RIP Pope Benedict XVI

Well, Ratz.

Former Pope Benedict XVI dies at 95

 

He did make way and the Church elected a very good pope.

Has to be weird to bury a pope and not need to also conclave.

 

The Bill Guthridge of Popes. He knew nobody wanted to be the guy who followed the guy. As a Catholic, I admired his courage to step away - which making such a radical move, at a critical time for the Church probably isn't seen as heroic as it really probably was. John Paul II's health declines made him ill equipped to navigate the church through the abuse scandals and Benedict knew the Church couldn't make the same mistake twice - And I have to think Francis wouldn't be in the big chair if Benedict wasn't ok with it. The movie "The Two Popes" IS fiction, but is based on the words and views of each popes so it gives a good background.

 

I was shocked the tin foil hat brigade didn’t have more conspiracy theories about that whole situation.

 

He was arch-conservative but not as much as many expected. And obviously he set the groundbreaking example of retiring. After JP II's performance art of persevering to the point of near paralysis, I was sure every pope for the next century or so would be carried off the throne.
But Benedict established it's more important for the church to have a pope who can fulfill some reasonable physical requirements of the job than the pope's personal limitations are accommodated. Also, he did so with the knowledge that Bergoglio, in many ways nearly his philosophical opposite, was the favorite to succeed him.