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The above from ‘NPR‘ and ‘The New York Times‘.
Alas Archbishop (Retired) Carlo Maria Viganò has ‘A HISTORY’
which puts his credibility on the line.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlo_Maria_Vigan%C3%B2 (or use link above).
This is pretty dramatic and unprecedented!
Asking a pope to resign is not a common practice — especially since Pope’s did not typically resign or retire, for whatever reason, until Benedict XVI did so in February 2013, out of the blue. So, asking for a pope to resign didn’t carry any weight prior to that because it was something pope’s didn’t do.
When popes were asked to resign, i.e., abdicate, which was fairly common long time ago it was usually done by an Emperor, a synod, a Council or another pope!
So, for an archbishop to gpo public with this is HUGE. The pope could excommunicate him. I don’t think the pope can do much more — legally.
The problem, here, alas, is that Carlo Maria Viganò now has a history of accusing popes and others of corruption. He figured MAJORLY in Vatileaks. He is a known troublemaker and has already been ‘punished’ (i.e., demoted etc.)
But, this is good.
More people should ask for the pope to resign.
Now if it came from a cardinal we really could have some fireworks.
P.S., I do believe that Benedict XVI retired because he knew that the Clerical Child Abuse Crimes were going to come around to BITE HIM.
Related posts:
Search ‘pope’ or ‘cardinal’.
Check Category ‘religion’.