NEWS ABOUT BENEDICT

I have to admit that much as I sympathize with Benedict about his age and health problems, I think he is making a mistake in resigning. Some of my concerns are similar to what is mentioned in the article below. Being pope is a vocation, not an occupation. It is a mission. You can't resign from something like that. Not to be superstitious, but I do believe God speaks to us sometimes through signs--the rainbow that appeared during Papa's visit to Auschwitz, for example. I don't think the lightning hitting St. Peter's Basilica after Papa's announcement was a divine affirmation of his decision.



Last-Ditch Appeal: The Pope Should Withdraw His Resignation

The reactions of the traditionalists to the renunciation of Benedict XVI. Legitimate but inopportune, according to Roberto de Mattei. Impossible philosophically and theologically, according to Enrico Maria Radaelli

by Sandro Magister
chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it

ROME, February 20, 2013 – How have the most resolute defenders of Catholic tradition reacted to the resignation of Benedict XVI?

Church historian Roberto de Mattei has commented on the decision of Pope Joseph Ratzinger with a commentary on the website he directs, “Corrispondenza Romana”:

De Mattei does not contest the legitimacy of Benedict XVI's renunciation of the pontificate.

He recognizes that “it is contemplated by canon law and has been seen historically over the centuries.”

And it is also founded theologically, because it puts an end not to the power of orders conferred by the sacrament, which is indelible, but only to the power of jurisdiction.

From the historical point of view, however, de Mattei maintains that the resignation of pope Joseph Ratzinger “appears to be in absolute discontinuity with the tradition and praxis of the Church”:

"One cannot make a comparison either with Celestine V, who quit after being dragged away by force from his hermit's cell, or with Gregory XII, who was forced to resign in order to resolve the very serious question of the Great Western Schism. These were exceptional cases. But what is the exception in the action of Benedict XVI? The official reason, engraved in his words of February 11, expresses, more than the exception, the rule.”

It is the “rule” that would simply coincide with “vigor of both body and mind.”

But then “the question arises”:

“Over two thousand years of history, how many popes have reigned in good health and have not witnessed the decline of their powers and have not suffered from illnesses and moral trials of every kind? Physical well-being has never been a criterion of governance of the Church. Will it be so beginning with Benedict XVI?”

If this is so - de Mattei writes - the action of Benedict XVI takes on an impact “not simply innovative, but revolutionary”:

“The image of the pontifical institution, in the eyes of public opinion all over the world, would in fact be stripped of its sacrality to be handed over to the criteria of judgment of modernity.”

And this would achieve the objective repeatedly set forth by Hans Küng and other progressive theologians: that of reducing the pope “to the president of a board of administration, to a purely arbitral role, accompanied by a permanent synod of bishops with deliberative powers.”

*

Much more radical are the conclusions reached by the philosopher and theologian Enrico Maria Radaelli.

He has substantiated his criticisms of the action of Benedict XVI in a 13-page commentary published on his website:

> Aurea Domus

The title of the commentary leaves no room for doubt:

"Why pope Ratzinger-Benedict XVI should withdraw his resignation. It is not yet the time for a new pope, because it would be that of an antipope.”

Radaelli moves from the words of the risen Jesus to the apostle Peter, in chapter 21 of the gospel of John. He gathers from this that “the cross is the status of every Christian” and therefore “rebelling against one's status, rejecting a grace received, would appear to be for a Christian a grave offense against the virtue of hope, against the grace and the supernatural value of accepting one's human condition, all the more grave if the condition involves roles 'in sacris,' as is the condition, of all the most eminent, of pope.”

As the Peter of the “Quo vadis" who while fleeing from Rome runs into Jesus who is going to die in his place, so “it happens when the pope (but also the least of the faithful) flees from the place where Christ has driven him to endure, to suffer, perhaps to die: it happens that Christ goes to endure, to suffer, perhaps even to die, yes, in his place.”

It is true - Radaelli acknowledges - that canon 333 of the code of canon law establishes that a pope has the power to resign, “but I say that not even the pope has such power, because it would be the exercise of an absolute power that contrasts with being one's very self.” And “it is impossible even for God” not to be what he is.

The resignation of a pope - he continues - even if permitted legally, “is not permitted metaphysically and mystically, because in metaphysics it is bound up with the kernel of being, which does not permit something at the same time both to be and not to be, and in mysticism is bound up with the kernel of the mystical Body which is the Church, through which the office of vicar taken on [by the successor of Peter] with the oath of election places the being of the elect on an ontological plane substantially different from the one left behind: on the metaphysically and spiritually highest plane of Vicar of Christ.”

And again:

"Not considering these facts is in my view a murderous blow to dogma. Resigning means losing the universal name of Peter and going back to the private being of Simon, but this cannot be, because the name of Peter, of Cephas, of Rock, is given on a divine plane to a man who, in receiving it, no longer makes only himself, but 'makes Church.' Without counting the fact that since the self-removed pope cannot in reality resign, the incoming pope, despite himself, will be nothing but an antipope. And reigning will be he, the antipope, not the true pope.”

Radaelli concludes:

"The final consideration is therefore this: pope Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI should not resign, but should draw back from such a supreme decision, recognizing its character as metaphysically and mystically impracticable, and thus also legally unfounded. Not the resignation, but its withdrawal becomes an act of supernatural courage, and God only knows how much the Church needs a pope who is supernaturally, and not humanly, courageous. A pope lauded not by the 'liberals' of all the earth, but by the angels of all of heaven. A martyr pope moreover, a young lion of the Lord, brings more souls to heaven than a hundred resigned popes."

Vatileaks: Pope to ask Commission of Cardinals to tell Conclave members the truth

The three-man commission of inquiry into the Vatileaks scandal is to divulge the contents of their report - which has so far been bound by pontifical secrecy – during the general congregations on the next Pope’s election

GIACOMO GALEAZZI
VATICAN INSIDER
Feb. 22, 2013

The cardinals who will elect the new Pope in the forthcoming Conclave are to be given further information on the Vatileaks scandal. At the beginning of next week, before he leaves for Castel Gandolfo on Thursday afternoon, Benedict XVI will meet with the three eighty-year old cardinals (Julian Herranz, Josef Tomko and Salvatore De Giorgi) who were put in charge of gathering information on the Vatican confidential document leak. The Pope will apparently authorise them to divulge the contents of their report - which has remained confidential under the code of papal secrecy - to cardinals during the general congregations on 1 March.

So cardinal electors will finally get the low down - directly from the Pope’s Vatileaks commissioners - on the real and official story behind the theft of the confidential documents from Ratzinger’s apartment and on the situation which led to legal action being taken against poison pen letter writer, Paolo Gabriele. The Vatileaks dossier contains information about the power struggles and conflicts that went on among the Church hierarchies, but it does not – the Holy See wished to stress – condemn any scandals or sex-abuse related blackmail. Cardinal electors will therefore go into the Conclave knowing the real version of the Vatileaks story, after months of assumptions, resentment and suspicions.

Perhaps it was this report that Benedict XVI had in mind when he appeared at the window of his private study on 11 October and mentioned John XXIII’s extraordinary speech to the Moon in which the late Pope sent a caress out to children before putting a dampener on the enthusiasm expressed by the young people from Catholic Action by mentioning the problems faced by the Church. “On this day fifty years ago – Benedict XVI said - I was in the square looking up at this window where the Good Pope, Blessed John XXIII, appeared and addressed us with unforgettable words, words full of poetry and goodness, words from the heart. We were happy, full of enthusiasm. The great Ecumenical Council had begun and we were certain that a new springtime for the Church was in the offing; a new Pentecost with a new and powerful presence of the liberating grace of the Gospel. Today too we are happy. We have joy in our hearts but, I would say, it is perhaps a more sober and humble joy. He then added: “Over these fifty years we have learned and experienced how original sin exists and is translated, ever and anew, into individual sins which can also become structures of sin. We have seen how weeds are also always present in the field of the Lord. We have seen how Peter's net also beings in bad fish. We have seen how human fragility is also present in the Church, how the ship of the Church is also sailing against a counter wind and is threatened by storms; and at times we have thought that the Lord is sleeping and has forgotten us.”

Before the start of the Lenten spiritual retreat which the Pope and Roman Curia are engaged in until Saturday, the Holy See’s newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, published an article (“Il tempo del silenzio” – “A time of silence”) on its front page, quoting the statements Benedict XVI had made to Peter Seewald and published in German weekly, Focus. “The Pope’s decision was not in any way influenced by the theft of confidential documents from his apartment,” L’Osservatore Romano underlined. “Numerous comments and news articles are being published on Benedict XVI’s decision.” The Holy See newspaper recalls that German journalist and writer Peter Seewald published three books based on two interviews with Cardinal Ratzinger and one with Pope Benedict XVI and started gathering material for a biography of the Pope which will not be complete before 2014. In the second half of 2012 he met with Georg Ratzinger and some old students of the Pope’s on several occasions and met Benedict XVI in person in the summer and in December.

When Seewald asked the Pope what the public could expect from his papacy yet, the Pope replied that he was getting on and that what he had already done was enough. This comment reveals the Pope’s dwindling strength and vigour which he later mentioned when he announced his resignation on 11 February.

According to the German journalist and writer, “the case did not perturb the Pope nor did it lead him to feel the weight of his ministry, even though he did find the whole affair incomprehensible. For the Pope, it was important, however, that the case be resolved through an independent justice system in the Vatican, without the interference of a monarch.”

Castel Gandolfo prepares to receive first retired Pope

Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Feb 23, 2013 / 06:03 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Residents of the town that is home to the Pope’s summer residence say they are happy Pope Benedict is returning to live there.

“When the Pope arrives he will find his apartment the same as always, but also the affection and devotion of everyone here,” Saverio Petrillo, director of the pontifical villas in Castel Gandolfo, told CNA Feb. 20.

Pope Benedict will officially end his ministry at 8:00 p.m. on Feb. 28, but at 5:00 p.m. he will leave the Vatican by helicopter and travel to Castel Gandolfo. When he arrives he will be greeted by the mayor, the pastor of the local parish and town residents. He will also offer a short greeting from the window of his residence.

Popes spend part of the summer in the town of 9,000 residents, which is located 18 miles southeast of Rome and looks over Lake Albano.

This will be the first time the building is used by someone who is not the Pope.

Pope Benedict will live there for at least two months before moving to Mater Ecclesiae monastery inside the Vatican, which is currently being refurbished.

Petrillo explained that Pope Benedict will be living in the same room that he has used the past eight summers.

The audience hall on the top floor, which is in a separate wing of the Pope’s apartment, is currently being restored.

According to the director, his flat includes a chapel, a bedroom and a dining room and “has the right dimensions” to accommodate the Pope, his secretaries and the staff that helps run the household.

“This is like all flats that just needs a bit of dusting, so there is nothing extraordinary being done now in preparation for his coming,” said the director of the pontifical villas.

Petrillo said that he is “in a state of confusion like everybody else because we have before us an unforeseen historical moment.”

“I’ve been working for the Vatican for a long time, since the papacy of Pius XII, but clearly I would have never imagined such a thing,” said Petrillo.

The pontifical villas occupy 136 acres, of which 74 make up a garden and 62 are used for farming.

Locals told CNA they are looking forward to having Pope Benedict stay with them during Easter, although there was a mixed reaction to his resignation.

“We are happy, although this is a very difficult situation,” said an elderly man sitting outside a coffee shop on the square outside the papal residence.

“I’m a practicing Catholic and his resigning has displeased me because to reach this point there are many things that the cardinals needed to fix and it will be very hard,” he added.

Another man said he was also happy his town will be hosting Pope Benedict.

The Pope has stayed in Castel Gandolfo for the past eight summers, which this Italian described as “full of a beautiful presence.”

“The step he has taken is important with everything that’s happening nowadays in society because he’s been more attached to problems than the previous Pope and he had a different sensitivity,” said the man in his mid-thirties.

“He will bring the most important presence we can have with us, and I hope others here will also be happy with this gift,” he added.

A coffee shop owner in the Piazza della Libertà said it is “a unique world privilege” for the town whenever Pope Benedict arrives and that it will greatly benefit local business.

“It’s a privilege because he could have simply returned to his hometown in Bavaria, but he chose to come here,” he said.

“There will probably be more movement here because he’s always an attraction and it’s an important event for all of us whenever he comes here,” he noted.

One local shopkeeper said locals are “Pope Benedict’s fans” and the eight summers he has spent here have been “a very positive experience” for him.

“It’s helped us, not only for our businesses, but also spiritually. And we’re very accustomed to his presence and he’s very accustomed to ours,” he said.

“We also hope he’s not always indoors and that we see him outside every now and then,” he added.

POPE CONCLUDES LENTEN RETREAT

Vatican City, 23 February 2013 (VIS) – At the conclusion of this year's spiritual exercises, Benedict XVI thanked the members of the Curia who had accompanied him in these days and Cardinal Gianfranco Ravisi, who led the retreat. The Pope referred to his preaching, the theme of which was “The Art of Believing, the Art of Praying” as “'beautiful' walks through the universe of faith, and the universe of the Psalms.”

“I was reminded of the fact,” Benedict XVI said, “that the medieval theologians have translated the word 'logos' not only as 'verbum', but also as 'ars'. 'Verbum' and 'ars' are interchangeable. Only in the two together does the entire meaning of the word 'logos' appear for medieval theologians. The 'Logos' is not simply a mathematical reasoning, the 'Logos' has a heart. The 'Logos' is also love. Truth is beautiful. Truth and beauty go together. Beauty is the seal of truth.”

“And yet you, starting from the Psalms and from our everyday experience, have also strongly emphasized that the 'very beautiful' of the sixth day—expressed by the creator—is always challenged in this world by evil, suffering, and corruption. It almost seems that evil wants to permanently mar creation, to contradict God and to make His truth and His beauty unrecognisable. In a world that is also so marked by evil, the 'Logos', eternal beauty and eternal 'ars', should appear as the 'caput cruentatum'. The incarnate Son, the incarnate 'Logos' is crowned with a crown of thorns and, nevertheless, just that way, in this suffering figure of the Son of God, we begin to see the most profound beauty of our Creator and Redeemer. In the silence of the 'dark night' we can still hear the Word. Believing is nothing other than, in the darkness of the world, touching the hand of God and thus, in silence, listening to the Word, seeing Love.”

Benedict XVI again thanked Cardinal Ravasi, expressing his wish to “take other 'walks' in this mysterious universe of the faith and to always be more capable of praying, proclaiming, and being witnesses to the truth, which is beauty and which is love.”

“In conclusion, dear friends,” he finished, “I would like to thank all of you and not only for this week, but for these past eight years that you have carried with me—with great skill, affection, love and faith—the weight of the Petrine ministry. This gratitude remains with me and, even if this 'exterior', 'visible' communion—as Cardinal Ravasi said—is now ending, our spiritual closeness remains, the deep communion in prayer. We go forward with this certainty, certain of God's victory, certain of the truth of beauty and love.”


POPE MEETS WITH PRESIDENT NAPOLITANO

Vatican City, 23 February 2013 (VIS) – This morning at 11:30am, the Holy Father received the president of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano accompanied by his wife, in a farewell audience. The meeting was particularly warm and cordial, given the mutual respect and familiarity of the two eminent men.

President Napolitano expressed, not only the gratitude of the Italian people for his closeness in so many crucial moments and for his elevated religious and moral teaching, but also their affection, which will continue to accompany him in the coming years.

The Pope, for his part, again expressed his gratitude to the president and his wife for their friendship and best wishes for the good of Italy, particularly in these days and at this moment of demanding decisions.

What happens to @pontifex after Papal resignation?

Vatican Radio
Feb. 23, 2013

In response to numerous queries as to whether the Holy Father's twitter account will be permanently shut down following his resignation, Msgr. Paul Tighe, under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications issued the following statement:

The Twitter account @pontifex was created for the exclusive use of the Pope.

@pontifex will be inactive during the interim period between the renouncement of Pope Benedict XVI and the election of his successor (sede vacante).

@pontifex will be available for use by the next Pope as he may wish.

Pope Benedict: Truth and beauty go together

Vatican Radio
Feb. 23, 2013

Pope Benedict on Saturday concluded the “spiritual exercises” which mark the beginning of Lent at the Vatican.

This year’s reflections were offered by Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture.

At the end of the retreat, Pope Benedict addressed those who had participated with him in the Lenten retreat. Taking his cue from Cardinal Ravasi’s theme “the art of believing, the art of praying,” Pope Benedict reflected on the relationship of beauty to the truth. “Truth and beauty,” he said, “go together: beauty is the seal of truth.”

Nonetheless, the Holy Father said, we recognise that the goodness of Creation is permanently contradicted by evil in the world. “Evil,” he said, “always desires to spoil creation, to contradict God, and to make truth and beauty unrecognisable.” But it is precisely into this world, marked by evil, that the Incarnate Logos enters, crowned with thorns, so that, “in the suffering figure of the Son of God, we can begin to see the most profound beauty of our Creator and Redeemer. In the silence of the ‘dark night,’ we can nevertheless hear the Word.”

At the conclusion of his remarks, Pope Benedict expressed his gratitude, not only to those who had joined him in the spiritual exercises, but to all those who, as he said, “have borne with me the weight of the Petrine ministry with great skill, with affection, with love, and with faith.” This gratitude, he said, “will remain with me. And even if this visible exterior communion is now ending,” he continued, “the spiritual closeness, a deep communion in prayer, remains. In this certainty let us go forward, confident in the victory of God, sure of the truth, of beauty, and of love.”


Below, please find the full text, in translation, of Pope Benedict’s remarks:

At the end of this very spiritually intense week, only one word remains: Thank you! Thank you for this community of prayerful listening, that has accompanied me. Thank you, above all, to your Eminence for these beautiful "walks," in the world of faith, the world of the Psalms. We were amazed by the richness, the depth, the beauty of this universe of faith and we are grateful for the Word of God that you have spoken to us in a new way, with new strength.

"The art of believing, the art of praying" was the theme. I was reminded of the fact that the medieval theologians translated the word "Logos" not only as "Verbum", but also as "ars": "Verbum" and "ars" are interchangeable. For the medieval theologians, it was only with the two words together that the whole meaning of the word “Logos” appeared. The "Logos" is not just a mathematical reason: the "Logos" has a heart, the "Logos" is also love. The truth is beautiful and the true and beautiful go together: beauty is the seal of truth.

