Pope's resignation stuns local Catholics
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SEATTLE -- The shocking news of Pope Benedict's resignation caught Seattle's entire Catholic Archdiocese and its parishioners off guard.
On Monday morning, the Pope dropped the bombshell that he was stepping down during a regularly scheduled meeting.
That news spread like wildfire throughout the world. In Seattle, Catholics were stunned, including Archbishop Peter Sartain. Like millions of others, Sartain learned of the Pope's resignation while watching morning television.
"This is a surprise to us all," he said. "None us were given advance notice."
Not even the Pope's closest collaborators knew the bombshell was coming. In a hurried news conference, Sartain shared mixed feelings over the abrupt departure.
"It was a surprise and we're sad because the Holy Father has served us so beautifully, but at the same time with profound respect for the fact that he made this decision and it was the right thing for him to do," he said.
Since his 2005 election, Pope Benedict has charted a conservative course. Officials from the Seattle Catholic Archdiocese say they will remember Pope Benedict as a humble, faithful servant, as well as a caring pastor and brilliant theologian.
Many of the Pope's efforts were overshadowed by scandals, including sexual abuse at the hands of priests.
"He dealt with them in a very straightforward way," Sartain said. "I think he has felt the weight of the burden of the sadness the scandals have caused through the years."
Pope Benedict made a life-long impression on 12-year-old Jake Finkbonner, who didn't know what to make of his hero's resignation.
"It was kind of sudden, I guess. I wasn't really ready for any of this," Finkbonner said.
Finkbonner met the Pope at the Vatican in October when he canonized Saint Kateri. Finkbonner and his mother, Elsa, said the boy was cured of his flesh-eating bacteria after praying to the saint.
During their trip, the Finkbonners did notice the pope's failing health.
"We thought, wow, we were surprised to see and hear how frail he was," Elsa said.
At his Catholic school in Bellingham, Finkbonner has some homework for the outgoing Pope.
"I would certainly hope he would still stay connected to God, and that there is no doubt he'd do daily prayers," he said.
Elsa said based on how frail the Pope was last fall, she really isn't surprised he is stepping down for health reasons.
On Monday morning, the Pope dropped the bombshell that he was stepping down during a regularly scheduled meeting.
That news spread like wildfire throughout the world. In Seattle, Catholics were stunned, including Archbishop Peter Sartain. Like millions of others, Sartain learned of the Pope's resignation while watching morning television.
"This is a surprise to us all," he said. "None us were given advance notice."
Not even the Pope's closest collaborators knew the bombshell was coming. In a hurried news conference, Sartain shared mixed feelings over the abrupt departure.
"It was a surprise and we're sad because the Holy Father has served us so beautifully, but at the same time with profound respect for the fact that he made this decision and it was the right thing for him to do," he said.
Since his 2005 election, Pope Benedict has charted a conservative course. Officials from the Seattle Catholic Archdiocese say they will remember Pope Benedict as a humble, faithful servant, as well as a caring pastor and brilliant theologian.
Many of the Pope's efforts were overshadowed by scandals, including sexual abuse at the hands of priests.
"He dealt with them in a very straightforward way," Sartain said. "I think he has felt the weight of the burden of the sadness the scandals have caused through the years."
Pope Benedict made a life-long impression on 12-year-old Jake Finkbonner, who didn't know what to make of his hero's resignation.
"It was kind of sudden, I guess. I wasn't really ready for any of this," Finkbonner said.
Finkbonner met the Pope at the Vatican in October when he canonized Saint Kateri. Finkbonner and his mother, Elsa, said the boy was cured of his flesh-eating bacteria after praying to the saint.
During their trip, the Finkbonners did notice the pope's failing health.
"We thought, wow, we were surprised to see and hear how frail he was," Elsa said.
At his Catholic school in Bellingham, Finkbonner has some homework for the outgoing Pope.
"I would certainly hope he would still stay connected to God, and that there is no doubt he'd do daily prayers," he said.
Elsa said based on how frail the Pope was last fall, she really isn't surprised he is stepping down for health reasons.
Frankly, he should be tried and convicted for purposely covering up all the pedophilia occurring in the church. Records show he was actively hiding these crimes when he was still a Bishop!
To this Pope's credit he did abolish Limbo, maybe the next Pope can abolish Hell?
@IslandAtheist Limbo? Like Purgatory? Popes can't do that can they? I mean I thought our time on Earth WAS Purgatory? You can't abolish a place you're living in for heaven's sake!
Who cares? This is news?
The only surprising thing is the total ignorance displayed by - so far - 85% of the commentators here; I'd be willing to bet 100% of them have never read anything this Pope has written or listened to anything he has said. I'd suggest you start with 'Charity in Truth', a very small book that wouldn't take you long at all (in theory, anyway).
