Did Pope Benedict XVI know he resigned invalidly?
Did Pope Benedict XVI know he resigned invalidly?
An interview with Andrea Cionci, author of The Ratzinger Code.
PC: Thank you for taking the time to have a chat with me: after too long a delay, here we are. For my readers in America and the English-speaking Catholic around the world who may not know you, please introduce yourself. Tell me a little bit about your background and experience.
AC: My name is Andrea Cionci. I was born in Rome, and started off my career as an art historian who has been lent to journalism for 20 years. I write for some important Italian newspapers, such as La Stampa, Quotidiano Nazionale and Libero. Appointed as Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic for cultural merit, I have produced the most documented investigation ever written on the resignation of Benedict XVI. We are talking about 900 articles in 4 years, 700 podcasts, a 340-page volume that sold 20,000 copies, translated into 5 languages, 115 lectures throughout Italy, at the request of …More
"In many traditional and conservative circles we read that the Latin words “munus” and “ministerium” mean the same thing, and that Pope Benedict XVI has certainly successfully resigned and is no longer the Pope as of 8 p.m. Rome time on Feb. 28, 2013."
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This is the straw man argument - the whole discussion about munus/ministerium is irrelevant because Ratzinger stipulated expressis verbis unequivocally the effect (sede vacante) his resignation causes:
... ut a die vicesima octava februarii bismillesimo tredecesimo, hora vicesima, sedes Romae, sedes Sancti Petri vacet et Conclave ad eligendum novum Summum Pontificem ab his quibus competit convocandum esse.
And he left just as he had declared.
V.R.S. ....munus/ministerium is irrelevant..." certaintly not in light of how the first pope Peter's Office was establishing. Thus Peter received his Divine investiture and only subsequently (not simultaneously) achieved ministry of Petrine Office. Moreover if the distinct powers of the Office would be inherently indistinguishable then any pope who would be forcefully deposed from his Office would thereby cease to be pope. For this and other reason Catholic doctrine makes distinct the munus and the ministerio...
"And he left.." since his seat was objectively (backed by hard evidence) impeded he had to leave, as did popes forced to leave during i.e. Western schism...
@Rafał_Ovile
"....munus/ministerium is irrelevant..." certaintly not in light of how the first pope Peter's Office was establishing"
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You produced another "straw man" argument. I wrote about the whole discussion about munus/ministerium relating to the concrete (Ratzinger's) declaration not about the establishment of St. Peter in his office (BTW, Christ also did not deem necessary to use words "munus" or "ministerium" at that occasion, mind you, "Thou art Peter, etc. sufficed" so: "I leave the sedes Sancti Petri empty on 28/02/2013, 8 p.m." was also sufficient).
@V.R.S. "...was also sufficient." well not only Coffin and Cionci don't buy your false position , thus card. Bergoglio...