Losing Our Little Pope

1. Well, yeah, he’s a German. So if he says he can’t do the job, he probably can’t.

2. And yeah, it’s a good idea for someone to exercise the right to resign, so as to preserve the right to resign. Bishops have it; the Bishop of Rome also should have it. Someone who’s worked himself hard every day and written books at the same time, someone who’s been criticized for years and can put up with more — probably the best self-nomination to preserve this right.

3. But darn it, I don’t want our papa to go away! I love him! There will probably never be another pope whose mind for teaching is so congenial to my way of thinking and learning. He’s done so much for the glory of God and His Church, and so patiently.

Well, the Lord will no doubt send us a pope: maybe a saint, maybe a scourge, probably a decent guy.