My resignation won’t hurt church, says Pope Benedict

A VISIBLY moved Pope Benedict yesterday tried to assure his worldwide flock over his stunning decision to become the first pontiff in centuries to resign, saying he was confident that it would not hurt the Church.
He spoke as the Vatican announced that a Conclave to elect his successor would start sometime between March 15 and March 20, in keeping with Church rules about the timing of such gatherings after the Papal See becomes vacant.
“Continue to pray for me, for the Church and for the future pope,” he said in un-scripted remarks at the start of his weekly general audience, his first public appearance since his shock decision on Monday to step down on February 28.
It was the first time Benedict, 85, who will retire to a Convent inside the Vatican, exchanging the splendour of his 16th Century Apostolic Palace for a sober modern residence, had uttered the words “future pope” in public.
Church officials are still so stunned by the move that the Vatican experts have yet to decide what his title will be and whether he will continue to wear the white of a pope, the red of a cardinal or the black of an ordinary priest.
His voice sounded strong at the audience but he was clearly moved and his eyes appeared to be watering as he reacted to the thunderous applause in the Vatican’s vast, modern audience hall, packed with more than 8,000 people.
In brief remarks in Italian that mirrored what he read in Latin to stunned cardinals on Monday, he appeared to try to calm Catholics’ fears of the unknown.
His message was that God would continue to guide the church.
“I took this decision in full freedom for the good of the Church after praying for a long time and examining my conscience before God,” he said.
The Pope said he was “well aware of the gravity of such an act”, but also aware that he no longer had the strength required to run the 1.2 billion member Roman Catholic Church, which has been beset by a string of scandals both in Rome and around the world.
Benedict said he was sustained by the “certainty that the church belongs to Christ, who will never stop guiding it and caring for it” and suggested that the faithful should also feel comforted by this.
He said that he had “felt almost physically” the affection and kindness he had received since he announced the decision.
When Benedict resigned on Monday, Vatican spokesman Rev Federico Lombardi said the pontiff did not fear schism in the church after his decision to step down.
TheNation