And yet, starting from the Psalms and from our everyday experience, you have also strongly emphasized that the "very good" of the sixth day - expressed by the Creator - is permanently contradicted by the evil of this world, by suffering, by corruption. It’s almost as if wickedness wills permanently to spoil creation, to contradict God and make its truth and its beauty unrecognizable. In a world so marked even by evil, the "Logos," the eternal beauty and the eternal “art”, must appear as a “caput cruentatum.” The incarnate Son, the incarnate "Logos" is crowned with a crown of thorns and nevertheless is just that: in this suffering figure of the Son of God we begin to see the deepest beauty of our Creator and Redeemer; in the silence of the “dark night” we can, nevertheless, hear the Word. And believing is nothing other than, in the darkness of the world, touching the hand of God, and in this way, in silence, hearing the Word, seeing love.

Your Eminence, thank you for everything and let us continue to "walk" even further in this mysterious world of faith, to be increasingly able to pray, to ask, to proclaim, to be witnesses to the truth, that is beauty, that is love.

Finally, dear friends, I would like to thank you all, not only for this week, but for the past eight years, in which you have borne with me, with great skill, affection, love, faith, the weight of the Petrine ministry. This gratitude remains within me and even if this visible exterior communion is now ending - as Cardinal Ravasi has said - the spiritual closeness, a deep communion in prayer, remains. In this certainty let us go forward, confident in the victory of God, sure of the truth, of beauty, and of love. Thank you all.

Daily Rosary for Pope Benedict in St Peter’s Square

Vatican Radio
Feb. 24, 2013

Visitors to Saint Peter’s Square are invited to come pray the Rosary each day at 4pm for Pope Benedict XVI in the days leading up to his resignation.

Since the start of the Year of Faith, people young and old have been gathering in front of Saint Peter’s Basilica to pray the Rosary as part of an initiative called A Moment with Mary. Participants pray the Rosary as they stand around the original World Youth Day Cross, which is carried into the Square for the occasion. The Rosary is broadcast live each day, Monday through Friday, on CTV and on the internet, allowing people from around the world to pray with those in Saint Peter’s Square.

Following the announcement that Pope Benedict would resign from the papacy at the end of February, the organizers felt it fitting to dedicate the Rosary for his intentions. Carly Andrews, who is the coordinator for the initiative, spoke with Vatican Radio about the importance of using this time to pray for the Holy Father.

Andrews told Vatican Radio how she saw Pope Benedict’s ‘yes’ to the will of God as a “grand culmination of his life of obedience to the Lord which stand as a worldwide example of faithfulness to God.”

In running A Moment with Mary, Andrews hopes to “try and follow the example of the Holy Father to a faithfulness to God, and faithfulness to his will, and faithfulness to prayer.”

The initiative is driven by the online Catholic network Aleteia, in collaboration with CTV, Telepace, Youcat, the Pontifical Council for the laity, and the Centro San Lorenzo International Centre for Youth.

Pope Benedict says he is not 'abandoning the Church'

Vatican City, Feb 24, 2013 / 05:05 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Around 120,000 pilgrims heard Pope Benedict XVI deliver his last Angelus address, in which he said that “the Lord called me to ‘climb the mountain,’ to devote myself even more to prayer and meditation,” a change that does not mean he is “abandoning the Church.”

“Dear brothers and sisters,” the Pope said as he dwelt on the Sunday Gospel on the Transfiguration, “the Word of God feels particularly directed at me, at this point in my life. The Lord called me to ‘climb the mountain,’ to devote myself even more to prayer and meditation.”

“But this does not mean abandoning the Church,” he qualified, “indeed, if God asks me this it is just so that I can continue to serve with the same dedication and the same love with which I have done so far, but in a way more suited to my age and for me.”

The Pope will be both physically and spiritually “climbing the mountain,” since the Mater Ecclesiae monastery where he will retire sits on the highest point in Vatican City with a view of the back of St. Peter’s Basilica and then the rest of Rome.

When he mentioned how the Gospel felt directed at him, the crowd reacted with applause that echoed through an overflowing St. Peter’s Square.

In his reflections on the Transfiguration in Luke’s Gospel, Pope Benedict described the encounter as “a profound experience of relationship with the Father during a sort of spiritual retreat that Jesus lives on a high mountain in the company of Peter, James and John, the three disciples always present in moments of divine manifestation of the Master.”

“The Lord, who shortly before had foretold his death and resurrection, offers his disciples an anticipation of his glory,” he noted.

The Pope then explained the significance of Peter’s comment. “The intervention of Peter: ‘Master, it is good for us to be here,’ represents the impossible attempt to stop this mystical experience.”

Pope Benedict underscored that meditating on this passage yields “a very important teaching.”

“First, the primacy of prayer, without which all the work of the apostolate and of charity is reduced to activism. In Lent we learn to give proper time to prayer, both personal and communal, which gives breath to our spiritual life,” he said.

He also added a second point that was particularly fitting for his future life of prayer.

“In addition, prayer is not to isolate themselves from the world and its contradictions, as on Tabor wanted to be Peter, but the prayer back to the path, to the action. ‘The Christian life - I wrote in my Message for Lent - consists of a continuous climb up the mountain to meet God, before falling back, bringing the love and the power derived from it, in order to serve our brothers and sisters with the same love of God.’”

Benedict XVI finished his pre-Angelus remarks by invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary, who “always help us all to follow the Lord Jesus in prayer and works of charity.”

As he offered greetings in various languages to the throng of pilgrims, each group showed their support by applauding Pope Benedict, with the loudest being the Italians.


A translation of the Pope’s full remarks follows.


Dear brothers and sisters!

On the second Sunday of Lent, the liturgy always presents us with the Gospel of the Transfiguration of the Lord. The evangelist Luke places particular emphasis on the fact that Jesus was transfigured as he prayed: his is a profound experience of relationship with the Father during a sort of spiritual retreat that Jesus lives on a high mountain in the company of Peter, James and John, the three disciples always present in moments of divine manifestation of the Master (Luke 5:10, 8.51, 9.28).

The Lord, who shortly before had foretold his death and resurrection (9:22), offers his disciples a foretaste of his glory. And even in the Transfiguration, as in baptism, we hear the voice of the Heavenly Father, "This is my Son, the Chosen One listen to him" (9:35). The presence of Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets of the Old Covenant, it is highly significant: the whole history of the Alliance is focused on Him, the Christ, who accomplishes a new "exodus" (9:31), not to the promised land as in the time of Moses, but to Heaven. Peter’s words: "Master, it is good that we are here" (9.33) represents the impossible attempt to stop this mystical experience. St. Augustine says: "[Peter] ... on the mountain ... had Christ as the food of the soul. Why should he come down to return to the labors and pains, while up there he was full of feelings of holy love for God that inspired in him a holy conduct? "(Sermon 78.3).

We can draw a very important lesson from meditating on this passage of the Gospel. First, the primacy of prayer, without which all the work of the apostolate and of charity is reduced to activism. In Lent we learn to give proper time to prayer, both personal and communal, which gives breath to our spiritual life. In addition, to pray is not to isolate oneself from the world and its contradictions, as Peter wanted on Tabor, instead prayer leads us back to the path, to action. "The Christian life - I wrote in my Message for Lent - consists in continuously scaling the mountain to meet God and then coming back down, bearing the love and strength drawn from him, so as to serve our brothers and sisters with God’s own love "(n. 3).

Dear brothers and sisters, I feel that this Word of God is particularly directed at me, at this point in my life. The Lord is calling me to "climb the mountain," to devote myself even more to prayer and meditation. But this does not mean abandoning the Church, indeed, if God is asking me to do this it is so that I can continue to serve the Church with the same dedication and the same love with which I have done thus far, but in a way that is better suited to my age and my strength. Let us invoke the intercession of the Virgin Mary: may she always help us all to follow the Lord Jesus in prayer and works of charity.

I offer a warm greeting to all the English-speaking visitors present for this Angelus prayer, especially the Schola Cantorum of the London Oratory School. I thank everyone for the many expressions of gratitude, affection and closeness in prayer that I have received in these days. As we continue our Lenten journey towards Easter, may we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus the Redeemer, whose glory was revealed on the mount of the Transfiguration. Upon all of you I invoke God’s abundant blessings!

Vatican: Statement on the Cardinal’s Commission of Inquiry report

Vatican Radio
Feb. 25, 2013

The following statement was issued Monday morning by the Holy See Press Office regarding the Cardinals' Commission of Inquiry into the Vatileaks scandal:

The Holy Father this morning received in audience Cardinals Julián Herranz, Jozef Tomko and Salvatore De Giorgi, from the Cardinal’s Commission of Inquiry into the leaking of confidential information. They were accompanied by the Commission Secretary, Fr. Luigi Martignani, O.F.M. Cap

At the conclusion of their mission His Holiness wished to thank them for their fruitful work, expressing satisfaction for the results of the investigation. In fact, their work made it possible to detect, given the limitations and imperfections of the human component of each institution, the generosity, honesty and dedication of those who work in the Holy See at the service of the mission entrusted by Christ to the Roman Pontiff.

The Holy Father has decided that the facts of this investigation, the contents of which are known only to Himself, will be made available exclusively to the new Pontiff.

MOTU PROPRIO: POPE LEAVES EXPEDITION OF CONCLAVE UP TO CARDINALS

Vatican City, 25 February 2013 (VIS) – In an unofficial translation of the Apostolic Letter in the form of a Motu Proprio by Holy Father Benedict XVI and dated 22 February, following are a few amendments concerning the election of the Roman Pontiff.

