The Chancellor of the Erie Catholic Diocese, Father Chris Singer, called the words of Pope Benedict's final general audience in Rome "very tender and personal." Singer said, "He emphasized some of the great joys and privileges that he was able to experience in the office of pope as chief shepherd of the Catholic church, but also acknowledged the real trials and suffering, the real difficulties of the complex situation that we find in the world and church today."
Liturgical Notes and Research Material
When he was a student in Rome, Father Singer had the chance to meet the pope, then Cardinal Ratzinger. Singer and fellow students were studying the cardinal's writings and attended a mass he celebrated as head of the Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith. He greeted them afterward and shook Father Singer's hand.
The final audience in Rome came one day before Pope Benedict's resignation takes effect. He touched on moments of "joy and light" in his ministry but also said there were moments that were not easy, when it seemed "the Lord was sleeping," a reference to a scriptural passage when Jesus fell asleep in a fishing boat with his disciples on a stormy sea.
Father Singer says among priests in the Erie Diocese there still is admiration for Pope Benedict, the work he's done and the decision to step aside. He doesn't believe that the undercurrent of the sex abuse scandal is a more reasonable explanation for the pope's departure than the one already given. Still he admits the Vatican is facing challenges. "It's very clear there are significant problems within the administration of the Vatican over these last several months and that may have been part of his equation, recognizing that there is some work that needs to be done there and that he may not be the most capable of doing that now because of his advanced age and the health burden that he continues to shoulder," added Singer.
Monsignor Tom McSweeney, who has in the past provided commentary for MSNBC on developing stories from the Vatican says many people continue to be curious about the timing of the decision. "Some wonder why the pope didn't stay on through Easter, or through his designated "Year of Faith."
While the cardinals gathering in Rome will choose the pope's successor all Catholics are invited to pray for that process. The Erie Catholic Diocese has scheduled a mass for the election of a new pope, Friday March 1 at 5:15 PM at Saint Peter Cathedral.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WICU. All Rights Reserved.
