28 February 2013

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Live : Last public appearance and farewell of Pope Benedict XVI (Wednesday, 27 February 2013 General Audience)

http://www.vatican.va/video/

Do not miss the live broadcast from Vatican Player website on the last public appearance of Pope Benedict XVI in his last General Audience on Wednesday, 27 February 2013, the day before his resignation from the position as the Bishop of Rome and Pope.

The General Audience is usually held in the Hall of Paul VI, but due to the huge number of visitors expected to say farewell to our beloved Pope Benedict, the event has been moved to the St. Peter’s Square instead.

The event will begin at 10.25 am CET (Central European Time or UTC+1), and therefore accordingly here are the times for some areas in the world :

1. PST (Western USA) (UTC-8) : Wednesday, 28 February 2013 at 1.25 am

2. EST (Eastern USA) (UTC-5) : Wednesday, 28 February 2013 at 4.25 am

3. UTC (GMT) : Wednesday, 28 February 2013 at 9.25 am

4. WIB (Western Indonesia) (UTC+7) : Wednesday, 28 February 2013 at 4.25 pm

5. SG time (UTC+8) : Wednesday, 28 February 2013 at 5.25 pm (also for HK, China, Philippines, and Malaysia)

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Future title of Pope Benedict XVI after his retirement : Bishop Emeritus of Rome

http://www.romereports.com/palio/top-ranking-cardinal-reveals-future-title-for-benedict-xvi-english-9121.html#.USeny6XLoj4

It has been determined indeed that Pope Benedict XVI upon his retirement from the Papacy effective 28 February 2013 at 8.00 pm Rome time, he will still be called “Your Holiness” as he is now, and he will retain the title “Benedict XVI”, which is his chosen regnal name, and hence, he will be called, “Your Holiness Benedict XVI”.

He will also, like all other diocesan bishops, who once retired, take up the name Bishop/Archbishop Emeritus of his diocesan see, thus, Pope Benedict XVI, as the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, will also be known simply as the Bishop Emeritus of Rome.

What do I think about this? Well, after 28 February 2013, Pope Benedict XVI indeed will be no longer our Pope, but in effect, he never actually completely relinquish the Papacy, just as all other retired bishops remain as bishops and can remain active if they choose to do so, therefore the Pope too, even though not officially our Pope anymore, but our respect to him will always remain the same, and we will always remember him as our beloved Pope, who had done so much for the good of the Church.

He has chosen a quiet life in retirement and prayer, and dedicated himself fully to God, which is truly a noble choice, setting himself aside that someone else with the potential and vigour to step in and make the Church, which he had made good, becomes even better in the future.

Pray for our Pope Benedict XVI and his successor.

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2013 Papal Conclave Update : Conclave may begin earlier than 15 March 2013

The Vatican has announced that there is indeed a possibility that the Conclave may begin earlier than the earlier announced 15-20 March 2013 timeframe. This is because unlike normal period of sede vacante (or vacant See ‘of Rome’) due to the death of the previous Pope, Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to retire and renounce the Papacy has been announced well ahead of the actual date of beginning of the sede vacante.

Thus, the Cardinals have ample time to prepare for the Conclave and travel to Rome by the time the See becomes vacant on 28 February 2013 at 8.00 pm Rome time. This would then allow the Conclave to begin much earlier, perhaps in early March 2013, and will allow a new Pope to be elected immediately, and then the new Pope can already be installed (at St. Peter’s Square ceremony of the imposition of the pallium and the Fisherman’s Ring) and enthroned (at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Cathedral of Rome), before the Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday (24 March 2013).

If the Conclave begins only on the 15th of March or even later, there would be no time left available for the Pope to be properly installed and enthroned before the busy Holy Week begins. Another advantage is also that the Cardinal-electors (especially the residential Archbishops and bishops of Archdioceses and dioceses around the world) can return to their home and celebrate the Holy Week with their diocese/archdiocese, rather than be stuck in Rome due to the late Conclave.

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1 month since the beginning of my blog. May God always be with me and my hands!

16 January 2013, a month ago, I have decided to begin this blog, which begun officially on 17 January 2013, the next day.

A month has passed since then, and every time, I always feel the Lord’s guiding my hands to continue writing both on the Scripture, the daily reflections, and the other matters regarding the faith, more so now that a new Coadjutor Archbishop of Singapore will be ordained soon within this week (on Friday, 22 February 2013), and that our beloved Pope Benedict XVI will step down at the end of this month, and his successor to be elected in a month’s time.

Pray for me, pray for the Coadjutor Archbishop of Singapore, Msgr. William Goh, pray for our Pope Benedict XVI, for his successor-to-be, and pray for the Universal Church and for the world. May God be with us all, always, and may His blessing be upon us. Amen.