“With the Apostolic Letter 'De aliquibus mutationibus in normis de electione Romani Ponteficis' given as a Motu Proprio in Rome on 11 June 2007 in the third year of my pontificate, I established some norms that, rescinding those prescribed in no. 75 of the Apostolic Constitution 'Universi Dominici Gregis' promulgated by my predecessor Blessed John Paul II, have re-established the regulation, sanctioned by tradition, according to which a two thirds majority of the votes of the Cardinal electors present is always required for the valid election of the Roman Pontiff.”

“Considering the importance of ensuring the best implementation of what is concerned, albeit with a different significance, regarding the election of the Roman Pontiff, in particular a more certain interpretation and execution of some provisions, I establish and prescribe that some norms of the Apostolic Constitution 'Universi Dominici Gregis', as well as what I myself set forth in the above-mentioned Apostolic Letter, be replaced with the following norms:

35. “No Cardinal elector can be excluded from active or passive voice in the election of the Supreme Pontiff, for any reason or pretext, with due regard for the provisions of No. 40 and No. 75 of this Constitution.”

37. “I furthermore decree that, from the moment when the Apostolic See is lawfully vacant, the Cardinal electors who are present must wait fifteen full days for those who are absent before beginning the Conclave; however, the College of Cardinals is also granted the faculty to anticipated the beginning of the Conclave if all the Cardinal electors are present as well as the faculty to defer, for serious reasons, the beginning of the election for a few days more. But when a maximum of twenty days have elapsed from the beginning of the vacancy of the See, all the Cardinal electors present are obliged to proceed to the election.”

43. “From the beginning of the electoral process until the public announcement that the election of the Supreme Pontiff has taken place, or in any case until the new Pope so disposes, the rooms of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, and in particular the Sistine Chapel and the areas reserved for liturgical celebrations are to be closed to unauthorized persons, by the authority of the Cardinal Camerlengo and with the outside assistance of the Vice Camerlengo and the Substitute of the Secretariat of State, in accordance with the provisions set forth in the following Numbers.”

“During this period, the entire territory of Vatican City and the ordinary activity of the offices located therein shall be regulated, for the period mentioned, in a way that ensures the confidentiality and the free development of all the undertakings connected with the election of the Supreme Pontiff. In particular, provision shall be made, with the help of the Cleric Prelates of the Chamber to ensure that no one approaches the Cardinal electors while they are being transported from the Domus Sanctae Marthae to the Apostolic Vatican Palace.”

46, 1. “In order to meet the personal and official needs connected with the election process, the following individuals must be available and therefore properly lodged in suitable areas within the confines mentioned in No. 43 of this Constitution: the Secretary of the College of Cardinals, who acts as Secretary of the electoral assembly; the Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations with eight Masters of Ceremonies and two Religious attached to the Papal Sacristy; and an ecclesiastic chosen by the Cardinal Dean or by the Cardinal taking his place, in order to assist him in his duties.”

47. “All the persons listed in No. 46 and No. 55, 2 of this Constitution who in any way or at any time should come to learn anything from any source, directly or indirectly, regarding the election process, and in particular regarding the voting which took place in the election itself, are obliged to maintain strict secrecy with all persons extraneous to the College of Cardinal electors: accordingly, before the election begins, they shall take an oath in the form and using the formula indicated in No. 48.”

48. “The persons listed in No. 46 and No. 55, 2 of this Constitution, having been duly warned about the meaning and extent of the oath that they are to take, before the start of the election process, shall, in the presence of the Cardinal Camerlengo or another Cardinal delegated by him, and in the presence of two numerary participant Apostolic Protonotaries, in due course swear and sign the oath according to the following formula:”

“I, N.N., promise and swear that, unless I should receive a special faculty given expressly by the newly-elected Pontiff or by his successors, I will observe absolute and perpetual secrecy with all who are not part of the College of Cardinal electors concerning all matters directly or indirectly related to the ballots cast and their scrutiny for the election of the Supreme Pontiff.”

“I likewise promise and swear to refrain from using any audio or video equipment capable of recording anything which takes place during the period of the election within Vatican City, and in particular anything which in any way, directly or indirectly, is related to the process of the election itself.”

“I declare that I take this oath fully aware that an infraction thereof will make me subject to the penalty of excommunication 'latae sententiae', which is reserved to the Apostolic See."

“So help me God and these Holy Gospels, which I touch with my hand.”

49. “When the funeral rites for the deceased Pope have been celebrated according to the prescribed ritual, and everything necessary for the regular functioning of the election has been prepared, on the appointed day of the beginning of the Conclave established in conformity with the provisions of No. 37 of the present Constitution, the Cardinal electors shall meet in the Basilica of Saint Peter's in the Vatican, or elsewhere, should circumstances warrant it, in order to take part in a solemn Eucharistic celebration with the Votive Mass 'Pro Eligendo Papa'. This celebration should preferably take place at a suitable hour in the morning, so that in the afternoon the prescriptions of the following Numbers of this Constitution can be carried out.”

50. From the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace, where they will assemble at a suitable hour in the afternoon, the Cardinal electors, in choir dress and invoking the assistance of the Holy Spirit with the chant of the 'Veni Creator', will solemnly process to the Sistine Chapel of the Apostolic Palace, where the election will be held. The Vice Camerlengo, the General Auditor of the Apostolic Camera, and two members of each of the colleges of numerary participant Apostolic Protonotaries, Prelate Auditors of the Roman Rota, and Cleric Prelates of the Chamber will participate in the procession.

51, 2. “It will therefore be the responsibility of the College of Cardinals, operating under the authority and responsibility of the Camerlengo, assisted by the Particular Congregation mentioned in No. 7 of the present Constitution, and with the outside assistance of the Vice Camerlengo and the Substitute of the Secretariat of State, to make all prior arrangements for the interior of the Sistine Chapel and adjacent areas to be prepared, so that an orderly election and its privacy will be ensured.”

55, 3. “Should any infraction whatsoever of this norm occur, those responsible should know that they will be subject to the penalty of excommunication 'latae sententiae', which is reserved to the Apostolic See."

62. “Since the forms of election known as 'per acclamationem seu inspirationem' and 'per compromissum' are abolished, the form of electing the Roman Pontiff shall henceforth be 'per scrutinium' alone.”

“I therefore decree that, for the valid election of the Roman Pontiff, at least two thirds of the votes are required, calculated on the basis of the total number of electors present and voting.”

64. “The voting process is carried out in three phases. The first phase, which can be called the pre-scrutiny, comprises: 1) the preparation and distribution of the ballot papers by the Masters of Ceremonies—called meanwhile into the Hall together with the Secretary of the College of Cardinals and with the Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations—who give at least two or three to each Cardinal elector; 2) the drawing by lot, from among all the Cardinal electors, of three Scrutineers, of three persons charged with collecting the votes of the sick, called for the sake of brevity 'Infirmarii', and of three Revisers; this drawing is carried out in public by the junior Cardinal Deacon, who draws out nine names, one after another, of those who shall carry out these tasks; 3) if, in the drawing of lots for the Scrutineers, 'Infirmarii' and Revisers, there should come out the names of Cardinal electors who because of infirmity or other reasons are unable to carry out these tasks, the names of others who are not impeded are to be drawn in their place. The first three drawn will act as Scrutineers, the second three as 'Infirmarii', and the last three as Revisers.”

70, 2. “The Scrutineers add up all the votes that each individual has received, and if no one has obtained at least two thirds of the votes on that ballot, the Pope has not been elected; if however it turns out that someone has obtained at least two thirds of the votes, the canonically valid election of the Roman Pontiff has taken place.”

75. “If the votes referred to in Nos. 72, 73, and 74 of the above-mentioned Constitution do not result in an election, a day will be dedicated to prayer, reflection, and discussion. In subsequent votes, in accordance with the procedure established in No. 74 of this same Constitution, only the two whose names have received the greatest number of votes in the immediately preceding ballot will have the passive electoral right. There can be no waiving of the requirement that a valid election takes place only by a qualified majority of at least two thirds of the votes of the cardinals who are present and voting. Moreover, in these ballots, the two persons who enjoy the passive electoral right lose their active electoral right.”

“When the election has canonically taken place, the junior Cardinal Deacon summons into the Hall of election the Secretary of the College of Cardinals, the Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations, and two Masters of Ceremonies. The Cardinal Dean, or the Cardinal who is first in order and seniority, in the name of the whole College of electors, then asks the consent of the one elected in the following words: 'Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?' And, as soon as he has received the consent, he asks him: 'By what name do you wish to be called?' Then the Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations, acting as notary and having as witnesses the two Masters of Ceremonies, draws up a document certifying acceptance by the new Pope and the name taken by him.”

“This document will enter into force immediately upon its publication in the Osservatore Romano.”

“This I do decree and establish, notwithstanding any instruction to the contrary.”

“Given in Rome, at Saint Peter’s, on 22 February in the year 2013, the eighth of my Pontificate.”

Pope accepts O'Brien's resignation, he won't participate in Conclave

Pope Benedict has accepted Cardinal O’Brien’s resignation following allegations by priests of “improper behavior” against them. The cardinal said he will not participate in the conclave

GERARD O'CONNELL
VATICAN INSIDER
Feb. 25, 2013

In a significant and decisive intervention, Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the Archbishop of Edinburgh and St Andrews following allegations that he had engaged in “improper behavior” with priests in his diocese. The Cardinal announced that he will not participate in the conclave.

