Pope Benedict XVI resigns: Full text of announcement

Pope Benedict XVI delivers his annual "state of the world" address to accredited ambassadors at the Regia Hall on January 7, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. / