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March 11, 2013

Vol. 208 / No. 8

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Christopher BellittoFebruary 28, 2013

Church historians measure time in centuries, not weeks, so it is a daunting challenge to attempt even a brief assessment of a pontificate just concluded. Daring to go where prophets should fear to tread, what follows can only be a tentative status quaestionis of Pope Benedict XVI’s papacy at t

Pope Benedict XVI’s announcement on Feb. 11 caught the world by surprise and moved many to reflect not only on his decision to step down from the See of Peter, but on the highlights of his eight-year papacy. We asked four contributors to reflect on Pope Benedict’s legacy, as evidenced in

Our readersFebruary 28, 2013

News of the pope’s pending resignation sparked much commentary on America’s Web site. Here we offer a selection of the responses. To take part in the discussion, visit americamagazine.org.It is revealing the different decisions made by saints and popes facing similar conditions. The uniq

Thomas J. ReeseFebruary 28, 2013

More questions and answers about the next pope from Thomas J. Reese, S.J.

Faith
John W. O’MalleyFebruary 28, 2013

Who was the last pope to step down from his office? How many popes have resigned?

Of Many Things
Matt Malone, S.J.February 28, 2013

Living as I do in a very large, fragile glass house, I am reluctant to throw stones.

Letters
Our readersFebruary 28, 2013

Brother BenedictWhen Cardinal Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI, we all knew that his papacy would not last as long as those of some of his predecessors. So his resignation should not be a complete surprise, and we ought to praise God for the eight years that Pope Benedict has been able to serve an