The Vatican broke the news February 25, a day after The Observer, a British Sunday daily, revealed that three priests and a former priest had denounced the cardinal to the Vatican for having engaged in “improper behavior” against them in the 1980s. The cardinal has contested those allegations, and has taken legal advice. Yesterday, the Vatican spokesman, Fr Lombardi, said “the Pope has been informed of the allegations, and the problem is in his hands”.

The Vatican statement made no reference to the allegations, and made clear his resignation was accepted for reasons of age in accordance with Canon 401#1. It said the Pope had accepted his resignation on February 18, in other words before The Observer article was published. The decision takes effect immediately. The Vatican also said that the Pope has appointed an Apostolic Administrator for the diocese.

In a statement released by the Scottish Catholic Press Office, Cardinal O’Brien revealed that he had handed in his resignation “some months ago” and that the Pope had accepted it on 13 November 2012, but said it was to take effect at a later date. That date has come now, he added. The Scottish Catholic Press Office in its statement said, “Given the imminent Vacant See, the Holy Father has now decided to accept the said resignation definitively”

Significantly, Cardinal O’Brien made no direct reference to the allegations in his statement, though he did apologize “for “any failures” and “to all whom I have offended”. He said, he “valued the opportunity of serving the people of Scotland and overseas in various ways since becoming a priest”. And looking back over those years he added, “For any good I have been able to do, I thank God. For any failures, I apologize to all whom I have offended”.

He thanked Pope Benedict for “his kindness and courtesy to me” and wished him “a long and happy retirement.”

Referring to the March conclave, he asked “God’s blessing on my brother Cardinals who will soon gather in Rome to elect his successor” but stated, “I will not join them for this Conclave in person”.

He said he had made his decision not to participate in the conclave because, “I do not wish media attention in Rome to be focused on me – but rather on Pope Benedict XVI and on his Successor.” He said he would pray that they “would make the correct choice for the future good of the Church.”

Cardinal O’Brien handed in his letter of resignation to the Pope some months ago in accordance with Canon Law, as he approached his 75th birthday on March 17. Seventy-five is the normal age of retirement for bishops in the Catholic Church. Cardinals, however, are usually given an extension of one to two years, but significantly this has not happened in his case. The Pope has actually accepted his resignation 20 days before he reached his 75th birthday.

The final details and schedule for the final days.


BENEDICT XVI WILL BE POPE EMERITUS

Vatican City, 26 February 2013 (VIS) – Benedict XVI will be “Pontiff emeritus” or “Pope emeritus”, as Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., director of the Holy See Press Office, reported in a press conference on th final days of the current pontificate. He will keep the name of “His Holiness, Benedict XVI” and will dress in a simple white cassock without the mozzetta (elbow-length cape).

More than 50,000 tickets have already been requested for the Pope's final general audience tomorrow morning, 27 February, but greater attendance is expected. Except for the trip around St. Peter's Square in the popemobile and the exclusion of the “bacciamani” (brief personal greetings that take place after the ceremony), the audience will take place as usual. On its conclusion, the Pope will go to the Clementine Hall of the Vatican Palace to meet with some of the civil authorities who are present in Rome or who have travelled here to wish him farewell. Among these dignitaries will be the presidents of Slovakia and of the German region of Bavaria.

On the morning of 28 February, the last day of his pontificate, the Pope will meet with, again in the Clementine Hall, the cardinals what are present in Rome. At 4:55pm, in the San Damaso Courtyard of the Vatican Apostolic Palace and before a detachment of the Swiss Guards, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., secretary of State of His Holiness, and and other members of that dicastery will bid him farewell. The Pope's helicopter will land at Castel Gandolfo at 5:15pm, where he will be received by Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello and Bishop Giuseppe Sciacca, respectively president and secretary general of the Governorate of Vatican City State along with Bishop Marcello Semeraro of the Diocese of Albano, and civil authorities of the locality.

Benedict XVI will appear at the balcony of the Castel Gandolfo Apostolic Palace to greet those who have gathered in the square to wish him well. The Sede Vacante will begin at 8:00pm and the Swiss Guards assigned to him at Castel Gandolfo will take their leave, as their corps is dedicated to the safe-guarding of the Roman Pontiff. Instead, the Vatican Gendarmerie will take over the Pope emeritus' safety detail.

Fr. Lombardi also explained that Bendict XVI will no longer use the “Fisherman's Ring”, which will be destroyed along with the lead seal of the pontificate. This task falls to the cardinal camerlengo and his assistants. Likewise, the Press Office director announced that the Pope will no longer wear the red papal shoes.

Regarding the beginning of the Congregations of Cardinals, the dean of the College of Cardinals will send a letter to all the cardinals on 1 March, calling them to Rome. “It is likely, therefore,” Fr. Lombardi added, “that the congregations will begin starting next week.”

The congregations will be held in the new Synod Hall. The prelates will not be housed in the Casa Santa Marta residence until the eve of the beginning of the Conclave for various reasons, including the fact that rooms are to be assigned by lot during the congregations.


**************


Pope Benedict chooses his new wardrobe

Vatican City, Feb 26, 2013 / 06:07 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict has decided what he will wear once he is no longer Pope – a simple white cassock, and brown shoes given to him in Leon, Mexico.

“The city of Leon is known for beautiful shoes, and very comfortable shoes. And when the Pope was asked what he wanted to wear he said, ‘I want the shoes from Leon in Mexico,’” Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told journalists Feb. 26.

“It will no longer be the red shoes that you have seen him wear. He has chosen to keep brown shoes that were given to him on his recent trip,” he said.

As for his apparel, the Pope emeritus will wear a simple, white cassock without the mozzetta – the short cape that covers his shoulders.

His outfit will be complemented by the simple monastery he will be living in, starting around May.

He will replace the Fisherman’s ring worn by Popes with an episcopal ring from his time as Cardinal Ratzinger. The Pope’s ring and seal will be broken at a particular moment determined by the College of Cardinals and its chamberlain, in accordance with the sede vacante norms.

The main news that Fr. Lombardi announced at the Feb. 26 press conference was what Pope Benedict will be called after he resigns.

He will have three titles: His Holiness Benedict XVI, Pope Emeritus or Roman Pontiff Emeritus.

The formal end of his ministry will occur on Feb. 28 at 8:00 p.m.

Fr. Lombardi reiterated that it is important to note “the Pope is in a spirit of prayer as he brings the pontificate to a close.”

I will try to find and post a more descriptive account about the size and reaction of the crowd at today's GA. Simone has posted some beautiful photos of Papa at the audience on the Pics and Videos page. He looks very sad.


Pope: final General Audience (full text)

Vatican Radio
Feb. 27, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI held the final General Audience of his pontificate on Wednesday in St Peter's Square.

Below, please find Vatican Radio's English translation of the Holy Father's remarks.


Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood!
Distinguished Authorities!
Dear brothers and sisters!

Thank you for coming in such large numbers to this last General Audience of my pontificate.

Like the Apostle Paul in the biblical text that we have heard, I feel in my heart the paramount duty to thank God, who guides the Church and makes her grow: who sows His Word and thus nourishes the faith in His people. At this moment my spirit reaches out to embrace the whole Church throughout the world, and I thank God for the “news” that in these years of Petrine ministry I have been able to receive regarding the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the charity that circulates in the body of the Church – charity that makes the Church to live in love – and of the hope that opens for us the way towards the fullness of life, and directs us towards the heavenly homeland.

I feel I [ought to] carry everyone in prayer, in a present that is God’s, where I recall every meeting, every voyage, every pastoral visit. I gather everyone and every thing in prayerful recollection, in order to entrust them to the Lord: in order that we might have full knowledge of His will, with every wisdom and spiritual understanding, and in order that we might comport ourselves in a manner that is worthy of Him, of His, bearing fruit in every good work (cf. Col 1:9-10).

At this time, I have within myself a great trust [in God], because I know – all of us know – that the Gospel’s word of truth is the strength of the Church: it is her life. The Gospel purifies and renews: it bears fruit wherever the community of believers hears and welcomes the grace of God in truth and lives in charity. This is my faith, this is my joy.

When, almost eight years ago, on April 19th, [2005], I agreed to take on the Petrine ministry, I held steadfast in this certainty, which has always accompanied me. In that moment, as I have already stated several times, the words that resounded in my heart were: “Lord, what do you ask of me? It a great weight that You place on my shoulders, but, if You ask me, at your word I will throw out the nets, sure that you will guide me” – and the Lord really has guided me. He has been close to me: daily could I feel His presence. [These years] have been a stretch of the Church’s pilgrim way, which has seen moments joy and light, but also difficult moments. I have felt like St. Peter with the Apostles in the boat on the Sea of ​​Galilee: the Lord has given us many days of sunshine and gentle breeze, days in which the catch has been abundant; [then] there have been times when the seas were rough and the wind against us, as in the whole history of the Church it has ever been - and the Lord seemed to sleep. Nevertheless, I always knew that the Lord is in the barque, that the barque of the Church is not mine, not ours, but His - and He shall not let her sink. It is He, who steers her: to be sure, he does so also through men of His choosing, for He desired that it be so. This was and is a certainty that nothing can tarnish. It is for this reason, that today my heart is filled with gratitude to God, for never did He leave me or the Church without His consolation, His light, His love.

