Pope Benedict XVI, affectionately known as the Pope of Christian Unity, our Vicar of Christ and the Lord's representative, successor to St Peter, has announced his abdication or resignation on February 28th, efective 8:00pm.
I had a post that day, it failed to appear.
I got to say that I woke up 6am and, I heard the news when I was half-awake half-asleep, so I wasn't sure what to think of it! I saw it on the BBC originally, then I checked the Vatican.va website, which was not updated.
So, knowing there was a little bit of a hoax a wee while ago about the Holy Father retiring, I thought this was a hoax. Because, the only place I saw it was on the BBC!
Then I got into my car, and the radio had it on. I Tweeted the radio then, saying it was a hoax because, after all, it was the BBC. They responded, telling me I was wrong, I was steadfast. There was no possible way that I could see the Holy Father retiring, no. We weren't warned, we weren't prepared. Twas out of the blue. However, just a few hours later I read it on the Vatican News. Then, I believed it. Now sure, I didn't want. No way. But I mean, what do you expect!
I'm not over the shock yet, no my readers no. Now, of course, I was astounded at the bravery and the strength of the Holy Father for doing this. God's Will be done. It is time, and it is time. He's the first in 600 years or so. But, he is a strong, and wonderful Pope. So this Lenten season, (which I had a post for Ash Wednesday too, that never came up either) let us pray fervently for the Holy Father, then, for the conclave, so that the Holy Spirit may give us a holy and pious Pope.
R. Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum, et beatum faciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum eius.
Deus, omnium fidelium pastor et rector, famulum tuum Benedictum, quem pastorem Ecclesiae tuae praeesse voluisti, propitius respice: da ei, quaesumus, verbo et exemplo, quibus praeest, proficere: ut ad vitam, una cum grege sibi credito, perveniat sempiternam. Per Christum, Dominum nostrum. Amen.
V. Let us pray for Benedict our pope.
R. The Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.
O God, Shepherd and Ruler of all Thy faithful people, look mercifully upon Thy servant Benedict, whom Thou hast chosen as shepherd to preside over Thy Church. Grant him, we beseech Thee, that by his word and example, he may edify those over whom he hath charge, so that together with the flock committed to him, may he attain everlasting life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
And being it Lent, please meditate on the Stations of the Cross and on the Sorrowful Mother. Fast and abstain, do penance. Pray to the Saints! Ask the angels for help!
Behold, O Kind and most sweet Jesus, before Thy face I
humbly kneel, and with the most fervent desire of soul, I pray and
beseech Thee to impress upon my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope
and charity, true contrition for my sins and a firm purpose of
amendment. With deep affection and grief of soul, I ponder within
myself, mentally contemplating Thy five wounds, having before my eyes
the words which David the Prophet spoke concerning Thee: "They have
pierced my hands and my feet, they have numbered all my bones."
Most
holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, Mary, would that I could be in
Heaven, there to contemplate the honours rendered to thee by the Most
Holy Trinity and by the whole Heavenly Court! But since I am still a
pilgrim in this vale of tears, receive from me, thy unworthy servant and
a poor sinner, the most sincere homage and the most perfect act of
vassalage a human creature can offer thee.
In thy Immaculate Heart, pierced with so many swords of sorrow, I place
today my poor soul forever; receive me as a partaker in thy dolours, and
never suffer that I should depart from that Cross on which thy only
begotten Son expired for me.
With thee, O Mary, I will endure all the sufferings, contradictions,
infirmities, with which it will please thy Divine Son to visit me in
this life. All of them I offer to thee, in memory of the Dolours which
thou didst suffer during thy life, that every thought of my mind, every
beating of my heart may henceforward be an act of compassion to thy
Sorrows, and of complacency for the glory thou now enjoyest in Heaven.
Since then, O Dear Mother, I now compassionate thy Dolours, and rejoice
in seeing thee glorified, do thou also have compassion on me, and
reconcile me to thy Son Jesus, that I may become thy true and loyal son
(daughter); come on my last day and assist me in my last agony, even as
thou wert present at the Agony of thy Divine Son Jesus, that from this
painful exile I may go to Heaven, there to be made partaker of thy
glory.
Amen.
CHRISTE ELEISON+CHRISTE ELEISON+
GLORY BE TO THE FATHER + AND TO THE SON + AND TO THE HOLY GHOST + WORLD WITHOUT END + AMEN
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