Pope Benedict resigns

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Ex-Pope: 'Absurd' to Think I Was Forced Out

A year after resignation, pope responds to rumors

(Newser) - With rumors swirling regarding why the former Pope Benedict left his post almost exactly one year ago to become pope emeritus, the man himself has spoken out. Responding to a Vatican Insider journalist's letter with a brief letter of his own, Benedict calls "speculations" on the matter "...

Benedict Withering Away: Sources

Vatican agrees, but says former pope's condition is not critical

(Newser) - Pope Benedict has only recently begun his retirement , but he may not have much time left to enjoy it. Several sources say his health has deteriorated significantly since leaving his post, reports USA Today . "Benedict is in a very bad way" says a Vatican media correspondent who met with...

Cardinals Launch Pope-Picking Process

New pontiff's new name will offer vital clues

(Newser) - Catholic cardinals from all over the world are gathering in Rome to begin the process of choosing a successor to Benedict XVI, who ended his papacy Thursday . The 115 cardinal electors will hold meetings this week ahead of a conclave next week in which one of them is expected to...

America Has a Longshot Contender for Pope

Cardinal Timothy Dolan is unlikely fit for Vatican, but US' first chance

(Newser) - He's taken on the White House over ObamaCare's birth control mandate, jokingly kissed Stephen Colbert's ring, blessed both 2012 political conventions, dismissed some former popes as "lemons," and tackled the fallout of a predecessor's sex abuse scandal. He is frank and charismatic yet thoughtful,...

With Benedict Out, the Secrecy Begins

Cardinals prepare to meet Monday

(Newser) - Pope Benedict is officially retired, and it's time for deliberations on his successor to begin in earnest. The "princes of the Church," top cardinals worldwide, will soon meet informally to discuss plans; on Monday, formal talks begin, Reuters reports. In closed-door general congregations, cardinals will assess potential...

Inside Benedict's Final Day as Pope

Pontiff meets with cardinals, tells them, 'Among you is the future pope'

(Newser) - It's Pope Benedict XVI's last day on the job, but don't expect much fanfare: There won't be a major ceremony or declaration, Reuters reports. Clad in a red ceremonial cape called a mozzetta, the AP notes that he met with some 100 cardinals at the Apostolic...

Benedict's Farewell: Sometimes Lord Seemed to Sleep

Crowd tops 150K for his last general audience

(Newser) - It's Benedict XVI's penultimate day of pontificating, and tens of thousands of the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square for an emotional farewell in which the pope recalled the "great burden" God had given him in 2005 and noted that his papacy had weathered difficult moments...

No More Red Shoes for Pope Benedict

...who will henceforth be called 'emeritus pope'

(Newser) - With T-minus two days til his reign as pope ends, the Vatican has answered some of the biggest outstanding questions about Pope Benedict XVI's future once he's retired: He'll be known as "emeritus pope" and continue to wear a white cassock. Benedict himself made the decisions,...

Benedict Gives Final Blessing
 Benedict Gives Final Blessing 
Feb 24, 2013 5:55 AM CST

Benedict Gives Final Blessing

Says God called him to a life of prayer

(Newser) - Pope Benedict has given his final Sunday blessing as pontiff from his window on St. Peter's Square, telling thousands of cheering well-wishers that "in prayer, we will always be close," reports the BBC . The pope, who steps down on Thursday, said in his final Angelus address that...

Italian Paper: Benedict Quit Amid Crazy Scandal

Report says gay priests were blackmailed

(Newser) - Here's a conspiracy theory on Pope Benedict's sudden resignation that wasn't in the first rush of speculation —what if Benedict's decision was linked to a network of gay priests in the Vatican who were being blackmailed by outsiders? That's the premise of a report...

Benedict's Health So Bad Docs Told Him Not to Fly

Report outlines high blood pressure, sleeping trouble

(Newser) - A fuller picture of the laundry list of Pope Benedict's physical ailments continues to emerge. In addition to reported partial blindness , the pontiff has suffered from high blood pressure to the extent that his doctor warned him to spend "as little time as possible" flying, according to the...

Benedict's Pension: $3.3K/Month

Which is kind of a lot, considering the Vatican will pay his living expenses

(Newser) - Thinking about "pope" as your career goal? Consider the retirement package, which is apparently around $3,340 per month. That's how much Pope Benedict will get when he abdicates later this month, and while it may seem a bit low for someone who was the leader of the...

Benedict Blind in One Eye: Report

Looking thinner than ever: journalist

(Newser) - Pope Benedict cited deteriorating strength in explaining his exit, and now specifics are becoming clear via the Los Angeles Times . The pontiff has apparently gone blind in one eye, says Peter Seewald, a German journalist and frequent Benedict interviewer. When Seewald saw the pope 10 weeks ago, his hearing had...

Benedict: Pray for Me, Next Pope

It's his second-to-last Angelus blessing until he steps down

(Newser) - Pope Benedict XVI is blessing the faithful from his window overlooking St. Peter's Square for the first time since announcing his resignation, cheered by an emotional crowd of tens of thousands of well-wishers from around the world. Speaking in Spanish, Reuters notes that Benedict implored the crowd, "I...

Vatican: Pope Hit His Head in Mexico

Also, he has a pacemaker

(Newser) - Did Pope Benedict resign in a dazed concussion haze? Probably not, but the Vatican revealed today that his holiness whacked his noggin pretty good during his March 2012 Mexico trip , the AP reports. The admission followed an Italian newspaper report saying that while getting up in the middle of the...

Benedict: I'll Be 'Hidden From the World'

Church unsure what to do with the Vatican's new famous lodger

(Newser) - What do you do with an ex-pope? If you happen to know, call Rome, because the Church isn't sure yet. Many fear Benedict will become an implicit rival to the new pope, despite his apparent desire to keep a low profile. He told Roman diocese priests yesterday that he...

Pope: I'm Leaving for 'Good of the Church'

Offers first public comments since retirement announced

(Newser) - Pope Benedict XVI has publicly addressed his retirement for the first time, saying it's for "the good of the Church," NBC News reports. Speaking during his weekly general audience, he asked that listeners "continue to pray for me, for the Church, and for the future pope,...

How the Papal Conclave Works


 How the Papal Conclave Works 
Feb 11, 2013 3:27 PM CST

How the Papal Conclave Works

Process will be basically the same as if the pope died

(Newser) - Pope Benedict XVI is the first pope to step down since 1294 , so you probably have quite a few questions about what happens next. But it turns out the process the papal conclave will use to elect the next pope will be fairly familiar: With the exception of a period...

Benedict's Legacy? A List of Unachieved Goals
Benedict's Legacy?
A List of Unachieved Goals
OPINION Roundup
Feb 11, 2013 1:54 PM CST

Benedict's Legacy? A List of Unachieved Goals

But others say his comments on contraception may endure

(Newser) - As the world comes to terms with the sudden and incredibly unusual resignation of the papacy by Pope Benedict XVI, the general consensus appears to be that Joseph Ratzinger was a scholarly, introverted conservative who will ultimately be remembered most for the controversies that surrounded him. Among the opinions:
  • Despite
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Who Will Be the Next Pope?
 Who Will Be the Next Pope? 
Feb 11, 2013 10:33 AM CST

Who Will Be the Next Pope?

Cardinal Marc Ouellet a favorite

(Newser) - With Pope Benedict unexpectedly stepping down in a couple of weeks, who will take up the papacy next? USA Today , Reuters , and Bloomberg list some of the frontrunners. Could the church decide it's time to elect its first non-European leader? Quite a few of the choices fit that bill:...

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