The world is waking up to shocking news this morning. Pope Benedict XVI has announced he will resign on February 28, 2013. It has been more than 700 years since a Pope has stepped down as a leader of the Catholic Church. In a statement released to CNN,
“Strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me,”
Benedict became the pope in 2005.
Can we expect the Catholic change with the next Pope? I don’t really think so. Cardinal Marc Ouellet, formerly the archbishop of Quebec City, has the best odds of replacing Pope Benedict XVI, but he is an extremely conservative man who will definitely not want the Catholic Church to change. He is expected to be the continuity of Pope Benedict XVI.