We are in the Year of Faith, which I desired in order to strengthen our own faith in God in a context that seems to push faith more and more toward the margins of life. I would like to invite everyone to renew firm trust in the Lord. I would like that we all, entrust ourselves as children to the arms of God, and rest assured that those arms support us and us to walk every day, even in times of struggle. I would like everyone to feel loved by the God who gave His Son for us and showed us His boundless love. I want everyone to feel the joy of being Christian. In a beautiful prayer to be recited daily in the morning says, “I adore you, my God, I love you with all my heart. I thank You for having created me, for having made me a Christian.” Yes, we are happy for the gift of faith: it is the most precious good, that no one can take from us! Let us thank God for this every day, with prayer and with a coherent Christian life. God loves us, but He also expects that we love Him!

At this time, however, it is not only God, whom I desire to thank. A Pope is not alone in guiding St. Peter’s barque, even if it is his first responsibility – and I have not ever felt myself alone in bearing either the joys or the weight of the Petrine ministry. The Lord has placed next to me many people, who, with generosity and love for God and the Church, have helped me and been close to me. First of all you, dear Brother Cardinals: your wisdom, your counsels, your friendship, were all precious to me. My collaborators, starting with my Secretary of State, who accompanied me faithfully over the years, the Secretariat of State and the whole Roman Curia, as well as all those who, in various areas, give their service to the Holy See: the many faces which never emerge, but remain in the background, in silence, in their daily commitment, with a spirit of faith and humility. They have been for me a sure and reliable support. A special thought [goes] to the Church of Rome, my diocese! I can not forget the Brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood, the consecrated persons and the entire People of God: in pastoral visits, in public encounters, at Audiences, in traveling, I have always received great care and deep affection; I also loved each and every one, without exception, with that pastoral charity which is the heart of every shepherd, especially the Bishop of Rome, the Successor of the Apostle Peter. Every day I carried each of you in my prayers, with the father's heart.

I wish my greetings and my thanks to reach everyone: the heart of a Pope expands to [embrace] the whole world. I would like to express my gratitude to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, which makes present the great family of nations. Here I also think of all those who work for good communication, whom I thank for their important service.

At this point I would like to offer heartfelt thanks to all the many people throughout the whole world, who, in recent weeks have sent me moving tokens of concern, friendship and prayer. Yes, the Pope is never alone: now I experience this [truth] again in a way so great as to touch my very heart. The Pope belongs to everyone, and so many people feel very close to him. It’s true that I receive letters from the world's greatest figures - from the Heads of State, religious leaders, representatives of the world of culture and so on. I also receive many letters from ordinary people who write to me simply from their heart and let me feel their affection, which is born of our being together in Christ Jesus, in the Church. These people do not write me as one might write, for example, to a prince or a great figure one does not know. They write as brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, with the sense of very affectionate family ties. Here, one can touch what the Church is – not an organization, not an association for religious or humanitarian purposes, but a living body, a community of brothers and sisters in the Body of Jesus Christ, who unites us all. To experience the Church in this way and almost be able to touch with one’s hands the power of His truth and His love, is a source of joy, in a time in which many speak of its decline.

In recent months, I felt that my strength had decreased, and I asked God with insistence in prayer to enlighten me with His light to make me take the right decision – not for my sake, but for the good of the Church. I have taken this step in full awareness of its severity and also its novelty, but with a deep peace of mind. Loving the Church also means having the courage to make difficult, trying choices, having ever before oneself the good of the Church and not one’s own.

Here allow me to return once again to April 19, 2005. The gravity of the decision was precisely in the fact that from that moment on I was committed always and forever by the Lord. Always – he, who assumes the Petrine ministry no longer has any privacy. He belongs always and totally to everyone, to the whole Church. His life is, so to speak, totally deprived of the private sphere. I have felt, and I feel even in this very moment, that one receives one’s life precisely when he offers it as a gift. I said before that many people who love the Lord also love the Successor of Saint Peter and are fond of him, that the Pope has truly brothers and sisters, sons and daughters all over the world, and that he feels safe in the embrace of their communion, because he no longer belongs to himself, but he belongs to all and all are truly his own.

The “always” is also a “forever” - there is no returning to private life. My decision to forgo the exercise of active ministry, does not revoke this. I do not return to private life, to a life of travel, meetings, receptions, conferences and so on. I do not abandon the cross, but remain in a new way near to the Crucified Lord. I no longer wield the power of the office for the government of the Church, but in the service of prayer I remain, so to speak, within St. Peter’s bounds. St. Benedict, whose name I bear as Pope, shall be a great example in this for me. He showed us the way to a life which, active or passive, belongs wholly to the work of God.

I thank each and every one of you for the respect and understanding with which you have welcomed this important decision. I continue to accompany the Church on her way through prayer and reflection, with the dedication to the Lord and to His Bride, which I have hitherto tried to live daily and that I would live forever. I ask you to remember me before God, and above all to pray for the Cardinals, who are called to so important a task, and for the new Successor of Peter, that the Lord might accompany him with the light and the power of His Spirit.

Let us invoke the maternal intercession of Mary, Mother of God and of the Church, that she might accompany each of us and the whole ecclesial community: to her we entrust ourselves, with deep trust.

Dear friends! God guides His Church, maintains her always, and especially in difficult times. Let us never lose this vision of faith, which is the only true vision of the way of the Church and the world. In our heart, in the heart of each of you, let there be always the joyous certainty that the Lord is near, that He does not abandon us, that He is near to us and that He surrounds us with His love. Thank you!

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Pope Benedict XVI's remarks in English during his final General Audience:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I offer a warm and affectionate greeting to the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors who have joined me for this, my last General Audience. Like Saint Paul, whose words we heard earlier, my heart is filled with thanksgiving to God who ever watches over his Church and her growth in faith and love, and I embrace all of you with joy and gratitude. During this Year of Faith, we have been called to renew our joyful trust in the Lord’s presence in our lives and in the life of the Church. I am personally grateful for his unfailing love and guidance in the eight years since I accepted his call to serve as the Successor of Peter. I am also deeply grateful for the understanding, support and prayers of so many of you, not only here in Rome, but also throughout the world. The decision I have made, after much prayer, is the fruit of a serene trust in God’s will and a deep love of Christ’s Church. I will continue to accompany the Church with my prayers, and I ask each of you to pray for me and for the new Pope. In union with Mary and all the saints, let us entrust ourselves in faith and hope to God, who continues to watch over our lives and to guide the journey of the Church and our world along the paths of history. I commend all of you, with great affection, to his loving care, asking him to strengthen you in the hope which opens our hearts to the fullness of life that he alone can give. To you and your families, I impart my blessing. Thank you!

This is the first part of Catholic News Service's account. The rest of the article repeats the Pope's speech and summarizes previous news accounts about his resignation. Other news accounts, including those from the mainstream media, are similar and all estimate the crowd size as 150,000.


Pope delivers personal, emotional farewell address at audience

By Francis X. Rocca
Catholic News Service
Feb 27, 2013

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- On his last full day as pope, Pope Benedict XVI delivered an unusually personal and emotional farewell address, thanking the faithful around the world for their support and assuring them that he would remain in their service even in retirement.

"I will continue to accompany the path of the church with prayer and reflection, with that dedication to the Lord and to his bride that I have tried to live every day till now and that I want to live always," the pope told a crowd in St. Peter's Square Feb. 27, the eve of his resignation.

Under a clear blue sky with temperatures in the low 40s, the pope arrived for his last public audience shortly after 10:30 a.m., standing and waving for almost 15 minutes as his white popemobile made a circuit through the square. Cheering pilgrims waved national flags and banners with slogans such as "always with the pope" and "you will never be alone."

The crowd spilled over into the adjacent Via della Conciliazione, which had been closed to motorized traffic, and the Vatican estimated turnout at 150,000.

Abandoning his usual practice of giving a catechetical talk on a devotional text or theme at public audiences, the pope spoke about his time as pope and his historic decision to resign. He looked tired but composed as he read his speech, and he smiled at the frequent interruptions by applause.

Faithful throw big farewell at pope's last general audience

By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service
Feb. 27, 2013

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The last general audience in St. Peter's Square turned into a farewell party with balloons, flowers, flags, posters, cheers, standing ovations and a touching thank-you speech from Pope Benedict XVI.

Authorities estimated about 130,000 people were in attendance, most of them packed in the square, with some spillover onto the long boulevard in front of the basilica.

Some children took off school and held handmade signs, babies were bundled up tight against the chill and pilgrims' groups unfurled long banners to the pope such as: "We're always with you" and "You will never be alone."

It was also the last chance for pilgrims to have religious items blessed by Pope Benedict. Many came supplied with rosaries and religious trinkets, while others quickly fumbled for their necklace pendant or their ring.

The pope's speech paid homage to God -- his source of strength -- and all the men and women who make up the living body of the Catholic Church. He gave his assurances that resigning as pope would not mean he was abandoning his flock, but delving deeper into spiritual union with the world through Christ.

"He confirmed that the Petrine ministry is a service, first of all, for the good of the church and not a prestigious office to be exercised by one person," said Michele Brescia, 25, of Foggia, Italy.

