Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory Calls Catholics to Pray

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1 Contact: Pat Chivers FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (678) February 11, 2013 Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory Calls Catholics to Pray ATLANTA The Most Reverend Wilton D. Gregory, Archbishop of Atlanta, responded to the announcement of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI at a press conference this afternoon at the Chancery of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. This announcement has sparked widespread surprise but also a great outpouring of prayers and affection for the Holy Father. His stated reasons for resigning are his frailty as a result of age and his desire to make sure that the Church has a Pontiff with the energy and stamina to carry on the heavy burdens that come with the Office of Pope. Characteristically of the Holy Father was the humility of the statement and the pastoral love expressed for the Church that has prompted his decision, stated Archbishop Gregory. Calling for prayer, Archbishop Gregory said, I ask all Catholics in the Archdiocese of Atlanta to keep the Holy Father in prayer and the College of Cardinals who will be summoned to Rome to exercise their unique function in electing a new Pope according to a time-frame that will be announced. Archbishop Gregory s full statement is attached to this press release along with Pope Benedict XVI s statement this morning and a press release from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. For more information or interview requests, contact Pat Chivers (678) or pchivers@archatl.com. # # #

2 Statement from Wilton D. Gregory Archbishop of Atlanta This morning the world was informed of Pope Benedict XVI s intention to resign the Papacy as of Thursday February 28 th. This announcement has sparked widespread surprise but also a great outpouring of prayers and affection for the Holy Father. His stated reasons for resigning are his frailty as a result of age and his desire to make sure that the Church has a Pontiff with the energy and stamina to carry on the heavy burdens that come with the Office of Pope. Characteristically of the Holy Father was 1

3 the humility of the statement and the pastoral love expressed for the Church that has prompted his decision. I learned of the announcement at the same time as it was released at the Vatican this morning. It has been my very good fortune to meet with the Holy Father many times in the past, both when he served as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and during his Pontificate. He is a man of extraordinary wisdom and deep faith. While I was as surprised as everyone else to receive the news, I was not surprised that his love for the Church and his 2

4 own awareness of his age and loss of physical stamina led him to make this decision for the good of the Church that he loves with all of his heart. I was with the Holy Father in May of last year for our Ad Limina visit [the pastoral visit that bishops must make to Rome every 5 or so years to report on the state of their diocese]. His love for this local Church was recently confirmed with the appointment of a second Auxiliary Bishop Bishop-elect David Talley. I ask all Catholics in the Archdiocese of Atlanta to keep the Holy Father in prayer and the College of Cardinals who will be summoned to Rome to 3

5 exercise their unique function in electing a new Pope according to a time-frame that will be announced. 4

6 Pope Benedict XVI on Monday said he plans on resigning the papal office on February 28th. Below please find his announcement. Full text of Pope's declaration Dear Brothers, I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both 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. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer. From the Vatican, 10 February 2013 BENEDICTUS PP XVI

7 Papacy of Pope Benedict XVI Highlighted his Pastoral, Scholarly, Holy Life, Says Cardinal Dolan February 11, 2013 Sad he will resign but grateful for his eight years of selfless leadership Reached out to religiously threatened in Middle East, poor in Africa, world s youth Highlighted value of human life WASHINGTON Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued this statement moments after learning of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on February 11, Statement of Cardinal Timothy Dolan The Holy Father brought the tender heart of a pastor, the incisive mind of a scholar and the confidence of a soul united with His God in all he did. His resignation is but another sign of his great care for the Church. We are sad that he will be resigning but grateful for his eight years of selfless leadership as successor of St. Peter. Though 78 when he elected pope in 2005, he set out to meet his people and they were of all faiths all over the world. He visited the religiously threatened Jews, Muslims and Christians in the war-torn Middle East, the desperately poor in Africa, and the world s youth gathered to meet him in Australia, Germany, and Spain. He delighted our beloved United States of America when he visited Washington and New York in As a favored statesman he greeted notables at the White House. As a spiritual leader he led the Catholic community in prayer at Nationals Park, Yankee Stadium and St. Patrick s Cathedral. As a pastor feeling pain in a stirring, private meeting at the Vatican nunciature in Washington, he brought a listening heart to victims of sexual abuse by clerics. Pope Benedict often cited the significance of eternal truths and he warned of a dictatorship of relativism. Some values, such as human life, stand out above all others, he taught again and again. It is a message for eternity. He unified Catholics and reached out to schismatic groups in hopes of drawing them back to the church. More unites us than divides us, he said by word and deed. That message is for eternity. He spoke for the world s poor when he visited them and wrote of equality among nations in his peace messages and encyclicals. He pleaded for a more equitable share of world resources and for a respect for God s creation in nature.

8 Those who met him, heard him speak and read his clear, profound writings found themselves moved and changed. In all he said and did he urged people everywhere to know and have a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. The occasion of his resignation stands as an important moment in our lives as citizens of the world. Our experience impels us to thank God for the gift of Pope Benedict. Our hope impels us to pray that the College of Cardinals under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit choose a worthy successor to meet the challenges present in today s world. Media Contact Only: Sr. Mary Ann Walsh O: M: #####