Links to some of the stories:
On Monday, February 11th, Pope Benedict XVI informed the world he would be resigning his papacy effective February 28th, 2013 citing declining health as his reason for stepping down. This highly unusual act of abdication has only happened five times in history and only once has failing health been cited as the reason as all Pope’s generally die in office. (Pope Benedict’s resignation brings end to paradoxical papacy)
But another possible reason has surfaced; the unprecedented number of cases of child sexual abuse by priests that have hit the Vatican since Pope Benedict XVI became pontiff in 2005. Speculation abounds on this possibility after the February 2nd airing of a documentary on HBO by filmmaker Alex Gibney; Mea Maxima Culpa.
In Did Child Sex Scandals End a Papacy?, I outlined a long list of evidential information regarding child sex abuse scandals within the Catholic Church specifically related to being under the jurisdiction of then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger/soon-to-be-ex-Pope Bendedict XVI.
The information painted a twisted, sordid trail and seeming cover-up all the way to his desk.
Some claimed it was an interesting ‘conspiracy’ theory, however, as of February 14th, a new report has emerged out of the Vatican that Pope Benedict is seeking immunity from the Italian government from prosecution for complicity in those child sex abuse cases and more.
AllVoices.com reports that the International Tribunal Into Crimes of Church and State cites a letter directed to the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano referencing the Pope’s scheduled meeting with him set for February 23, 2013 where he will formally request protection from prosecution and immunity for what the ITCCS calls “his proven complicity in concealing child trafficking in his church and other crimes against humanity”.
When I heard that the pope was resigning because of failing health, I almost laughed out loud but this laughter was not one with mirth -- rather, it was loaded with heavy sarcasm.
You see Pope Benedict, the Catholic Church and I go way back, for I have long been in awe of their power and high hypocrisy — so much in awe, that I’ve written several articles on their massive, wide-reaching cover-up on child sex abuse, their stance on birth control, abortions, HIV-AIDS and capitalism.
As the general media blanketed televisions, newspapers and the Internet with wall to wall coverage -- almost canonizing the Pontiff and showing faithful followers weeping at their infallible leader leaving — I started digging.
The Catholic Church has over a billion in its fold, with the Vatican wielding incredible power and wealth. For centuries Vatican City has been above the law and child molesting priests, untouchable. Until recently, when the angry roar of victims started to rumble across the globe, which some law makers couldn’t ignore anymore. A few child molesting priests started facing prosecution instead of the usual solution of "reshuffling" the church had previously used — moving those criminal monsters from parish to parish, where they continued to hurt children.
So when a pope suddenly resigns with a 600 year gap between the last, we know health doesn’t have anything to do with it. If the Catholic Church upholds nothing else, they cling to tradition religiously. (Pun unintended).
For additional links from this article, just above:
This one from NBC News:
Then, on top of all that, another, different scandal broke today:
(Reuters) -
The Vatican appointed a German lawyer to head its bank on Friday, but the bid to turn the fortunes of the scandal-hit institution was clouded by his business links to a military shipbuilder.
We shall see what we shall see, in all cases.
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