For the first time in nearly 600 years, Roman Catholics have seen a pope resign. Now the question remains, who will become his papal successor? It will need to be a leader strong enough to guide a church in flux and conflict. "After Benedict XVI's resignation, Catholic cardinals will soon gather in Rome to elect a new Pope. The secretive process is called a papal conclave." added The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
"Benedict XVI renounced his office as supreme pontiff of the Catholic fold on Thursday, taking a step that few popes have dared in the 2,000-year life of the Church. His departure was characteristic of a man who thought in terms of centuries, but whose papacy was often swept up in the tumult of daily headlines," adds WSJ.
"Now, attention shifts to the cardinals who will forge Catholicism's future through one of its oldest traditions: a secret conclave to elect a new leader," added WSJ.
"You know this day is different than my previous days," a smiling Benedict XVI told a crowd gathered before the facade of the papal summer residence in the medieval town of Castel Gandolfo. "I will simply be a pilgrim on the last stop of my pilgrimage on this earth."
My thoughts
Examiner will be here with you Staten Island educators and parents to share this story and reflect on its impact every step of the way. I will always remember seeing the pope live and in person when I visited Rome and Vatican City in December 2011. Never realizing I would be witnessing history in the making, this story is too big to ignore or soon forget. I will remember a smiling, kind Pope Benedict XVI. He is a pontiff I cannot forget. We have been experiencing a historic reign and we will never forget the courage and strength it took to simply walk away. We wish Pope Benedict XVI luck and peace in his retirement.
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