"What hit me most was him saying that the one and only supreme guide of the church is the Gospel, the word of God, and Jesus Christ with his witness to poverty, humility and service to others," he said.

Echoing the pope's words about the church not being a structured organization, but a living community, Brescia said, "The church isn't a religious association explicitly for evangelization."

"It has to be a home for everyone, it has to be a guiding light for everyone searching for the truth," she added.

Father Stephen Brock, a native of Illinois and priest of the prelature of Opus Dei, said the "Holy Spirit is in charge of the church; it's not us, it's not even the pope really. He's just trying to do God's will."

Because the pope made the decision to step down after a long period of intense prayer, "he's so certain that this is what God wants, and it fills you with the same sense of serenity" that the pope displays, said the priest, who teaches at Rome's Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

"His prayers are going to be very powerful, and the church needs that prayer," he said.

Msgr. Robert J. Fuhrman, assistant national director of the New York-based Pontifical Mission Societies, said "by announcing his resignation, he placed a big 'Amen' on a beautiful life, a life that's not over but that will continue to bless the church with a life lived in contemplation."

The monsignor said the pope's impact "will remain what it's been: that of a prayerful, loving father, but who is called to a new level of solitude with God."

Sister Pilar Benavente of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa said the pope's resignation is "a sign for the church and for the world: a human being acknowledging his limitations ... recognizing his own humanity."

She said that sometimes "the tendency could be to look at the pope as a superman," but his act of resignation could "open the door to greater changes" in the church.

"I would like a pope that is comfortable with contemporary culture" and a church where different cultures are in a spirit of communion, she said.

Franciscan Father Gearoid O Conaire said the pope "is moving away, but he's not getting down off the cross," referring to some criticism that the pope did not remain pontiff until his death.

"He really reiterated that he continues to stay with Christ on the cross," even though his life won't be filled with travels, speeches and large events, said the friar, who is executive secretary of the Franciscans' justice, peace, and integrity of creation commission in Rome.

The pope displayed much courage "to go against 600 years of tradition and say 'I don't think it's up to me now to continue,' and his ability to step back and say 'it doesn't depend on me, but on Christ,' who continues to be with the church, never abandons the church," said Father O Conaire.

Trinitarian Father Francesco Saverio said Pope Benedict "left the pontificate in order to become something much more. Like he said, he's not leaving the church, he's doing something to unite and strengthen this church."

Father Saverio referred to the double meaning of Benedict in Italian, "Benedetto," which means both Benedict and blessed.

"Some 'Benedetti' (Benedicts and blesseds) went on to become popes. This pope is leaving the pontificate to become 'Benedetto' (blessed)," he said.

Thank you for all the great background information you post here all the time!

It makes me happy that he still will be His Holiness!

Pope Benedict XVI begins last day of Pontificate

Vatican Radio
Feb. 28, 2013

The Pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI will come to an end with the Sede Vacante (“Vacant See”) beginning at 8pm Rome time (7pm GMT). On the last full day of his pontificate, Pope Benedict will hold a special farewell meeting with members of the College of Cardinals in the Clementine Hall. At 4.55 p.m. the Pope will bid farewell to the pontifical household, and depart the Apostolic Palace by car from the San Damaso Courtyard. From there, he will be driven to the Vatican heliport, where he will be seen off by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano. At 5.15 p.m. he will be flown to Castel Gandolfo, about 30 km from Rome. The Holy Father will then briefly greet the faithful of the Diocese of Albano from the central balcony of the Apostolic Palace. This will be the last public appearance of Pope Benedict XVI while in office. At 8 p.m, the reign of the 265th Pope, the 264th successor of St. Peter, will come to an end, having lasted 7 years, 10 months, and 9 days.

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Pope: Farewell discourse to College of Cardinals (full text)

“The Church is in the world but not of the world and it is a living body”, therefore it is not an institution designed and conceived according to pre-set plans, but of God. Wednesday’s audience is proof of this, it has shown the “awakening of the Church in souls”.


Below please find a Vatican Radio translation of the Holy Father’s words to the College of Cardinals Thursday morning:

Dear beloved brothers

I welcome you all with great joy and cordially greet each one of you. I thank Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who as always, has been able to convey the sentiments of the College, Cor ad cor loquitur. Thank you, Your Eminence, from my heart.

And referring to the disciples of Emmaus, I would like to say to you all that it has also been a joy for me to walk with you over the years in light of the presence of the Risen Lord. As I said yesterday, in front of thousands of people who filled St. Peter's Square, your closeness, your advice, have been a great help to me in my ministry. In these 8 years we have experienced in faith beautiful moments of radiant light in the Churches’ journey along with times when clouds have darkened the sky. We have tried to serve Christ and his Church with deep and total love which is the soul of our ministry. We have gifted hope that comes from Christ alone, and which alone can illuminate our path. Together we can thank the Lord who has helped us grow in communion, to pray to together, to help you to continue to grow in this deep unity so that the College of Cardinals is like an orchestra, where diversity, an expression of the universal Church, always contributes to a superior harmony of concord. I would like to leave you with a simple thought that is close to my heart, a thought on the Church, Her mystery, which is for all of us, we can say, the reason and the passion of our lives. I am helped by an expression of Romano Guardini’s, written in the year in which the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council approved the Constitution Lumen Gentium, his last with a personal dedication to me, so the words of this book are particularly dear to me .

Guardini says: "The Church is not an institution devised and built at table, but a living reality. She lives along the course of time by transforming Herself, like any living being, yet Her nature remains the same. At Her heart is Christ. "

This was our experience yesterday, I think, in the square. We could see that the Church is a living body, animated by the Holy Spirit, and truly lives by the power of God, She is in the world but not of the world. She is of God, of Christ, of the Spirit, as we saw yesterday. This is why another eloquent expression of Guardini’s is also true: "The Church is awakening in souls." The Church lives, grows and awakens in those souls which like the Virgin Mary accept and conceive the Word of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. They offer to God their flesh and in their own poverty and humility become capable of giving birth to Christ in the world today. Through the Church the mystery of the Incarnation remains present forever. Christ continues to walk through all times in all places. Let us remain united, dear brothers, to this mystery, in prayer, especially in daily Eucharist, and thus serve the Church and all humanity. This is our joy that no one can take from us.

Prior to bidding farewell to each of you personally, I want to tell you that I will continue to be close to you in prayer, especially in the next few days, so that you may all be fully docile to the action of the Holy Spirit in the election of the new Pope. May the Lord show you what is willed by Him. And among you, among the College of Cardinals, there is also the future Pope, to whom, here to today, I already promise my unconditional reverence and obedience. For all this, with affection and gratitude, I cordially impart upon you my Apostolic Blessing.


Below please find a Vatican Radio translation of the farewell discourse by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Dean of the College of Cardinals to Pope Benedict XVI.

Holiness,

With great trepidation the cardinals present in Rome gather around you today, once again to show their deep affection and express their heartfelt gratitude for your selfless witness of apostolic service, for the good of the Church of Christ and of all humanity.

Last Saturday, at the end of the Spiritual Exercises in the Vatican, you thanked your collaborators from the Roman Curia, with these moving words: My friends, I would like to thank all of you not only for this week but for the past eight years, during which you have carried with me, with great skill, affection, love and loyalty, the weight of the Petrine ministry.

Beloved and revered Successor of Peter, it is we who must thank you for the example you have given us in the past eight years of Pontificate. On 19 April 2005 you joined the long line of successors of the Apostle Peter, and today, 28 February 2013, you are about to leave us, as we wait for the helm of the Barque of Peter to pass into other hands. Thus the apostolic succession continues, which the Lord promised His Holy Church, until the voice of the Angel of the Apocalypse is heard proclaim on earth : " Tempus non erit amplius ... consummabitur mysterium Dei" (Ap 10, 6-7) "there is no longer time.: the mystery of God is finished." So ends the history of the Church, together with the history of the world, with the advent of a new heaven and a new earth.

Holy Father, with deep love we have tried to accompany you on your journey, reliving the experience of the disciples of Emmaus who, after walking with Jesus for a good stretch of road, said to one another: "Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way?" (Luke 24:32).

Yes, Holy Father, know that our hearts burned too as we walked with you in the past eight years. Today we want to once again express our gratitude.

Together we repat a typical expression of your dear native land "Vergelt's Gott" God reward you!


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In farewell to cardinals, Pope Benedict pledges obedience to next pope

By Francis X. Rocca
Catholic News Service
Feb. 28, 2013

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Clementine Hall is traditionally the place where cardinals bid farewell to popes at the end of a pontificate, but usually when the pope in question is lying in state before his funeral.

But on Feb. 28, hours before resigning from the papacy, Pope Benedict XVI briefly addressed the College of Cardinals there, calling for unity and harmony among the men who will choose his successor and pledging his "unconditional reverence and obedience" to the next pope.

Pope Benedict addressed 144 cardinals, including many of the 115 under the age of 80 who are eligible and expected to vote in the upcoming conclave.

"I will continue to be close to you in prayer, especially in the next days, that you may be fully docile to the action of the Holy Spirit in the election of the new pope," Pope Benedict told the gathering in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace. "May the Lord show you what is wanted of you. Among you, among the College of Cardinals, there is also the future pope, to whom today I promise my unconditional reverence and obedience."

The cardinals are expected to begin meeting March 4 to plan the papal election.

