ‘Did he resign?’ I said, ‘yes, that’s what he did. He resigned.’ And we just all stood at our places.”

Eventually “we came together in smaller groups, and began sharing some of our reaction to it,” the cardinal said, adding that “It was totally unexpected, and totally, historically, unexpected.”

When asked what he thought the legacy of this act and this time in the Church would be, Cardinal Stafford responded that “I think it’s too soon” to know.

Benedict XVI’s retirement officially went into effect on Feb. 28, 2013, and was a conclusion he came to “after having repeatedly examined my conscience before God,” he stated in his Feb. 11 address to the cardinals.

Speaking of the reasons influencing his decision, the retired pontiff cited his age as the primary factor, explaining that “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.”

Only two other Pope’s have resigned from their post in the history of the Church, the first being St. Celestine V in 1294, and the last was Gregory XII, in 1415.

The retired pontiff is now living in the Vatican’s monastery “Mater Ecclesiae,” which lies just west of St. Peter’s Basilica, and which contains a chapel, a choir room, a library, a semi-basement, a terrace and a visiting room that was added in 1993.

Alan Holdren contributed to this piece.

Vatican

Previous Post

February 9, 2014

San Francisco project to promote beauty in music, liturgy

Next Post

February 10, 2014 Pope affirms that Mass is more than a mere 'representation'

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who predicted Persia's rise?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Isaiah Daniel Jeremiah Ezekiel