Thursday, March 14, 2013

A LOOK BACK AT POPE BENEDICT XVI's LAST DAYS AS PONTIFF


POPE BIDS FAREWELL TO ITALIAN PRESIDENT





POPE'S LAST ANGELUS



POPE'S LAST GENERAL AUDIENCE




POPE'S LAST MEETING WITH THE CARDINALS




POPE LEAVES THE VATICAN AND LAST SPEECH AT CASTEL GANDOLFO




POPE'S LAST TWEET



When Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Pope in April 2005, his older brother Father Georg Ratzinger said, "I would have thought his advanced age and unstable health would have been reason enough for the Cardinals to pick someone else."

His decision of resigning because of his unstable health was not an easy one. He knew that many people will judge him including his very own flock - Catholics worldwide - and that he will be subjected to numerous speculations and suspicions.  But he stood firm in his decision regardless of what other people will say.

During the pontificate of John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI who was then assigned as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith wanted to retire, but his resignation was rejected twice by his predecessor.  But now, seven years of papacy is long enough for an aging and suffering pontiff - he has been using a pacemaker and his left eye is almost blind.  What more can we ask for?  As we move on, let us not forget all the valuable things that he taught us.  God bless Pope Benedict XVI.


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