The Pope's Resignation: Don't Be Worried

This blog is mostly a fun atmosphere of satire (and Drag Race, at the moment), but as a follower of Catholic beliefs I feel the need to address something very serious. (Oh and by the way, happy birthday to me!)

Pope Benedict XVI announced his decision to resign his position due to lack of physical strength and advanced age, more or less. He was already 80 when he was ordained pope, so Benedict certainly is an old man. But if we look at his predecessor, the beloved John Paul II, he reigned until his death and continued to do his job even when he couldn’t literally hold his head up anymore. So for Benedict to end on a high note is a bit strange, especially considering that the job is expected to be held until death. Though resignations are allowed in the doctrine, it’s one of those ‘but why would you want to?’ things. You’re the pope. You’re the man. You are the spiritual descendant of St Peter himself. You don’t just quit… but you can, and Benedict is.

Atheists, scorned religions, and otherwise wise-asses are going to have a field day about this. They will be the first ones jumping in asking those bitchy questions ‘Where is your leader now?’ and ‘So much for a person chosen by God himself!’ and otherwise religion-is-full-of-shit remarks. There’s no stopping them, and it’s going to be an uphill tread trying to keep these people at bay. The ultra-pious Catholics may also take this news to the extreme, either by challenging their beliefs or becoming so blindly faithful they will take no logic into question. They might even panic and start making a mountain out of a molehill.

Here’s my take on this situation: God knows what he’s doing.

There is a reason Benedict is retiring now. Something is going to happen, or arise, where we will need a certain person as pope to handle it or make the right decision. Simply put, Benedict is not that person. We don’t know what that happening is, and maybe even the pope doesn’t know what it is, but it will happen within the next few years where Benedict will still be alive. By getting Benedict out of the way and having the ‘chosen one’ as pope for a bit, when this situation arises it will be handled properly. 

There’s been so many sociological changes in the world lately, with the pro-choice/pro-life debate still fiercely unresolved, gay marriage becoming more and more legit =), and a general lack of piousness among people in general. It’s going to come to a head, and soon. The Church will have to make a super-major decision and God feels the pope to make that decision correctly is not Benedict. Sorry, bro.

So I say to all of you that even feel a touch affected by this papal shakeup: it’s ok. Don’t worry. This isn’t a bad thing, and it doesn’t mean that Catholicism will collapse or someone/something evil will take over. God is just executing some preliminary procedures, which translates into Benedict realizing his health is being compromised and a new pope will get settled in his new role. Benedict did what he had to do during his reign, and none of that will be rendered moot now. See? It’s possible to rationalize spiritual speculation!

Everyone just take a deep breath, keep doing what you’re doing, and have faith. Choose wisely, cardinals!