POPE GREGORY XII RESIGNS!!!
That was the headline from the Roman Daily Whatever on July 4, 1415.
And today’s headline about Benedict XVI is no less shocking. But there are millions of sources writing about that subject today. No need for one more.
So I say – who is this Pope Gregory XII and why the heck did he resign from such a great job?
Well, he sort of had to because the very small College of Cardinals at the time (many were just relatives) made a deal with Pope Gregory XII in 1406 that if the other Pope in Avignon (Antipope Benedict XIII (1394-1423) were to, in the future, renounce all claims to the Papacy (which he reluctantly did on July 4, 1415), Pope Gregory XII would also have to resign so that a fresh election could be made and a new Pope could start a new era for the Church.
(But not before Gregory XII got four of his relatives into the College of Cardinals – one who eventually became Pope Eugene IV.)
It, of course, wasn’t as clean as all that. Once you introduce someone with a title “Antipope” – you know you’re in for trouble.
There was lots of corruption, lots of family fights, lots of things, in general, that Jesus wouldn’t approve of much.
Thank God the Church has fixed all those little problems.
For a good little summary of the whole Pope Gregory XII resignation – head on over to Wikipedia (where we all get our facts).
As far as Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation goes – my Catholic intuition tells me that all is not as it seems at the Vatican.
If failing health was a solid reason for resignation, nearly every Pope would have resigned years and years before they died.
None of those guys are ever healthy. Their diet is just a ridiculous amount of sauces and carbs. And the wine consumption? Forget it.
It’s not a healthy job.
Dying in office is what you do when you’re a Pope.
Being Pope isn’t like being President of the United States.
There aren’t ex-Pope’s running around building houses and giving speeches.
You’re Pope, even if you’re sick, and then you die as Pope.
Pope Gregory XII had to resign because it was part of a long complicated agreement to end the whole wackiness of the Western Schism (again – go to Wikipedia for details).
Details will come out eventually on why Benedict XVI really resigned – and I have a feeling it won’t be pretty.
Dominic Lanza – Sr. Vatican Correspondent – Manka Faith God Blog