Local Priests Respond to Pope Benedict XVI Resignation

With the announcement Monday of Pope Benedict XVI resigning at the end of February due to failing health — something that has not occurred in more than 600 years — local priests of Catholic churches in the Montgomeryville-Lansdale area were first and foremost surprised at the news.

"I was surprised to hear the announcement this morning, but I don't think it's a coincidence he announced it today, The World Day of the Sick on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes," said Father Philip Forlano, parochial vicar at St. Stanislaus Church in Lansdale.

Forlano said Monday, Feb. 11 is the day where Catholics pray for the sick and recognize the face of Christ in the sick and suffering. He said these moments, as in the initial apparation of Our Lady of Lourdes in 1858, call us to pray for the sinners and to seek the face of Christ in the suffering and poor.

"For the vicar of Christ to announce to the world he is sick and asks for prayers for us on this day is a great act of humility on his part," Forlano said. "It's really a call to all of us to be open to what the Lord's calling does to our circumstances of our life."

Forlano said Pope Benedict XVI's ministry and papacy has been a tremendous gift to the church.

"Pope Benedict XVI said he was to continue the work of John Paul II. I hope the next pope continues with Benedict's work," Forlano said. "It's the work of Christ and the continuit of St. Peter's ministry to shepherd and to guide the church."  

Monsignor Thomas Flanigan, Ed.D, pastor of Corpus Christi Church in Upper Gwynedd, said he too was surprised at the news.

"At the same time, if you have seen pictures of him since Christmas, especially, he is becoming more frail. It took a lot of humility and prayer to come to that decision that he cannot adequately serve the universal church in the way it should be served," Flanigan said. "Maybe he has set a precedent for others to do the same."

Flanigan said the Vatican will now set a time for the consistory, where the College of Cardinals will come together to elect a new pope. If this occurs after Feb. 28, Flanigan said an administrator would be appointed in the interim. Once the consistory takes place and the election happens, the new pope would then take over immediately.

Flanigan had no idea as to who may succeed Pope Benedict XVI.

"There's a lot of speculation that goes on in the news. A lot of cardinals in the college now were elevated either by Benedict or John Paul II," Flanigan said. "Many come from Third World countries. Who knows how the spirit of God will move them to elect, except for God himself."   

Flanigan said the new pope would be faithful to the teachings of the Catholic church.

"They will not be changing the tenets of faith. Through Benedict's regin, there was such an emphasis on re-evangelization. It means we need to reach out to people that are either unchurched or have not been active in their faith," Flanigan said. "That's really what new evangelization is about. Both popes emphasized that very much so. When Benedict was elected, he took the name of a European pope and wanted to re-evangelize Europe because it was so weak there."

Flanigan emphasized that it would ultimately come down to God to move the College of Cardinals to choose a new leader.

"The truth of the matter is, the beliefs of our faith since Jesus Christ are not going to change," he said. "We didn't create them. They came from Jesus." 

St. Maria Goretti pastor Rev. Andrew Brownholtz was contacted for comment, but was unavailable Monday.

Mary, Mother of the Redeemer pastor Monsignor Joseph Conway was contacted for comment, but a representative at the church deferred comment to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.