Outgoing Pope says he'll respect the authority of new Pope

Questions have been coming up lately about the details surrounding how an outgoing, living Pope Benedict XVI would effect the Holy See in many aspects. Much of these issues surrounded how he would  be addressed, how Catholics would respond to any commentary he made in light of his former position as the Vicar of Christ, etc.

One of the questions that has come up has surrounded Benedict's behavior with respect to the authority of a new Pope, given that both were doctrinally selected as the sole representative of Christ on earth, a position that usually has no retirement plan.

That question was answered by the Pontiff, himself, in his farewell meeting on 28 February 2013 with Cardinals. Benedict stated,

“Among you, in the College of Cardinals, there is the future pope, to whom I promise my unconditional reverence and obedience."

There are 115 cardinals who are eligible for election as a new pope, with one of the requirements being that no candidate can be over 80-years-old.

There are no rules or regulations requiring Benedict to pledge obedience to the new Pope, but the Vatican’s chief spokesman, Rev. Federico Lombardi, stated it was a ‘beautiful gesture’ for the Pope to state that ‘he has no intention of interfering.’

For more information, content and relevant links, read the story at Religion News Service.

Al Stefanelli

Al serves on the Board of Directors for The Clergy Project, and is the former Georgia State Director for American Atheists, Inc. He is a retired journalist and the author of "Free Thoughts - A Collection Of Essays By An American Atheist" and "A Voice Of Reason In An Unreasonable World - The Rise Of Atheism On Planet Earth." Al began writing in 1985, starting with the New York Times. In 1993 he joined a McClatchy newspaper, writing a weekly column for ten years. His writing continues to be widely distributed on the Internet and in print. He also produced and hosted a weekly syndicated radio broadcast for three years and was the founder and President of the former United Atheist Front, Inc., which functioned as a civil rights organization. Al is a former Southern Baptist Pastor, having served two churches and as pulpit supply for three counties. Currently, he writes for The God Discussion, hosts his own blog on WordPress, submits content to a variety of publications, and co-hosts "American Heathen Radio" and "Reap Sow Radio." Al lives in Peachtree City, GA., a suburb of Atlanta.

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