Pope Benedict XVI: Pope Emeritus Bids Goodbye

Emotional yet still faithful, the Roman Catholics were in pain to hear our ever dearest Pope bidding farewell, having His final address.

Read the yahoo news below.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict bid an emotional farewell at his last general audience on Wednesday, acknowledging the "rough seas" that marked his papacy "when it seemed that the Lord was sleeping."

In an unusually public outpouring for such a private man, he alluded to some of the most difficult times of his papacy, which was dogged by sex abuse scandals, leaks of his private papers and reports of infighting among his closest aides.
"Thank you, I am very moved," Benedict told a cheering crowd of more than 150,000 people in St Peter's Square a day before he becomes the first pope to step down in some six centuries.

He said he had great trust in the Church's future, that his abdication was for the good of the Church and asked for prayers for cardinals choosing his successor at a time of crisis.
The Vatican said the address, repeatedly interrupted by applause and cries of "Benedict, Benedict" - was the last by the pope, who as of Thursday evening will have the title "pope emeritus."

"There were moments of joy and light but also moments that were not easy ... there were moments, as there were throughout the history of the Church, when the seas were rough and the wind blew against us and it seemed that the Lord was sleeping," he said.
When he finished the crowd, which spilled over into surrounding streets and included many of the red-hatted cardinals who will elect his successor in a closed doors conclave next month, stood to applaud.

"I took this step in the full knowledge of its gravity and rarity but with a profound serenity of spirit," he said, as people in the crowd wave supportive banners and national flags.
Loving the Church meant, "having the courage to take difficult and anguished choices, always having in mind the good of the church and not oneself," he said.

The pope says he is too old and weak to continue leading a Church beset by crises over child 
abuse by priests and a leak of confidential Vatican documents showing corruption and rivalry among Vatican officials.

He said he was not "coming down from the cross" but would serve the Church through prayer.

Some of those who have faulted Benedict for resigning have pointed to the late Pope John Paul, who said he would "not come down from the cross" despite his bad health because he believed his suffering could inspire others.

Read more. Click HERE.

KZ Tandingan - Wag Ka Ng Umiyak

“Wag Ka Nang Umiyak”

This has been a love song to most of us. It is even kakilig-kilig to hear hubby singing this song to me, loving him more. But, not this time... it has been more kakilig-kilig to know that God is actually singing this song for me while giving me the tightest hug ever. I am so overwhelmed to feel His presence. Thank YOU, papa GOD. You are the best! Your plans are better than ours. I have been tested but I have survived. GOD is with me. And I still have a family, good friends, great loved ones and relatives. With my powerful 3 F's: Faith, Family and Friends, I know I can always survive. Kudos!

Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

Wag ka nang umiyak, sa mundong pabago-bago

pag-ibig ko ay totoo

ako ang iyong bangka, kung magalit man

ang alon, ng panahon, sabay tayong aahon

[chorus]

Kung wala ka nang maintindihan

Kung wala ka nang makapitan

Kapit ka sa akin, kapit ka sa akin

Di kita bibitawan

Wag kang umiyak, mahaba man ang araw

uuwi ka sa yakap ko

wag mo nang damdamin kung wala ako sayong tabi

iiwan kong puso ko sa yo

at kung pakiramdam mo’y wala ka nang kakampi

isipin mo ako dahil puso’t isip ko’y

nasa yong tabi

[repeat chorus]

…di kita pababayaan

Kapit ka, kumapit ka

(para sa buhay ng buhay ko)

Pope Benedict XVI Resigned; Catholics: Shocked

Hubby and I just got home from work. And while we were preparing dinner and playing with our kiddo, we heard a breaking news from GMA 7, 24 oras. We were shocked to be informed that our dearest Pope resigns. God bless YOU more and always! We love you. We'll pray for you and your health.

My dear readers and fellow bloggers, I would like to confirm with regret that the resignation of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on February 28, 2013 is TRUE. Read the full text of the letter he published a while ago, the same text we heard from 24 Oras, breaking news (read by Mike Enriquez).

The Vatican said on Monday in a shock announcement that Pope Benedict XVI will resign his office from February 28.

Read on and see the latest news. Happy reading!

xoxo, 

Mommy Mai

ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF POPE BENEDICT XVI's STATEMENT

Dear Brothers,

I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonisations, 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. 

Photo source: www.usccb.org

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

Source: Visit HERE.

News from BBC.co.uk. Visit their page HERE.

Pope Benedict XVI is to resign at the end of this month in an entirely unexpected development, saying he is too old continue at the age of 85.

He became Pope in 2005 following John Paul II's death.

Resignations from the papacy are not unknown, but this is the first in the modern era, which has been marked by pontiffs dying while in office.

At 78, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was one of the oldest new popes in history when elected.

He took the helm as one of the fiercest storms the Catholic Church has faced in decades - the scandal of child sex abuse by priests - was breaking.

In a statement, he said: "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...

"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."

Another news to read. 

The Vatican said on Monday in a shock announcement that Pope Benedict XVI will resign his office from February 28. The Italian news agency ANSA first reported the news, which it said was made in Latin during a ceremony in Rome.

The announcement will come as a surprise to millions of Catholics around the world. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger said that because of his advanced age and diminishing strength, he didn't feel he could carry on the job.

He became Pope in 2005 after the death of John Paul II. Pope Benedict XVI is 85 years old. He will be the first pontiff to resign in 600 years.

News from usatoday.com Read more. Visit their page. Click here.