A Humble, Bold Scholar

The sudden news of Pope Benedict XVI's resignation should not have taken so many by surprise. He had several times raised the possibility of a pope resigning. Still the news came as a bombshell. Clearly he did it for the good of the Church, and his freedom to give up his office was a sign of this remarkable man's humility and spiritual freedom. The office was never about him. For this quiet but gracious scholar, it must have been a considerable burden. And with his intelligence, he no doubt recognized that the Church needed the strong leadership that he was no longer able to provide. He had watched at close hand the once vital Pope John Paul H's long descent into illness and infirmity.