Catholic Leaders and Students React to Pope Resignation
By: William Seay
Updated: February 11, 2013
(ATCHISON, Kan.) The sound of wind and bells winds through the spaces between stone and altar at the Grotto of St. Mary on the campus of Benedictine College.
Some students stop for reflection in the morning between classes.
"I came before my eleven o'clock and said a couple of quick prayers," said Benedictine sophomore Robert Williams.
Williams says he added Pope Benedict XVI to his prayers Monday morning, just hours after the current pope announced his plans to resign.
It's the first time since the year 1415 that a pope has decided to step down on his own.
Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005, at the age of 78.
Now 85 years old, Pope Benedict said in a statement that at his age he no longer feels he can fulfill the ministry.
"I think he's saying - 'Look; age and energy are an issue at this point,'" said Father Brendan Rolling from the Abbey of St. Benedict, also on the campus of Benedictine College.
Father Brendan says he is both sad an optimistic about the news, an opinion shared by Dr. Matthew Ramage.
Dr. Ramage is a theology professor who has focused quite a bit of personal study into the life and writings of the current pope. He has used class time to discuss the pope's resignation with his students.
"I said 'What do you want to talk about?' And I let them talk for about 10 minutes. Then it was time to get back to class. We were talking about the Psalms," Dr. Ramage said.
Father Brendan is quick to point out that while it doesn't happen very often, papal resignation has always been allowed within the Catholic canon. The priest respects the pope's decision.
"He's a smart guy. He's contributed a lot to the life of Catholics and Christians around the world. And I really believe that his heart and soul and his prayer are being poured into the next age of humanity so to speak," Fr. Brendan said.
The next age of humanity in some ways is the information age.
"He's made steps. He made, for example, a Twitter account," explains Dr. Ramage. "He started to do these media things. I think he sees that there's a lot of hope if we can get somebody in there next who's able to continue that legacy."
That legacy, known as "New Evangelism" has resonated with young people as well, like the students at Benedictine College.
Said Benedictine senior Blaise Hockel: "He's led the faith in a lot of really good ways. He's tried to bring the faith closer together and I think he's done a marvelous job of it. I'm sad to see him go, but I think he's doing a really really good thing in the fact that he's trying to lead us by example and he's making good decisions based off of prayer."
"I think it's been great," Williams said. "In the church you can see the youth have kind of answered that call that the popes have been giving. So hopefully the next pope will be similar."
Pope Benedict XVI will officially step down on February 28.
The conclave to elect the next pope will begin in March.
Some students stop for reflection in the morning between classes.
"I came before my eleven o'clock and said a couple of quick prayers," said Benedictine sophomore Robert Williams.
Williams says he added Pope Benedict XVI to his prayers Monday morning, just hours after the current pope announced his plans to resign.
It's the first time since the year 1415 that a pope has decided to step down on his own.
Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005, at the age of 78.
Now 85 years old, Pope Benedict said in a statement that at his age he no longer feels he can fulfill the ministry.
"I think he's saying - 'Look; age and energy are an issue at this point,'" said Father Brendan Rolling from the Abbey of St. Benedict, also on the campus of Benedictine College.
Father Brendan says he is both sad an optimistic about the news, an opinion shared by Dr. Matthew Ramage.
Dr. Ramage is a theology professor who has focused quite a bit of personal study into the life and writings of the current pope. He has used class time to discuss the pope's resignation with his students.
"I said 'What do you want to talk about?' And I let them talk for about 10 minutes. Then it was time to get back to class. We were talking about the Psalms," Dr. Ramage said.
Father Brendan is quick to point out that while it doesn't happen very often, papal resignation has always been allowed within the Catholic canon. The priest respects the pope's decision.
"He's a smart guy. He's contributed a lot to the life of Catholics and Christians around the world. And I really believe that his heart and soul and his prayer are being poured into the next age of humanity so to speak," Fr. Brendan said.
The next age of humanity in some ways is the information age.
"He's made steps. He made, for example, a Twitter account," explains Dr. Ramage. "He started to do these media things. I think he sees that there's a lot of hope if we can get somebody in there next who's able to continue that legacy."
That legacy, known as "New Evangelism" has resonated with young people as well, like the students at Benedictine College.
Said Benedictine senior Blaise Hockel: "He's led the faith in a lot of really good ways. He's tried to bring the faith closer together and I think he's done a marvelous job of it. I'm sad to see him go, but I think he's doing a really really good thing in the fact that he's trying to lead us by example and he's making good decisions based off of prayer."
"I think it's been great," Williams said. "In the church you can see the youth have kind of answered that call that the popes have been giving. So hopefully the next pope will be similar."
Pope Benedict XVI will officially step down on February 28.
The conclave to elect the next pope will begin in March.