Looking back on his almost eight-year pontificate, Pope Benedict recalled "very beautiful moments of radiant light on the path of the church, together with moments in which the occasional cloud thickened in the sky."

The pope invoked God's help in building unity, "so that the College of Cardinals might be like an orchestra, where diversities, expressive of the universal church, always run together to a superior and harmonious concord."

Pope Benedict also recalled the previous day's general audience in St. Peter's Square, attended by an estimated 150,000 people, saying that the gathering demonstrated that the "church is a living body, animated by the Holy Spirit, and truly lives by the strength of God."

Referring to the work of the late German theologian Father Romano Guardini, the pope said the church keeps alive the mystery of the incarnation since its members "offer to God their own flesh and, in their very poverty and humility, become capable of generating Christ today in the world."

The cardinals responded with a standing ovation.

Prior to the pope's remarks, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, addressed a short tribute to the departing pontiff, whose resignation was scheduled to take effect at 8 p.m. the same day.

"With great trepidation the cardinal fathers present in Rome rally around you today to show once again their profound affection and express to you their deep gratitude for your witness of self-denying apostolic service, for the good of the church of Christ and all humanity," the cardinal said.

Cardinal Sodano concluded his remarks with a German expression, "Vergelt's Gott": "May God reward you!"

Following the brief ceremony, Pope Benedict received individual greetings from the assembled cardinals and from officials of the Roman Curia, the church's central administration at the Vatican. Most kissed the pope's ring, with some also genuflecting before they exchanged a few words with the pope; a few were brought up in wheelchairs.

Some cardinals handed the pope what appeared to be personal notes or small presents; Vienna's Cardinal Christoph Schonborn, one of Pope Benedict's former students, gave him a book.

Leaving the Vatican

The Pope should be leaving the Vatican for the airport about this time to board a helicopter for the ride to Castel Gandolfo. Below is part of a CNN blog about what is going on at the moment.

11 a.m., EST
Feb. 28, 2013

There's a "party atmosphere" at Italy's Castel Gandolfo, the seaside (???) papal resort town where, starting tonight, Benedict will be in seclusion until his successor is chosen, CNN's Becky Anderson reports.

About 10,000 people have gathered in the village square, awaiting his arrival set for this evening, according to Journalist Barbie Nadeau.

A banner with silver balloons reads, "Thank you Benedict – we are with you."

Area residents, many of whom have worked at the papal retreat in the town, have gathered to see what is expected to be Benedict's last public appearance as pope. Benedict is expected to appear on a balcony of the papal retreat Thursday evening, shortly before the moment he resigns. In anticipation of his appearance, a banner has just been unfurled below the balcony.

It's over!

Pope Benedict has made his last public appearance, saying a short farewell to an emotional crowd in the plaza outside his residence in Castel Gandolfo. Vatican TV did a great job of following him on his journey by helicopter to Castel Gandolfo over the lush Italian countryside. The last speech was very short and the crowd in the plaza seemed unsure what to do next when he turned and went inside.

In a couple of hours, the official end to his pontificate will occur and the Swiss Guard will leave their posts outside his residence. I'm not sure how public this little ceremony will be but Vatican TV will probably cover it if it is.

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Here is Vatican Radio's report:


Benedict XVI: The end of a long goodbye

"Thank you, thank you from my heart. I am happy to be here with you, surrounded by the beauty of Creation and your friendship that does me so much good, thank you for your friendship, for caring.

You know that today is different from others… as of eight pm I will no longer be the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church. I will simply be a pilgrim who is beginning the last part of his pilgrimage on earth.

But with my heart, my love, my prayer, with all my interior strength, I will work for the common good and the good of the Church and all humanity.

And I feel greatly supported by your affection. Let us move forward together with the Lord for the good of the Church and the world.

I will now impart upon you all my Apostolic Blessing

Thank you and good night. Thank you all"


This was how Benedict XVI brought to an end the long goodbye that has accompanied the final weeks of his Pontificate.

As the bells of Rome continued to peal in salute to the 264th Successor of St Peter and the sun set behind the tiny hill-top town of Castel Gandolfo, the figure of Benedict XVI slipped behind the curtains of the central balcony of the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo. It was his last public appearance as Pope.

The crowds below continued to cheer as further north, in St Peter’s Square, thousands more huddled around the giant screens, many shaking their heads, with tears in their eyes.

"Thank you for your love and support. May you always experience the joy that comes from putting Christ at the centre of your lives", read his last tweet, sent moments before he lifted off from the Vatican heliport for the Papal Summer Residence, high in the Vatican Gardens. Vatican officials and lay staff from his chauffeur, to the squadron of gardeners struggling to contain their emotion as they bid him farewell.

As of 20:00, the See of Peter will be vacant. Benedict XVI will now retire into a secluded life of prayer and meditation, at first remaining in Castel Gandolfo before retiring to a monastery in the Vatican gardens.

Please note the information about Benedict highlighted in the announcement below. His retirement is fully underway. I am surprised about all the reading material he has brought with him. I had read a report before from a usually reliable source that he could no longer see out of his left eye. I had assumed that would really cause him to limit reading. Apparently not. I am heartened to see that the Vatican is continuing to inform the public about Benedict's activities.



Sede vacante: 1st meeting of General Congregation announced

Vatican Radio
March, 1, 2013

The first General Congregation of the College of Cardinals has been convened for the morning of Monday, March 4th, at 9 o’clock in the New Synod Hall. A second session is scheduled for that same Monday afternoon at 5 o’clock. The Director of the Vatican Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ made the announcement during his daily briefing for journalists. Also during the briefing, Fr. Lombardi spoke of Benedict XVI’s evening and first day in retirement – the course of which was described in English by Fr. Thomas Rosica.

“We spoke with [Archbishop] Georg Ganswein this morning,” he said, “and he told us that [the Pope emeritus] had a very good night’s sleep.” Fr. Rosica went on to explain that the Pope – who has been playing the piano in the evenings of late, and is expected to return to continue that pastime in his retirement – on Thursday evening rather viewed two Italian newscasts on television. Fr. Rosica also relayed that, in the evening, after a supper and time at prayer, Benedict read some of the many messages that have come to him from well-wishers. Friday began with Mass at 7 AM, and was expected to involve quiet time, as well as a walk on the grounds of the retreat around 4 PM, during which the Pope was expected to recite his Rosary. Fr. Rosica also spoke of the reading material that Benedict has brought with him – including works ranging across the fields of theology, spirituality and history. Also announced during the press briefing was news that the Vatican Post Office already has ready the stamps marking the period sede vacante. Coins, however, have yet to be minted and will likely not be ready until May.


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Pope Benedict begins emeritus life; cardinals begin 'sede vacante' jobs

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service
March 1, 2013

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- After Pope Benedict XVI officially became pope emeritus, he ate dinner, watched the television news and strolled through the lake-view rooms of the papal villa at Castel Gandolfo.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said he spoke March 1 with Archbishop Georg Ganswein, the retired pope's secretary, who said the mood in the villa after the pontificate ended was "relaxed" and his boss slept well.

After watching two news programs, Pope Benedict expressed his gratitude to the media, because he said the coverage of his last day as pope helped people participate in the event, Father Lombardi said.

The papal secretary said Pope Benedict celebrated Mass at 7 a.m. March 1 as normal, read his breviary, had breakfast and then began reading more of the messages he had received in the last days of his pontificate. He expected to stroll through the villa gardens, praying his rosary, in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, back at the Vatican, officials from the College of Cardinals had a series of tasks to perform at the beginning of the "sede vacante," the period when there is no pope.

The most symbolic tasks were carried out by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the camerlengo or chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church, and his assistants. During the sede vacante, the chamberlain is charged with administering and safeguarding the temporal goods of the church.

Gathered with others in the offices of the "apostolic chamber," Cardinal Bertone asked the time. At 8 p.m. exactly he was handed a "ferula," a red velvet-covered scepter, as a sign of his authority. The cardinal led the staff in a brief prayer to God: "Give your church a pope acceptable to you."

Carrying the ferula, he and his aides went into the private papal apartments. They made sure the door to the small private elevator was locked, then stretched tape across the elevator door and stamped it with seals.

Withdrawing from the apartment, they dead-bolted the main door with a large key, then strung a red ribbon through the handles. An aide, using a glue gun, sealed the ribbon's knot.

The next day, Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata, vice chamberlain, went to the seldom-used papal apartments at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the pope's cathedral, and sealed those as well, Father Lombardi said.

Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, wrote almost immediately after 8 p.m. to Vatican nuncios and other diplomatic representatives around the world, officially informing them of the sede vacante.

In one of his first acts as dean March 1, Cardinal Sodano wrote to each of the world's 207 cardinals -- including those over age 80 and ineligible to vote in a conclave -- notifying them of "the vacancy of the Apostolic See because of the renunciation presented on the part of Pope Benedict XVI."

He also asked them to come to the Vatican to begin the pre-conclave meetings, known as general congregations, March 4 at 9:30 a.m.

The general congregations will continue until all the cardinal-electors, including those under 80, are present in Rome, "and then the College of Cardinals will decide the date to enter into conclave" to elect a pope, he said.

Asked whether Cardinal Sodano was saying that a conclave date would not be set until all the cardinal-electors were present or accounted for, Father Lombardi said the letter "does not have the weight of law," but he expected the cardinals would not vote on a conclave date until most of them were present and had time to talk and meet formally.