Benedict can only rid Rome of its malign influence by resigning... a leading Catholic writer's expl

This is not necessarily my opinion
But it is quite an interesting read.

He had longed to be Pope. He has loved being Pope. He expected to die as Pope. Two weeks ago he announced in Latin he wasn’t up to it any more. Up to what? He spent most of his time writing and took time off to tinkle on the piano and stroke his cat.

Resignation isn’t in Benedict’s vocabulary. The real reason he has quit is far more spectacular. It is to save the Catholic Church from ignominy: he has voluntarily delivered himself up as a sacrificial lamb to purge the Church of what he calls ‘The Filth’. And it must have taken courage. Here is the remarkable thing you are seldom told about a papal death or resignation: every one of the senior office-holders in the Vatican – those at the highest level of its internal bureaucracy, called the Curia – loses his job. A report Benedict himself commissioned into the state of the Curia landed on his desk in January. It revealed that ‘The Filth’ – or more specifically, the paedophile priest scandal – had entered the bureaucracy.

Not surprisingly, some of the bureaucrats let off steam in unpriestly ways. Some are actively gay men who cannot normalise their lives with a partner because of Catholic teaching. They frequent discreet bars, saunas and ‘safe houses’. On another level there are individuals known to have a weakness for sex with minors. It appears the people who procure these sexual services have become greedy. They have been putting the squeeze on their priestly clients to launder cash through the Vatican. There is no suggestion that the bank has knowingly collaborated

In 2011, Dr Richard Sipe, a greatly respected world expert on the priestly abuse scandal, declared that only the Pope’s resignation would resolve the paedophile priest crisis. Sipe charged that ‘along with other bishops, Benedict was complicit earlier in tolerating and covering up the crimes of the priests’.

SOURCE

I think this is probably the most honest and scathing report I have read on this to date

Cody

I think the article is trying to suck people in.

Benedict has been forced out, he is not part of the solution, he is at the very top of the problem and has been for decades.

What is being pushed by the Church is a supposed clean out with some sacrificial lambs being forced into retirement and then the Church will pop its head up and say, "There you go, all clean, squeaky clean, we are super clean."

It is slight of hand. Nothing will change. When I see Rome unlock the chests of gold under the Vatican and distribute it all to the child victims of brutal rape and sodomy, then and only then will I start, just start mind you, to perhaps believe that they might be changing their spots.

Hell will freeze over first.

P

reply to post by pheonix358


True P
But at least there is a chance regardless of how slim that it may just work

Unfortunately I feel your analysis will prove to be shown correct

Cody

Originally posted by pheonix358
I think the article is trying to suck people in.

Benedict has been forced out, he is not part of the solution, he is at the very top of the problem and has been for decades.

What is being pushed by the Church is a supposed clean out with some sacrificial lambs being forced into retirement and then the Church will pop its head up and say, "There you go, all clean, squeaky clean, we are super clean."

It is slight of hand. Nothing will change. When I see Rome unlock the chests of gold under the Vatican and distribute it all to the child victims of brutal rape and sodomy, then and only then will I start, just start mind you, to perhaps believe that they might be changing their spots.

Hell will freeze over first.

P

Well, you're either right, or you're wrong, lol. What I'm thinking is that if he was being forced out, then maybe he was attempting to change things for the better. And if the OP's article is true, then he was doing a good thing as well. The whole situation stinks of something going on behind the scenes, something much more nefarious than the Pope being old and tired, or whatever lame reason was given. Being the Pope would probably be a good place to live out your last years. I think he would have been able to relax even with is duties, given that he was Pope.

I understood (from many sources) he didn't want to be the Papa?
That he never thought he would be?
How is it now - in retrospect - that has changed?

I’ll go find some links in English to support this - all I’ve got in links in Italian.

Interesting read though - thanks!

peace

Here it is in Huffington.

Your quote states:

He had longed to be Pope. He has loved being Pope

But, as I've read many times and here's at least one confirmation in English:

Benedict never wanted to be pope and he didn't take easily to the rigors of the job. Elected April 19, 2005, after one of the shortest conclaves in history, Benedict was, at 78, the oldest pope elected in 275 years and the first German in nearly a millennium.

HPost

So, at least one inconstancy - but still an interesting read!

peace

I must say that I agree with pheonix.

