Papal Resignation

My readers must forgive me (if I still have any) for such long periods between posts.  My wife gave birth to our first born child last month, and between the birth and the pregnancy before I have been quite preoccupied the last several months.  Despite my busy life as a new father, I had to post on this historical day:  a papal resignation.

I sat down this morning to have my breakfast and watch the news only to learn that sometime whilst I slept the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI is resigning the papal office effective February 28, 2013.  While a papal resignation is not unprecedented in the 2,000 history of the Catholic Church, it is certainly not the norm.  It is the norm, however, for a pope to die in office.  This pope will not.  I have to admit that I was shocked, stunned, and even felt a little betrayed.  Why is he doing this?  How can the pope who was such a friend to the traditional cause call it quits?  How could this man, the holder of the highest honor on Earth give it up?  I cannot know the mind of the Holy Father or the specific reasons why he is resigning (besides the advanced age and ill health he has cited as the reason), only God can.  I do not have hopes that history will judge him well (has history judged St. Peter Celestine well?), but I pray God will grant him happy and grace-filled days until he meets his final reward.

The media and liberal "Catholics" will call for the next pope to change the Church's teachings on a myriad of issues such as abortion, male-only priesthood, homosexuality, etc.but rest assured that the Holy Ghost preserves and protects all successors of St. Peter from entering into doctrinal error.  Let us pray for the Holy Father and for the man who will succeed him.