Why Pope Benedict should not have been allowed to resign

Serious break with tradition only pleases the critics of church

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Pope Benedict XVI

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The pope’s abdication, while quite  permissible from a theological and canonical standpoint, is nonetheless extremely innovative and revolutionary from a historical perspective. It represents a serious break with tradition insofar as  the Chair of Peter has now become an office that can be  judged by the same criteria  by which modernity judges things. Essentially, the papacy now runs the risk of having its image stripped of its sacredness in the eyes of the world.

Despite this continuing trend toward modernity Pope Benedict XVI, in his address to the clergy of the Rome diocese on February 14, wished to assure  Catholics  that  50 years after Vatican II, “the strength of the real Council has been revealed...and is becoming the real power which is also true reform, true renewal of the Church.” But  there are few if any  signs of this new springtime. One need only look around a bit to see that very few of his priests and bishops pay him any real  homage other than the usual empty lip service betoken wolves in sheep’s clothing. This is especially visible in their almost unanimous disdain for the pope’s Apostolic Letter Summorum Pontificum promoting the Latin Mass. It is also evident in  their refusal to follow the  Pope’s many good examples regarding the Novus Ordo such as his abandonment of  the practice of receiving Holy Communion in the hand while standing.

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Additionally  confusing is the fact that the pope is leaving  office blaming - not the long developing  trend toward  Modernism in the Church - but  the media for causing the  internal divisions which have  led to “seminaries and convents closing and the liturgy being trivialized.” Certainly the media has played its part and played it well in mercilessly crucifying the Church, but most of what the media reports about the church was  and continues to be generated by dissenting priests and theologians, many of whom had a direct  hand in molding the documents of Vatican II. Also, if  it is the case that the Catholic Church needs to depend on the media for its livelihood it might just as well abandon ship now for the media with its  pro-world, pro-flesh, and pro-devil mandate, is not going away anytime soon.

No doubt these are troubling times and the future looks ominous indeed! Let us all pray that Pope Benedict XVI has in the end  made the right decision!

*Paul Kokoski is a freelance writer who holds a BA in philosophy from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Canada His articles have been published in several journals including, Homiletic and Pastoral Review, New Oxford Review and Catholic Insight.

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