http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/11/pope-complicit-child-abuse-say-victims Well Pope Benadict has resigned and this UK article suggests why.Pope Benedict was not the only clergy to cover up predator sexual behaviour rampant within the Catholic Church.

It has been unofficial policy by the Catholic Church for eons to cover up this behaviour at all costs,so why single out a Pope who is just carrying out this policy? Should not other heads be rolling?

The real reason for cover ups has been the cost of compensation which has undermined the monetary power of the Church and its credibility.The Catholic Schools may be full but the Churches these days echo more emptiness during the services than ever before.

There have been a lot of good workers within the Church but the hierarchy at the top have been bereft of morals and honesty for a very long time.The chickens are now roosting.

Arjay
Could it be just that he is simply too frail. He looks frail and during the various ceremonies he often looks like he is about to fall or break. The Pope is afterall 85. I doubt he is a patsy given protection of child abusers is something that has gone on for a long time and by your own words is not the only clergy to consistently fail in this area.

A more progressive Pope would do the world a great deal of good if it means re-thinking issues of contraception particularly as it affects the developing world; allowing priests to marry may mean remaining in touch with the real world; and allowing women to take positions in the Church hierarchy.

We can but hope but I suspect it will be a few more years yet before reform of the CC will take place.

I don't buy it pelican.I always thought there was something strange about this Pope.It is his eyes and they really look evil.He is the first Pope to resign in 600 yrs and his health looks fine to me.

I don't think there is any sinister reason for the Pope resigning now.
I actually admire him for leaving when he knows he isn't up to the job.

They practically dragged the last Pope around when he was almost dead, and the poor guy must have had a hellish last few years of life.
It's ridiculous that they made the Popes stay on so long in the past.

Oh Arjay,

You should look up the Pope Benedict's encyclical on Eros. Yes, love. He is a scholar and pianist, and highly intelligent man.

Constance,
>>You should look up the Pope Benedict's encyclical on Eros.<<

You are so right by obviously referring to “Deus Caritas Est”, the encyclical that deals also - though obviously not exclusively - with eros, sexual love. Among many references to supporting documents, "Humanae Vitae" (the encyclical of Paul VI that in 1968 shocked the Catholic world with its uncompromising ban on artificial contraception) is here conspicuous by its absence.

You might also be interested in http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/news/detail/articolo/benedetto-xvi-benedict-xvi-benedicto-xvi-14293/ .

Benedict remained a university professor also after he became Head of the Church, at the expense of his “managerial” skills and duties. The research and publications’ output of a professor at a University suffer, when he/she becomes Head of the Department. Benedict published three scholarly (i.e. open to peer review as he explicitly wrote) books (on Jesus) while heading the Church. Even where he spoke as the Pope, he kept to an abstract, symbolic level open to different interpretations including by those who cannot - or do not want to - understand him. Only future will tell whether his contribution as n abstract thinker will prevail over his clumsiness on the practical, "managerial", level.