 

Statistics of my blog (1 month)

Total Visitors : 1,192

Total Views : 1,801

 

View statistics by country (Total observed = 1,767)

1. United States of America = 717

2. Singapore = 405

3. United Kingdom = 115

4. Philippines = 107

5. Canada = 82

6. Malaysia = 47

7. Italy = 33

8. Australia = 28

9. France = 21

10. Ireland = 20

11. India = 17

12. Indonesia = 14

13. Poland = 10

14. Germany = 9

15. Switzerland = 7

16. Trinidad and Tobago = 7

17. Belgium = 6

18. Republic of Korea (South Korea) = 6

19. Mexico = 6

20. Brazil = 5

21. Hong Kong = 5

22. Nigeria = 5

23. Spain = 5

24. Czech Republic = 5

25. New Zealand = 5

26. Croatia = 5

27. Bolivia = 4

28. Chile = 4

29. Hungary = 4

30. Kenya = 4

31. Argentina = 3

32. Sri Lanka = 3

33. Brunei Darussalam = 3

34. Malta = 3

35. Thailand = 3

36. South Africa = 2

37. Sweden = 2

38. Zimbabwe = 2

39. Vietnam = 2

40. Greece = 2

41. Namibia = 2

42. Colombia = 2

43. Japan = 2

44. Austria = 2

45. Portugal = 2

46. Laos = 2

47. Venezuela = 2

48. Puerto Rico = 2

49. Turkey = 1

50. Honduras = 1

51. United Arab Emirates = 1

52. Russian Federation = 1

53. Lithuania = 1

54. Timor-Leste = 1

55. Qatar = 1

56. Ghana = 1

57. Bangladesh = 1

58. Romania = 1

59. Pakistan = 1

60. Luxembourg = 1

61. Uganda = 1

62. Slovakia = 1

63. Oman = 1

64. Denmark = 1

65. Macau = 1

66. Saudi Arabia = 1

+Ut Omnes Unum Sint, ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam+

(That they all may be One, for the greater glory of God)

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When will the See of Rome become vacant around the world? Let’s pray then!

To all Catholics around the world, my brothers and sisters in Christ, the See of Rome will be vacant as of Rome time (CET/UTC+1), 8.00 pm on 28 February 2013, which corresponds to these times :

Los Angeles / PST / UTC-8 : Thursday, 28 February 2013 at 11.00 am

New York / EST / UTC-5 : Thursday, 28 February 2013 at 2.00 pm

London / GMT / UTC : Thursday, 28 February 2013 at 7.00 pm

Jakarta, Bangkok / UTC+7 : Friday, 1 March 2013 at 2.00 am

Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Beijing / UTC+8 : Friday, 1 March 2013 at 3.00 am

I do not think many will be awake or stay awake, or at work, and busy at this time, but if you are awake or available, let us make this hour an hour of prayer, for our current Pope Benedict XVI, his to-be-elected successor, and for the whole Church.

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Conclave for the election of the new Pope : When are the possible dates and why?

http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/world/story/vatican-says-new-pope-be-elected-easter-20130211

As traditionally the Conclave follows the death of the previous Pope, and this requires the traditional 9-days mourning period (Novemdiales) after the funeral (which happens a few days, 6 days in the case of Blessed Pope John Paul II) before the Conclave can begin, this is why it takes about 15 days or so for the Conclave can begin. This period of time is also for Cardinals from all over the world to have the time to come to Rome to elect the new Pope and for preparation of the Conclave.

However, as the announcement of the date of retirement came early, more than two weeks before the actual date, the Cardinals have plenty of time to come to Rome, and without the Novemdiales, in fact, the Conclave can begin as early as 1 March 2013, and we’ll have a new Pope perhaps even by 3 March 2013 or so.

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Thursday, 28 February 2013 : What a memorable day indeed to me

Thursday, 28 February 2013, will therefore be a very memorable day to me. Not only that, on that day, is my parent’s silver wedding anniversary (They married on 28 February 1988 – 25 years ago), but also on that day, Pope Benedict XVI will, at 20:00 Rome time, no longer be our beloved Pope.

We pray for him in his retirement and also for his successor, who will be elected soon, and I will also pray for my parents’ and their loving and happy marriage that it will continue to be so. I hope they will be there when I become a priest, and if God willing, maybe a bishop, a Cardinal, and Pope. Reminds me of Cardinal Sarto (later to become Pope Pius X), whose mother managed to stay on until just after he was made Cardinal. It was he himself who presided over the funeral.

I want to give my mom a Catholic funeral, because although my mom’s identity doesn’t say that she is, she is and always is a Catholic since the day of her baptism many years ago. But that is still long to come, and while she and my dad are still with me, I will treasure them, just as I treasure the Lord in my heart.

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Full text of Pope Benedict XVI’s announcement on resignation/retirement, effective Thursday, 28 February 2013 at 20:00 Rome time

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-benedict-xvi-announces-his-resignation-at-end

Dear Brothers,

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

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Pope Benedict XVI will retire, effective on Thursday, 28 February 2013, at 20:00 Rome time due to old age.

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-benedict-xvi-announces-his-resignation-at-end

If there is a news that will shake the world, this is it. I myself was very surprised, but I can rather expect the news. It is not the first that a Pope has resigned, although extremely rare (Canon Law does allow Popes to retire), and the last to resign was Pope Gregory XII in 1415 who resigned to end the Great Schism in the Church, and allow the Church to formally reunite again, and another Pope to resign was the great Pope St. Celestine V, who was elected as Pope at a very old age, just like our current Pope Benedict XVI, and showed example through his great leadership and great holiness. He also resigned due to old age, and wished to spend the rest of his life in prayer and quietness, just like our current Pope Benedict XVI wished to do.

Pope Benedict XVI, as Cardinal Ratzinger before his election as the Bishop of Rome, has repeatedly asked the late Pope John Paul II then to be allowed to retire and return to his native Bavaria, which because of his election as the Bishop of Rome, was not able to do so. Now that Holy Father will retire at the end of this month, let us all pray for him, that he can have a great and fulfilling holy life dedicated in prayer to God, and may God be with him always, and also with his successor, whoever it will be. Amen!