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. (Continue reading…)
Who will be the next pope? Whoever the Holy Spirit Chooses.
In the meantime, as the conclave approaches, you can Adopt a Cardinal! (It’s Free). You’ll have one cardinal assigned to you, so that you can support him through your prayer and intercession during the coming weeks before and during the conclave and for three days following the election.
And of course, please continue to pray for Pope Benedict as he enters into this new stage in his pilgrimage of service to our Lord.
Biltrix 
The world became a better place today.
😥 Well, just for today, then, let’s respect each other’s space, like good humanists. I’d love to discuss this with you some other time. Generally, on this blog I like to give my regular readers and commenters a place where they feel comfortable expressing their sentiments and thoughts. That can include you too.
But of course, you understand that some forums are like clubs. Most people here don’t want to debate. We’ve been following one another for a good while now and formed a community of friends. Out of respect for their friendship, I like to keep this place as a friendly place. Does that make sense?
So, join in, tactfully of course. And I may pop over to your place some time and weigh in with some of my opinions. If you are interested in engaging in some pretty lively discussions between atheists, Christians and other believers, I’d like to invite you to my discussion group on Facebook: “Does God Exist?”
Thanks!
Thanks, but I don’t do facebook. If ever there was something from the devil, it’s that thing.
😆 — Darn!
@myatheistlife and @Biltrix I would love to debate sometime. My husband Kevin probably would be interested too, especially since he was an agnostic for about ten years. Maybe I could pick a topic to debate about on my blog and do so like twice a month. If you have any specific topics you are interested in please let me know.
Pope Benedict’s words are wise and soothing. You can feel the love flowing from them. Loved his last address. May the Holy Spirit be with Pope Benedict as he enters a new stage of his religious and spiritual journey.
My sentiments exactly, Teresa. Thanks!
And thanks for the invitation to debate things theistic on your blog. That could be exciting!
God bless!
Kind of gives you a lonesome feeling doesn’t it? Thanks for sharing and God Bless, SR
It does. It also leaves me with a feeling of expectation. It reminds me of a recurrent line from the movie John Q — “Not good by, Dad! See you later!”
You will be missed beloved Pope Benedict! I came into Catholicism under his leadership and so he will always be a special pope for me.
That’s great! My Parents were converts to Catholicism, under Paul VI, I believe. Paul VI also pope when I entered the Catholic faith through baptism — I was too young to remember that. Paul VI also died on my birthday, August 6.
The first pope I remember, though was John Paul II. I still clearly remember watching his inauguration on TV. So he is very special to my heart and I always loved him.
I have a special affection for Pope Benedict too. I loved his books before he was elected pope. I had the special privilege of translating for him twice, live at the Vatican (over wireless receiver) back in 2000, 2002, so he was not pope yet. The first occasion was at Paul VI Hall for a packed crowd; the second, at a plenary session on Catholic education where the audience was all cardinals. Yes. It was scary at the time, because you don’t want to misrepresent the Prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith when translating. But it’s not scary anymore. I translated for the [future] Pope! (and maybe the next one too… we don’t know yet).
Today at 10am here in England I was thinking about and praying for our Blessed Holy Father. I am feeling a deep sense of sadness and loss. The church has received/will still receive many blessings though this special man’s intervention and prayers.
Great post.
I have already been ‘given’ a Cardinal to pray for: Sean O’ Brady from Ireland!!
What a special memory! To me it sounds like such an intense setting. I have interpreted sermons at a Korean church before, and even in that small church of 50 members, I found it really hard to do!
It’s kind of like when you say good-bye to a beloved friend and you’re not sure if you’ll ever see them again but at the same time, you feel great excitement for this new stage in their life. My heart is aching today and tomorrow will probably be even harder, but I also have a feeling of hope and expectation that work began by Papa Benny will be taken to the next positive level for the good of the Church.
I have yet to feel any excitement about the coming Papa. I trust that the best person for the job will be elected to defend the Faith, but we are living in uncertain times and I pray that whoever it is, is Faithful, true and strong.
I have my heartachy and happy moments too. There’s great joy in knowing he’s getting well deserved rest and now living a new stage of life in the spirit. The yoke of today’s burdens on the Church must have really been weighing him down. I’m happy for him to be released of that turmoil at his age when he deserves it for all he’s done for the Church. I’m also sure that his reward will be great in Heaven.
Random thoughts:
Thanks for posting this. I didn’t even want to read what the secular media had to say about this. They are so irritating with their breathless search for conflict and sensation. Like who cares what the Pope Emeritus and Pope will be wearing, and what difference does it make if they might both chance to wear a white cassock . . . imagine the confusion! sigh. But I digress.
Thanks for your response to “myatheistlife”. I hope to hear respectful dialogue with him/her. I have agree about Facebook . . .
I have adopted Cardinal Oswald Gracias and am praying for him and his wise discernment.
I loved this quote from Pope Benedict’s farewell address: “There have also been moments in which the waters were turbulent and the wind contrary, as throughout the history of the church, and the Lord seemed to be asleep,” he said. “But I have always known that the Lord is in that boat and that the boat of the church is not mine, it is not ours, but it is his and he does not let it sink.”
Amen.
True for our church, true for our individual lives.
Reinkat,
That quote is my favorite also. It really spoke to me as I read it. God Bless.
The secular media thrives on speculation over the spectacular. I’m not really up for that right now, especially when there are so many better and more important things to think about regarding the Church during these days of transition.
I remember a story Fr John Bartunek told me one time when he was working as an official press liaison for the Vatican for a synod at the beginning of Benedict’s pontificate. Near the end of the synod, during a brief encounter Fr John had with the pope, Benedict asked him what his job entailed. Fr John told him that he related briefings about the synod to the press and fielded their questions. Benedict grinned and responded, “It’s difficult to get them to understand, isn’t it?”
Vanity of vanities — Still nothing new under the sun!
Thanks for your comment, Reinkat, and God bless!
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I love this black and white picture of the Pope. And thank you for the reminder to adopt a Cardinal. I’ve been meaning to and haven’t yet but now I will.
I thought it was a classy picture too. Thanks for adopting a Cardinal, when you do. (I’m putting in special prayers for a speedy conclave — hope that’s not too much to ask!)
Do we know when the conclave will start yet? I adopted Cardinal Godfried Danneels from Belgium.
Conclave starts Mach 9. Time to start praying!