(PDF) The Resignation Speech of Pope Benedict XVI

The Holy Father, Pope Francis, issued an Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio, "Competentias quasdam discernere," giving direct decision-making authority through the transfer of certain responsibilities from the Holy See to local diocesan Bishops and major Superiors. Pope Francis states that the intention of the changes is to foster a spirit of collegiality and pastoral responsibility on the part of bishops and major superiors and to support the “principles of rationality, effectiveness, and efficiency. This article makes a detailed study of all the changes and the reasons behind them.

The threat of modernism heightened in the mid-twentieth century. The Church was not left out as humanism and rationalism challenged the teaching authority of the Church. Pope Leo's encyclical sought the restoration of Thomism as panacea. However, it was criticized for its infantile nostalgia for the past. This work concludes that a recourse to the past is always indispensable for a fruitful philosophical and theological reflection. It holds that the Church's task of being mother and teacher, fostering an encounter with human cultures, through new evangelisation, needs to place high value on the harmony between faith and reason which St. Thomas stood for.

11 February, 2013 The Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI Fratres carissimi 5 10 15 Non solum propter tres canonizationes ad hoc Consistorium vos convocavi, sed etiam ut vobis decisionem magni momenti pro Ecclesiae vitā communicem. Conscientiā meā iterum atque iterum coram Deo exploratā ad cognitionem certam perveni vires meas ingravescente aetate non iam aptas esse ad munus Petrinum aeque administrandum. Bene conscius sum hoc munus secundum suam essentiam spiritualem non solum agendo et loquendo exsequi debere, sed non minus patiendo et orando. Attamen in mundo nostri temporis rapidis mutationibus subiecto et quaestionibus magni ponderis pro vitā fidei perturbato ad navem Sancti Petri gubernandam et ad annuntiandum Evangelium etiam vigor quidam corporis et animae necessarius est, qui ultimis mensibus in me modo tali minuitur, ut incapacitatem meam ad ministerium mihi commissum bene administrandum agnoscere debeam. 1 ed. K. Gervais 1 canonizatio, onis: canonization (the act of declaring a deceased person a saint). Consistorium, i: a Consistory (a formal meeting of the Sacred College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church); originally a meeting place. 2 momentum, i: movement; moment (of time); importance. 3 Ecclesia, ae: the (Catholic) Church; originally a meeting place (from Gr. ekkalein, to call to assembly). 4 coram: (+ abl.) in the presence of, before. cognitio, onis: knowledge. 5 ingravesco, ere: to grow heavier, worse, more burdensome. 6 Petrinus, a, um: Petrine, of Saint Peter (the first Pope). 7 secundum: (+ acc.) because of, due to. essentia, ae: essence, nature. 8 exsequor, qui, cutus sum: to pursue to the end; perform, carry out, execute. 9 attamen: at + tamen. 11 pondus, eris: weight; importance, relevance. Sanctus Petrus: Saint Peter. 12 guberno, 1: to pilot, govern (a ship). Evangelium, i: the Gospel (from Gr. euaggelion, good news). 14 ministerium, i: ministry: the duties of a minister (a Church official); originally minister = a servant (from minus). 11 February, 2013 20 25 The Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI Quapropter bene conscius ponderis huius actūs plenā libertate declaro me ministerio Episcopi Romae, Successoris Sancti Petri, mihi per manūs Cardinalium die 19 aprilis MMV commissum renuntiare ita ut a die 28 februarii MMXIII, horā 20, sedes Romae, sedes Sancti Petri vacet et Conclave ad eligendum novum Summum Pontificem ab his quibus competit convocandum esse. Fratres carissimi, ex toto corde gratias ago vobis pro omni amore et labore, quo mecum pondus ministerii mei portastis et veniam peto pro omnibus defectibus meis. Nunc autem Sanctam Dei Ecclesiam curae Summi eius Pastoris, Domini nostri Iesu Christi confidimus 2 ed. K. Gervais 16 quapropter: for this reason, therefore. 17 Episcopus, i: a Bishop; originally an overseer (from Gr. episkopein). 18 Cardinalis, is: a Cardinal; a substantive adj. (chief, principal), from cardo. 19, MMV, 28, MMXIII, 20: the relevant ordinal numbers are: tertius, quintus, octavus, decimus, undevicesimus, vicesimus, bis millesimus. 19 renuntio, 1: (+ dat.) to renounce, resign from. sedes, is: a See (the area of authority of a bishop); originally referring to the bishop’s throne. 20 Conclave, is: a Conclave (a gathering of bishops to elect a new Pope); originally a lockable room. eligo, ligere, legi, lectus: to pick out, choose, elect. 21 Summus Pontifex: Supreme Pontiff (the Pope); originally a pontifex was a pagan high priest. competo, ere, i(v)i, itus: (+ dat.) to belong to, be due to; the implied subject is Conclave convocare. 24 portastis: syncope of portavistis. venia, ae: forgiveness. 25 defectus, ūs 26 Pastor, oris: an officer of the Church; from a pervasive Biblical metaphor. Iesu: the declension is irregular in Lat. and Gr.: nom. Iēsus Ἰησοῦς gen./dat. Iēsū Ἰησοῦ acc. Iēsum Ἰησοῦν abl. Iēsū --voc. Iēsū Ἰησοῦ 27 confido, fidere, fisus sum: (+ dat. and acc.) to entrust x to y. 11 February, 2013 30 The Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI sanctamque eius Matrem Mariam imploramus, ut patribus Cardinalibus in eligendo novo Summo Pontifice maternā suā bonitate assistat. Quod ad me attinet etiam in futuro vitā orationi dedicatā Sanctae Ecclesiae Dei toto ex corde servire velim. Ex Aedibus Vaticanis, die 10 mensis februarii MMXIII BENEDICTUS PP. XVI 3 ed. K. Gervais 30 assisto, ere: takes the dat. quod ad me attinet: an idiom, lit. that which pertains to me (the phrase is a nominativus pendens, in apposition to what follows). oratio, onis: prayer. 31 velim: a potential subjunctive or the apodosis of an unexpressed condition, used to modestly express a wish.

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The Resignation Speech of Pope Benedict XVI

The Resignation Speech of Pope Benedict XVI

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