Pope Benedict XVI

My heart is heavy and broken when I read the many articles calling for Pope Benedict XVI's resignation. Oh silly and foolish people.

The Church is not a democracy, nor a political system for that matter. Certainly, any institution has its share of "politics," but the Roman Catholic Church is unique and cannot be confused with the common institutions of our day. This is an institution that has its Founder as Christ Jesus, God-Man, the second person of the Trinity. The Church's birthday is the feast of Pentacost, when the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, came down upon the Apostles who were in prayer. Throughout the past 2,000 years, the Church has professed belief in her establishment on ongoing guidance and protection within God himself. This is no ordinary situation then, where men can dictate the leadership and movement of the people of faith. This is why so many seem confused and foolish - if you do not believe in the Catholic Church's principles of faith, such as the infallibility of the Pope on matters of doctrine because of the grace of the Holy Spirit who protects the Church at all times and leads her ever more to the service of God, then of course you will not understand how ridiculous it is to bombast the Holy Father through the mainstream media as if Catholics are going to be swayed to vote for a new leader. WE DON'T VOTE for him! The Holy Spirit leads the Cardinals and Bishops to know who has been called forth to lead at the given time when it is necessary for a new Pope to be elected. This is a principle of FAITH, not of politics. Once again, attacking the Pope now is attempting to speak a language you do not understand if you think you can influence the Church. You are dealing with God, not with man. Certainly, do not mistake me, the Pope is a man and most certainly sins, as many Popes have openly shared their frequencing the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but the man who serves as the head of the Church cannot fail to lead the Church in matters of faith by the gift of the Holy Spirit. Here is a link to a site that details the teachings of the Church on Papal Infallibility: http://crawfordcountycatholics.com/infallibility.html. To hightlight a piece, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states in 891: "The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful - who confirms his brethren in the faith he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals. . . . The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter's successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium," above all in an Ecumenical Council. When the Church through its supreme Magisterium proposes a doctrine "for belief as being divinely revealed," and as the teaching of Christ, the definitions "must be adhered to with the obedience of faith." This infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation itself."
Consider St. Paul's words to the Corinthians: "For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.
For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men" (1 Cor. 1:21-25). We may not always understand the moving and working of the Holy Spirit in the whole Body of the Church but we can and must trust that the same loving God who brought us into being, giving us the gift of Life and the gift of Baptism, the Sacraments and the Church, that we might have new and true life with Him even after this life ends...that same merciful and perfect God is the one who unfailingly leads his servants to his will and his wisdom. To men, this may indeed seem foolish at times, but it is rather the foolish men who are mocking God's ways that are humbled by God's wisdom in the end. Do not forget those who stood outside Noah's ark, mocking him for obeying God when it seemed so ridiculous. Yet, when the flood came, it was those same people who were begging to be saved.
Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, formerly Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, formerly Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has been instituted as the Vicar of Christ by the Holy Spirit and the College of Cardinals. Faith calls us to believe that God will has and will continue to lead this man in humble service of the Church to bring her to greater holiness and love of God and neighbor. At the end of the Baptismal promises, the celebrant proclaims these words: "This is our faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it in Christ Jesus our Lord." Let us not be mislead but stand by the gift that Christ has given us and in prayerful support stand by our Holy Father in these challenging times.