UNITED STATES
The Reporter
By Thomas J. Reese, Special to The Washington Post
mercurynews.com
Posted: 02/22/2013
Pope Benedict XVI reads his message during the Angelus noon prayer he celebrated from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter’s square at the Vatican. ((AP/Alessandra Tarantino))Next month, 117 cardinals from across the globe will gather inside the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, invoke the Holy Spirit and elect a pope to replace Benedict XVI, who’s resigning at the end of this month. Behind closed doors, cut off from the outside world, they will choose a leader who will have an impact on not only the Catholic Church but the entire planet. Let’s look at some of the misconceptions about how the cardinals will select the latest successor to Saint Peter.
Pope Benedict resigned so he could pick his successor
In Washington, we tend to be suspicious of the explanations politicians give for anything, but in the case of the pope’s resignation, the explanation — his deteriorating health — appears to be accurate. Benedict recognizes that he is no longer up to the job, and he should be honored for giving up power and position for the good of the church. He is moving out of Rome after he steps down to avoid the appearance of trying to influence the election. “He will not interfere in any way,” a Vatican spokesman said the day after the announcement.
So how will the cardinals decide?
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.