1. On this day in Catholic History: Pope Benedict XVI’s Resignation
On February 28, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI resigned from his position as leader of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the first pope to resign in almost 600 years.
2. Catholic Word of the Day: papal interregnum
This word refers to the period of time in between (inter-) the reign (-regnum) of popes. It most often refers to the period after a pope dies and the new pope is elected. During this time period, the Church is run by the College of Cardinals, who are all together anyway as they are also responsible for electing the new Pope.
3. Historical Precedent
Who was the Pope before Benedict XVI to resign and why did he? Pope Gregory XII served as Pope for only 9 years and his resignation was done for similar, self-sacrificial reasons.Â
4. Spiritual Gift of the Day: discernment of spirits
St. Paul includes among the charisms, or spiritual gifts, something called “discernment.” This can be applied a lot of different ways, but it comes down to making decisions based on who is leading us. A great Saint who models discernment is Ignatius of Loyola and his Spiritual Exercises. Here is a short video from Fr. Columba Jordan on discernment too!
5. Virtue of the Day: fortitude
This difficult decision from Pope Benedict XVI certainly required fortitude. This is often associated with courage in battle, which is true, but less often associated with moral courage, which is the willingness to do the right thing even when it sacrifices honor. To learn more about fortitude, watch this video about what St. Thomas Aquinas thought about it: