Here is his text:
Pope Benedict XVI announced today that he will resign from his duties as Pope on February 28th, 2013.
The full text of the Pope's announcement follows. Please revist this page for more details. A press conference will be held in minutes at the Vatican press office.
Dear Brothers,
I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.
Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.
From the Vatican, 10 February 2013
BENEDICTUS PP XVI
Read more: http://www.ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/Vatican.php?id=6997#ixzz2Kbzoehtb
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I will update this blog post as I learn more.
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The Holy Father, Pope Benedict VXI has decided to resign due to age. He stated in his letter that he is not able to carry on the duties of the Papacy due to a decline in health. Some speculate that he is suffering from a congested heart; however, the Vatican has announced that his resignation is not due to any illness.
This is not the first time the Pope has mentioned retirement. In a 2010 book, "Light of the World," he was asked about the Pope and the possibility for retirement, Pope Benedict had this to say:
"If a pope clearly realizes that he is no longer physically, psychologically and spiritually capable of handling the duties of his office, then he has a right, and under some circumstances, also an obligation to resign,"
It was obvious that Pope Benedict always had in mind the possibility of retiring. This is not the first time a Pope retires. Pope Gregory XII in 1415 was the last Pontiff to retire.
Dr. Scott Hahn, professor of Theology at Franciscan University had this interesting comment to make on Facebook:
Back on April 29, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI did something rather striking, but which went largely unnoticed.
He stopped off in Aquila, Italy, and visited the tomb of an obscure medieval Pope named St. Celestine V (1215-1296). After a brief prayer, he left his pallium, the symbol of his own episcopal authority as Bishop of Rome, on top of Celestine's tomb!
Fifteen months later, on July 4, 2010, Benedict went out of his way again, this time to visit and pray in the cathedral of Sulmona, near Rome, before the relics of this same saint, Celestine V.This is indeed interesting.
Few people, however, noticed at the time.
Only now, we may be gaining a better understanding of what it meant. These actions were probably more than pious acts. More likely, they were profound and symbolic gestures of a very personal nature, which conveyed a message that a Pope can hardly deliver any other way.
In the year 1294, this man (Fr. Pietro Angelerio), known by all as a devout and holy priest, was elected Pope, somewhat against his will, shortly before his 80th birthday (Ratzinger was 78 when he was elected Pope in 2005). Just five months later, after issuing a formal decree allowing popes to resign (or abdicate, like other rulers), Pope Celestine V exercised that right. And now Pope Benedict XVI has chosen to follow in the footsteps of this venerable model.
Can a Pope retire? Canon law has this to say:
"If it should happen that the Roman Pontiff resigns his office, it is required for validity that he makes the resignation freely and that it be duly manifested, but not that it be accepted by anyone" (Canon 332, No. 2)
It is rumored that Pope Benedict and his brother had planned to retire and live together. The Vatican has stated that Pope Benedict will be living on a monastery in the Vatican.
Source:
http://news.yahoo.com/video/abc-news-plus-special-report-220000361.html
http://news.yahoo.com/pope-resigns-saying-no-longer-strength-fulfill-ministry-112923467.html
http://news.yahoo.com/pope-resignation-announcement-text-112236623.html
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/pope-benedict-resigns-who-will-be-the-next-pope-123415350.html#h6fTZP7
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/pope-benedict-resigns--the-unprecedented-move-which-hasn-t-been-made-in-600-years-115003825.html#NawX1LF
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/02/11/as-vatican-leader-pope-benedict-never-had-chance/
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/02/11/pope-benedict-xvi-to-resign-at-end-february/
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/pope-benedict-resigns--the-unprecedented-move-which-hasn-t-been-made-in-600-years-115003825.html#NawX1LF
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=123967
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=123968
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=123976
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=123977
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=123980
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=123982
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=123984
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/02/11/pope-benedict-xvi-resign/1908779/
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