Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has died Saturday, the Vatican has confirmed in a statement, at the age of 95 following weeks of deteriorating health. The past week saw Vatican officials issue calls for prayer for the former Pope as he had become very sick. “With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican. Further information will be provided as soon as possible,” the Vatican announced of his Dec.31 passing.
He had been elected head of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, which claims over a billion adherents, in 2005 and served as pontiff until 2013, when he stunned the world by voluntarily resigning. It had been the first time in nearly 600 years that a pope had stepped down, given throughout history they typically occupy the position until death.
“After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry,” he explained in a resignation letter at the time.
In an unusual arrangement he lived in the Vatican near the current Pope Francis, in a section of the tiny city-state called the Vatican Gardens. His sudden resignation had set off speculation over whether it was driven by various scandals dominating the attention of Catholic leadership, given at the time Benedict and Vatican officials had been grappling with the magnitude of the clergy sexual abuse crisis and how to respond.
Benedict himself had come under fire for his handling of the crisis even as recently as this year, after a damning report published January 2022 reviewed his tenure as archbishop of Munich in the late 1970’s to early 80’s. The internal watchdog investigation said he knew about priests abusing children in his diocese but failed to act, similar to other bishops and cardinals around the world.
Also driving speculation was the fact that in 2013 irregularities and scandal over the secretive operations of the Vatican Bank came under more intense scrutiny, leading to several arrests.
Benedict vowed to clean up the mess of the Vatican’s finances and bring greater transparency, which included in 2014 him firing the entire Vatican Bank board, but some observers speculated the task proved too immense – or else he crossed paths with other powerful individuals who could have made the public side of the financial scandal worse.
Another common theory was that liberals in the Vatican and among the powerful College of Cardinals pressured him out over his traditionalist stances on everything from how the mass is celebrated (he gave greater freedoms for bishops and priests to resurrect the Latin mass, or “Old Roman Rite” liturgy), to his unbending defense of Catholic teaching regarding homosexuality, abortion, and other right to life issues such as euthanasia.
“With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican.
Further information will be provided as soon as possible.” pic.twitter.com/O5dxoPaVkT
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) December 31, 2022
As CNN and other mainstream media networks and pundits have long recognized, Benedict was seen as a polarizing figure when compared to the popes either immediately before or after him:
Bookended by globally popular and charismatic popes — St. John Paul II and Pope Francis – Benedict cut a different figure. Friends and biographers described him as quiet and scholarly, more at home among theological tomes than adoring crowds.
The German-born Benedict saw himself, and the church, as a bulwark against secular trends in Western society, particularly what he called the “dictatorship of relativism.” He often insisted that Catholics maintain a fortress mentality, saying perhaps a smaller, “purer” church would best maintain Catholicism’s traditions and teachings.
Conservative and more traditionalist Catholics, who feared their church might eventually go the way of the Church of England – known for its progressive sexual ethics and looser attitudes on a number of moral issues – had been angered and stunned when Benedict had stepped down.
It paved the way for the more Liberal-leaning Francis to become Pope, putting the conservatives once again on the defensive in their own church. Among Francis’ more recent controversial acts over the past two years was his again restricting the Latin Mass, as well as making ambiguous statements appearing to indicate he could be in favor of some kind of church-sanctioned gay civil unions arrangement.
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There are Catholics, and there are ‘Uber-Catholics’ and then there is Ann Barnhardt.
Meaning no disrespect but, for any Catholics in the TBP family, could you please explain why Catholics pray for the deceased? The bible is clear that once we leave this mortal body, all the things we’ve done, or not done, is now part of who we are in the hereafter. What good is it doing praying for a spirit that cannot change what they did when they walked the earth?
Why do they ask dead Saints to pray for us? Why do they not accept the new covenant that Jesus brought to us on his death and resurrection where He gave us, as believers, direct access to the Father, through Him. No more temples (buildings or tents) the new temple and kingdom (not of this world) is in us, for believers.
These are real questions and not taking shots.
explain why Catholics pray for the deceased?
To shorten their stay in purgatory. You know, the place where everyone goes to be tortured to pay for their sins. You can only shorten your stay there IF enough people will pray for you or donate enough money to the ‘church’.