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Benedict XVI is a true theologian for the ages, right up there with Augustine, Theresa, Catherine and Thomas. After 40 years of atheism/agnosticism, John Paul the Great got my attention, but it was Benedict that drew me in. Everything he writes is wonderful and although his works are profound, he has a way of making the most difficult concepts accessible to everyone, even the dolts who will spend the next month spitting out every lame hater thing they can.
Makes sense I guess. Â If he had cancer or dementia, he wouldn't be forced to continue serving, as he would be rendered incapable.
Maybe he finally figured out the whole thing is a fairy tale.......
Odd that the man allegedly chosen by God can quit, but, hey, I guess there's nothing in the rules against it. I can't wait to watch the politics on this one. Given his past, the scandals, and the current state of Christianity worldwide, it's still weird to see a Pope act like a CEO of a failing company.
 @FormlessOne "it's still weird to see a Pope act like a CEO of a failing company."
Actually, the CEO of a failing company would insist on a pay raise - and demand a bonus for staying...
 @FormlessOne The ethnocentrism of liberal Americans cracks me up. The Catholic church has grown by 11% since 2000 for a total of 1.147 BILLION, yes that is billion with a "b" people. Love to see what your definition is of a successful company if this is the defenition of a failing one? Many atheist dictators have beat their hammers and sickels against the anvil of the Catholic church..they are buried in the dust along with their regimes and the Catholics continue to grow and grow.
@sometimesright @FormlessOne Not all success is measured in money. I don't know why it has to be either....or....for some folks. No compromise. You make billions you're a success. Doesn't matter if the masses starve while you drink a from golden cup, doesn't matter that governments fall while you hide within your citadel, doesn't matter that the world stinks since you have incense to mask it.  I'm sure the Catholic church helps a lot of people through it's out reach programs. I'm not saying it's bad or good. It just bugs me to see the gaudy display of wealth one sees in the Vatican. And all that stuff in their special vault? What's with that? Those books and manuscripts in there are priceless. Many would love to read what's in them. Why not put them in an on-line library. They could charge for access, could make them more money!! How about it Pope? Can we have a look at all that knowledge you've had sequestered for centuries?
 @sometimesright  @FormlessOne "for a total of 1.147 BILLION"
Which makes the RC just another minority religion...
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"By 2030 the global population is set to reach over 8 billion and 26.4% of that population will be Muslim.
A report by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life titled âThe Future of the Global Muslim Populationâ projects that the number of Muslims in the world is set to double from 1.1billion in 1990 to 2.2 billion in 2030."
http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/01/27/2-2-billion-worlds-muslim-population-doubles/
Why can't they just call it "RETIREMENT" like the rest of us do? So ok, no Pope has resigned since the 14th Century. Is there some law in the annals of the Vatican that dictates a Pope has to die in office? He's served as long as he cares to, his health isn't what it was, he's tired, that's enough for me! I say "well-done" to you Pope Benedict for having the courage to step forward and get the successor issue in the works and "hopefully" avoid all the political in-fighting and backstabbing that would have happened around your death bed. The Pope gets a thumbs up from me!!
@Joy Johnson back away from the coffee. SLOWLY.
I am stunned .... that this is in the news.
I am stunned! And I am not even a Catholic. Does that matter?
Good Riddance! He will be remembered forever as the man who covered up the churches pedophile priests.  His resignation is an admittance of guilt, in my opinion.Â
 @Shelly He is the one who cleaned it up! Why don't you educate yourself?
 @Shelly Hope that raging hate keeps you warm, it at the very least is cancerous to your soul.
 @Gaikokujin  @Shelly Sorta like your christian "charity".
Jesus is far past weeping over followers like you...
 @Shelly The Vatican Bank was also corrupted under his command. Its now used by numerous cartels to hide cash transfers.
 @Blindman   and your proof? What bank isn't corrupt? Why should the Vatican Bank be any different than any other bank? But cartel cash transfers? Really? What resource do you base this on? Perhaps you were one of the runners the Cartels or Vatican used to help in these hidden cash transfers?
 @Joy Johnson  @Blindman http://rt.com/news/vatican-mafia-laundering-money-716/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/735232.stm http://www.fantompowa.net/Flame/the_vatican.htm http://americablog.com/2013/02/magdalen-laundries-catholic-ireland-irish-apology.html
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 I'm sure I could find many other similar links spelling out the corruption of the Catholic church, but its all mainstream news, so I see little point.
@Joy Johnson , you remind me of my two year old. You must have a shrill of a voice.
Perhaps he's been being poisoned ala John Paul I...
"Finkbonner met the Pope at the Vatican in October when he cannonized Saint Kateri."
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I assume this means that the Pope fired a cannon at Saint Kateri, but was this before or after he canonized her?
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:-P