Papa Benedikto XVI atangaza kujiuzuru kutoka katika madaraka ya kuliongoza Kanisa Katoliki

Baba Mtakatifu Benedikto wa kumi na sita katika maadhimisho ya Mkutano wa Makardinali Jumatatu, tarehe 11 Februari 2013, ametangaza rasmi kwamba, kuanzia tarehe 28 Februari 2013 saa 2:00 Usiku atang'atuka kutoka madarakani na viongozi wenye dhamana ya kuitisha mkutano wa kumchagua Khalifa wa Mtakatifu Petro, watapaswa kufanya hivyo.

Baba Mtakatifu anasema, baada ya kuchunguza dhamiri yake mbele ya Mwenyezi Mungu pamoja na umri wake, anatambua kwamba, hana tena nguvu ya kutekeleza majukumu yake kama Khalifa wa Mtakatifu Petro. Huu ni utume ambao unapaswa kutekelezwa kwa maneno na matendo; sala na mateso.

Ulimwengu huu unakabiliwa na mabadiliko makubwa katika imani, jambo ambalo linahitaji kwa kiasi kikubwa maisha ya imani, ili kuweza kuliongoza Kanisa na kutangaza Injili ya Kristo. Baba Mtakatifu Benedikto wa kumi na sita anasema kwa unyenyekevu kwamba, katika miezi ya hivi karibuni, ametambua kwamba, hawezi tena kutekeleza majukumu yake kikamilifu.

Kwa utashi na uhuru kamili anatamka wazi kwamba, dhamana ya kuwa Khalifa wa Mtakatifu Petro, aliyokabidhiwa na Makardinali kunako tarehe 19 Aprili 2005 itafikia ukomo wake hapo tarehe 28 februari 2013 saa 2:00 Usiku. Baba Mtakatifu anawashukuru wote kwa upendo na kazi walizoshirikiana kwa pamoja katika kutekeleza majukumu yake kama Khalifa wa Mtakatifu Petro. Anaomba radhi kwa mapungufu yake ya kibinadamu.

Kwa sasa analikabidhi Kanisa kwa Yesu Kristo mchungaji mkuu. Anamwomba Bikira Maria kuwasaidia Makardinali katika mchakato wa kumchagua Khalifa wa Mtakatifu Petro. Anasema, ataendelea kulitumikia Kanisa katika maisha ya Sala.


DECLARATIODear 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 barque 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 to adequately 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