Pope Benedict leaving - Pray for a Pope with Vision

Pope Benedict the 16th will step down on February 28, 2013. 

Benedict XVI

He is 85 years old and is not suffering from any life-threatening illnesses. However, he admits that he lacks the strength of mind and body to carry out his ministry. 

We give him credit for manning up and admitting his weaknesses. It takes a certain type of noble man to willingly pass on his "realm" to another. This hasn't happened in the Catholic Church in 600 years. Most Popes hold on until death. 

Benedict the 16th's tenure is marked by conservatism and the maintenance of the status quo.   He rejected the push for change in the Catholic Church. 

1. He maintained the doctrine of celibacy for priests, thereby denying the sexual nature of men.
2. He maintained the prohibition of female priests, thereby excluding half of the world's population from the priesthood.
3. He maintained the Church's prohibition of birth control, thereby promoting the destruction of the planet due to over-population and ultimate starvation. 
4. He maintained the Church's condemnation of gays, thereby promoting a century's old hatred and persecution of an identifiable minority group. 
5. He did not reach out to Muslims, thereby not aiding in the prevention of the ever increasing conflict between the Christian and Islamic worlds. 
6. He apologized for the sexual abuse performed by priests, but he never admitted or apologized for his own failures during the years when he headed up the Vatican body charged with disciplining priests.

Let's pray for a new Pope with a new vision - and a realistic vision at that. 

Pray for a Pope who leaves the 14th Century behind and who looks to our future.

Pray for a Pope who reaches
out to others and who
makes real changes in this
World. 

All persons of faith in this world, including Catholic Christians, Protestant Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs and everyone else need to "get with the program" for our Earth. 

We need to work together for peace and for an end to war, destruction and misery; for a clean and healthy environment; and for justice for mankind.

God help us all. God save us. Amen.