The bonus for this newly dead pope is that many just loved him dearly. So he’ll probably have enough people praying for him to elevate him to saint in a few years perhaps.
Is this purgatory inferred from passages in Revelation? I guess I could look it up, I’ve always been mildly curious.
edit I guess it is from this and some Catholic tradition prayer.
2 Maccabees 12:42–45
and they turned to supplication, praying that the sin that had been committed might be wholly blotted out. The noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened as the result of the sin of those who had fallen. He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin-offering. In doing this he acted very well and honourably, taking account of the resurrection. For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin.
>>New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org
That is a good question. The souls who have fallen into hell cannot benefit from prayers, and the souls who have made it into Heaven cannot, either.
Only those souls in Purgatory can benefit from prayers. Since we don’t know who those are, we are obligated to pray for all.
And it is not just the book of Maccabees.
“For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid; which is Christ Jesus. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble: Every man’s work shall be manifest; for the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work, of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work burn, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.
1 Corinthians 3:11-15
Prayers for the dead have been known among Christians since the time of the Apostles, and there are many prayers written on ancient tombs in the catacombs.
In light of the many New and Old Testament verses that allude to the need of complete purification before entering the kingdom of heaven, the Roman Catholic Christian Church from inception (and just bout everyone until Mr. Luther came along ~1500 later) believed the Old Testament books of Maccabees are inspired Scripture. In light of your question, 2 Macc 12:41-46 explains it: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2maccabees/12
Well, I just learned something. I had never heard of the book of ‘Maccabees’ before but, I was always a protestant. Thanks.
The history of how the bible was put together into book form is an interesting one. If I have time later I’ll try and find a link that gives a true and balanced approach since many have lots of axes to grind on the subject.
Yes, this subject like on one ‘Jews’ or ‘Hitler’ or ‘Putin’, can definitely start the ol’ shite flinging sessions!
Watch this one to the very end.
deleted.
The saying is that purgatory is full of protestants, since they don’t believe in it and thus have no one praying for them.
This is contrary to what Christ taught and theres no need for speculations or ‘alluding to’. Whenever alluding is used to explain doctrine its usually used to justify a theology contrary to what scriptures clearly point out.
Often when trying to justify purgatory 2 Timothy 1:16–18 is used saying Paul prayed for this dead person. Mentioning a desire to see Gods grace and mercy isn’t exactly praying for them. Also used is 1 Corinthians 3:10–15, where Paul talks about our lifes works being judged by fire and that which was right before God remains. The catholic church has turned this on its head to state that AFTER you die you must be purged with fire and what remains will be purified and allowed into heaven. Again, the whole concept is completely against what scripture teaches.
2 Corinthians 5:8
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
The concept was basically to fill depleted coffers of the church.
When I was selecting a Bible I made sure all the books were in it.
Jesus said the only way to heaven was through Him and that one should pray to the Father in His name, no one else.
Meaning no disrespect, either.
But the dead know nothing. Because they are dead. And with extremely rare exception, every one that ever died is still dead.
No Church, neither “Catholic” or ANY of the Protestant stepchildren teach the Bible.
They ALL preach “Church Doctrine”.
First and foremost, The Bible clearly states not to pray out loud or chant in groups.
Everything about “Churches” goes against Biblical teachings.
You will only understand the Bible on your own with a Concordance, Lexicon and any other such references to get one closer to what was originally written.
All “Churches” worship the death of the Christ figure and are largely Death Cults with a little moral teachings which are promptly ignored during the other 166+ hours of the week.
You mix some truth with babble talk that makes little sense.
Referring to Jesus as “the Christ figure” and everything stated after that tells me you don’t know your Bible like you say you do.
Sorry, but your dog don’t hunt!
Nothing truly good to say about the current pope. Seriously have to wonder what they had on this guy, if they showed him pictures of John Paul I in response to something he stumbled upon (continuing Vatican Bank corruption, etc.), or something else to get him to resign so they could put this “woke pope” into power. I can understand someone’s belief in Christ’s teachings, but I truly cannot understand any fealty to the Catholic church or the pope/papacy.
Jesuits are commies generally speaking
another piece of shit roasting in hell with his god satan. good riddance.
I’m officially a sedevacantist now.
“sedevacantist”
“Cross Platform Compatibility” for brandon?