He, as the leader of the Catholic church must take responsibility for what has been going on for the time he was in charge. And you must admit, there was a lot of scandals.

So to me, his decision to resign is totally understandable.

But, if they think that only his resignation will solve everything they are very wrong. If they want a change, they need to start from the basic. But again, when we see who's running the world, then I wouldn't be surprised if their intention are far from this.

To me( as Orthodox), the Catholic church lost it's value. Once it was a well respected institution, but now...well, I think everyone gets it.

Originally posted by silo13
Here it is in Huffington.

Your quote states:

He had longed to be Pope. He has loved being Pope

But, as I've read many times and here's at least one confirmation in English:

Benedict never wanted to be pope and he didn't take easily to the rigors of the job. Elected April 19, 2005, after one of the shortest conclaves in history, Benedict was, at 78, the oldest pope elected in 275 years and the first German in nearly a millennium.

HPost



So, at least one inconstancy - but still an interesting read!

peace

Thanks

As I stated this is not necessarily my opinion. But I learned a lot by reading the the article, to leave anything out would be remiss.

Again perceptions may vary depending on how well the writers of the articles knew the pope.

Originally posted by cody599
I think this is probably the most honest and scathing report I have read on this to date

All he did was play on the piano and pet his cats?
The person who wrote that obviously hasn't seen Benedicts resume.
And Benedict 'longed for the job'?? I've read the exact opposite elsewhere.

As for the rest ... Benedict left because he couldn't do the job. He's old and sick.
His leaving means everyone in the curia loses their jobs.
But that doesn't mean they wont be re-appointed by the next guy ...

I give the article 50/50 ....

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Originally posted by cody599
I think this is probably the most honest and scathing report I have read on this to date

All he did was play on the piano and pet his cats?
The person who wrote that obviously hasn't seen Benedicts resume.
And Benedict 'longed for the job'?? I've read the exact opposite elsewhere.

As for the rest ... Benedict left because he couldn't do the job. He's old and sick.
His leaving means everyone in the curia loses their jobs.
But that doesn't mean they wont be re-appointed by the next guy ...

I give the article 50/50 ....

I used the word probably on purpose as I have little knowledge of the Vatican or it's etiquette.
Still found it a fascinating read and apologize if the author of the original article is misleading in any way.

reply to post by cody599

You don't have to apologize. It's just an article you put out for discussion.
Like I said .. I give it 50/50. But you liked it.
It's okay for people to have different opinions. No problem.

reply to post by FlyersFan


I've searched for an answer but it seems conflicting evidence is out there.
May I ask
When a pope is is chosen does he have the right or ability to refuse the position ?

reply to post by cody599

As I stated this is not necessarily my opinion. But I learned a lot by reading the article, to leave anything out would be remiss.

Absolutely - like I said it's an interesting read - regardless if we agree or not.
Very interesting to watch the spins - and that's no reflection on you.

peace

Originally posted by cody599
When a pope is is chosen does he have the right or ability to refuse the position ?

I don't have a source for it, but no, I don't think so. The perception is that the Pope is chosen by the Holy Spirit through the Cardinals, so I'm guessing saying "no" the being named Pope would be viewed as saying "no" to God. On the other hand, it's an election, so if someone really didn't want to do it, they could obviously submarine themselves prior to the vote.

i just can't see how the Popes resignation clears the pedeophile priests crimes & coverup...

then the shakeup in the curia should make it harder for other opportunists to shake-down the top elites in Vatican city for hush money & access to money laundering processes the people in-the-know had on the local sexual deviants... just how is Benadicts ouster going to be a remedy ?


if anything... the Vatican will still be paying hush-money to someone to not expose the priests/bishops/cardinals??? who continue to love children in a dirty way..


Only a dragnet that collects all the historical clergy perverts and imprisons them after the Church excommunicates them... would be the only real way to really clear-the-air of the unholy stench... a Pope resignation settles nothing


so there is something more to the Drama than the OP report/article/story leads us to believe



thanks

-

I think this is probably the most honest and scathing report I have read on this to date

Cody

well, the article did touch on points i made... but the author also stated... the dismissals in the curia (full of filthy men) who will likely get re-instated at their old positions and the problem will just keep growing

i agree... this resignation is akin to the act of Pontius Pilate washing-his-hands concerning Jesus