Oh Papa… On the Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI

Last updated on: March 12, 2015 at 4:51 pm by Lisa M. Hendey

Oh Papa… On the Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI 2015-03-12T16:51:23-07:00 Lisa M. Hendey

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.

It’s taken me a while to sit behind the keyboard and compose a few thoughts this morning… I kept trying, and then needing to get up and walk away. There are plenty of great accounts of this morning’s announcement by Pope Benedict XVI that he will be resigning at the end of this month. For those, look to the following trusted resources:

USCCB – Especially Cardinal Dolan’s statement from today
Catholic News Service
Whispers in the Loggia — I’ll say I think it likely that all of the Cardinals will be reading Rocco for the next few weeks!

I’m doing a poor job of responding to this announcement in a composed fashion. Part of that might be owing to the fact that the news woke me (via several text messages from friends) and that I spent my morning trying to be a mom and to share the news with my son and then get him off to school… to act like today was a normal day. Adam probably figured out when I sat on the edge of his bed choking back sobs that it wasn’t just any normal Monday.

So I write this more from the perspective of a mom in the pew than that of a “pundit” as we bloggers are sometimes thought to be. I’ve already dodged a few public interviews, mostly because I know I can’t yet speak on this topic without blubbering. I’ll let other more eloquent bloggers take those, and I’ll spend today quietly praying for this pontiff, my Holy Father.

So much is already being said about Pope Benedict XVI, about how he defied our expectations of him. When I think of him, it’s largely through the prism of a few wonderful days I spent at the Vatican around the beatification of Blessed John Paul II and the Vatican Bloggers Meeting. How could I not love a pope who’d hold a “Vatican Bloggers Meeting“? A pope with his own app? Our first tweeting pope? He’s given us so many gifts, including the recent Synod on the New Evangelization and of course his books. So we have much to remember him by and to thank him for — and of course he will still be with us, praying undoubtedly, although likely out of our view as his successor takes over.

I’m not ready to begin speculating on who’s next or what their agenda will be — likely because I’m not ready to say goodbye to my Holy Father. It will take me a few days to both recover from the surprise and to digest the ramifications this moment could have upon the Church I love. She’s flawed in so many ways, and this moment in time will be a critical indicator of how she will move into a future full of so much pain and uncertainty.

Perhaps, in retrospect, Pope Benedict XVI was preparing us for this moment with his most recent tweet:

Today, I’m clinging to that assurance of God’s grace, of his mercy and of his power to transform even these most transitional of moments and even for us sinners.

So I’ll trust.

Previous Post

February 10, 2013

Gennesaret, Catching Men, The Jesus Boat and Me

Next Post

February 11, 2013 A Word from Your Catholic Friend: What Not to Say to Me Today

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category @Pontifex Books Catholic Geek Stuff Catholic Moments Family Life Good Measures Liturgical Calendar New Evangelization News Reviews Rwanda Saints Speaking Tanzania Journal Top Catholic Tweets Travel Uncategorized Vocations Yes

Select a Month 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

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the main literary style of Psalms and Proverbs?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Apocalypse Prophecy Poetry Historical narrative