Pope Benedict XVI resigns at the end of February. He is resigning at the time the Catholic Church is in turmoil -- in part, over allegations of failing to investigate properly child sexual abuse allegations and failing to discipline priests who were found to have been molesters. This is the first resignation in 600 years -- since 1415....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/pope...src=al_national

He had direct oversight of the office that "investigated" those cases. Between that and the fact that popes just DO NOT RESIGN... I think a very big bomb is about to go off...

I was caught off guard myself. With what happened in LA and Mahoney I would not be surprised if more revelations are forthcoming. Maybe the new Pope will be a stand up person acknowledge what happened and support the victims and survivors and realize a plague has and most likely still is running through the church--a plague that destroys children.

I doubt anything will change. The dogma doesn't permit change.

John

Given that the people who are in charge of selecting the new pope still have a lot invested in keeping the status quo, I don't have a lot of hope for them selecting a true revolutionary. But maybe they will at least do a better job about finding someone who was not so directly tied to the cover-up. I do agree with your thought that the reason for his resignation may very well have something to do with some news coming down the pipe. Less of a PR hit for him to get out now "with full freedom" (so he says) rather than be forced out later.

I'm with Soccer.

Something big is happening.

Cant