Joseph Ratzinger is no longer "the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle", according to Catholic doctrine. He's been granted pope emeritus status and will live his remaining days away from the papal limelight. I bet he breathed a sigh of relief as the helicopter transported him away from Vatican City today.

Marco Politi, an Italian journalist and Vatican expert, told CBC News that Ratzinger's resignation is a historic turning point for the Catholic Church. "Here in Rome, the Catholic Church has [had] the legacy of the Roman Empire," he said. "This way of an old imperial church is fading away."

Ref. http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/02/28/pope-benedict-retirement.html

The way of the old Mormon Church is fading away, too, in that people have been leaving "in droves", quoting a Reuters report in Jan. 2012 (see "Special report - Mormonism besieged by the modern age" at http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/01/30/uk-mormonchurch-idUKTRE80T1CP20120130 for details).

I'd like to read a future news report about Ratzinger taking a cruise, playing golf, or doing something else that is fun.

Though I am not catholic, I find it odd that he left BEFORE his successor was chosen. I would have thought that he would have stayed on until the transition to the new leadership was complete...much like the US presidency...


That all being said...he IS in his 80's and has served his flock for a long time.

It's not as odd as it appears. If he had died, there would be a period of time without a pope anyway. This transition will likely be smoother than most.

Personally, I think he's going to spend a lot of time watching Italian soap operas.

I here he's turning to Scientology. Just kidding, he's at home now sittn in his bathrobe, flip flops, and a cold one, watching the big bang theory.

Gloria Allred, our local(LA) attorney and media ho
is trying to stop our disgraced Cardinal Mahoney
from doing the POPE VOTE.

What a DOPE!
Yep or NOPE!

Maybe
ROPE A SOAP!
SOAP ON A ROPE!

I guess my being married and not a Catholic makes me a rather
dark horse to be the next Pope. I know the RCs are trying to
modernize a bit but I doubt if they're going to get that liberal
any time soon.