THE Pope should have retired a number of years ago when his health seriously declined. Because he did not, for the past couple of years it would seem that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has called the political and doctrinal shots, rather than John Paul II. Many of Ratzinger’s theological doctrines have affected the policies of the Vatican, Catholic societies (particularly in developing countries) and the Church as a whole.

Had the Pope taken retirement when he still had the ability effectively to run the Roman Church, perhaps his successor would have better addressed the social and sexual issues of our time.

Adrian Allain,
New York

Pope for life

I DON’T recall any version of the New Testament having the famous verse: “Thou art Peter and upon this rock shall I build my church” having the rider, “at least for so long as thy age shall be less than four score years”. For goodness sake let someone, somewhere go on until they drop, and who better than the Pope who is revered and loved as a figurehead, not as an administrator.

Malcolm Bowden,
Northwich, Cheshire

A natural end

WHY should the Pope retire at 80? He is not running a business and the issue is not about money or people’s livelihoods. He is a paterfamilias and his children will respectfully wait until the end comes for him. The cardinals will then gather and appoint his successor without haste or panic. As the body of Christ, the Church is a true community and a model for humanity.

Edwin Edwards,
Manningtree, Essex

Getting closer

THE Vatican bureaucrats want to run the Church according to their political views, so want him to resign. But the concept of the Church is that of a father, not a CEO. Just because my husband is old, it does not mean that he is not the head of our large family.

Carl Bernstein, who wrote a biography of the Pope, gets it right. Bernstein noted that the Pope sees his suffering and infirmity as a way of becoming closer to the Lord, giving his prayer more power to guard the Church, and that a frail Pope is an example to show an increasing cynical and materialistic world the worth of the weak, the elderly and suffering.

Yes, he can’t run the Church “efficiently”, but he can inspire holiness in those of us who seek God, which is, in the long run, much more important.