Wednesday, 2nd March 2005

Why the Pope Won't Quit

Have you ever wondered why Pope John Paul doesn't resign? His health has been extremely poor for years and it is likely he has been unable to carry out his duties for some time. So why not step aside and let some new blood take over? Well, it's quite interesting.

The first (and last) pope to ever step aside was Pope Celestine V (Aug 24,1294 to Dec. 19, 1294). Celestine was a reluctant pope, agreeing to accept the office only after much pressure from the church. But after 4 months he'd had enough and stepped down.

His successor Boniface VIII had him hunted down until finally apprehended in July 1295 and imprisoned in the castle of Fumone near Ferentino in Campupagna. After languishing for 10 months in very poor conditions, Celestine V died on May 19. 1296. The reason for the imprisonment? There is room for only one pope on this earth.

The pope, by Church proclamation, carries out the express wishes of God and is thus totally infallible. For this reason the Church can't risk a former pope hanging around criticizing the new one, or worse still, for followers of the former pope to gain strength and threaten the authority of the anointed pope. This would not bode well for the

Church's authority.

So Pope John Paul can only be retired if he slips into a state of unconsciousness or dies.

Isn't it interesting that the Pope is appointed by God but must first die before God takes a chance on selecting a new one. Or if he tries to quit, he must be silenced. Is this God's wish or is it all about the Church trying to avoiding exposure for fraudulent claims?

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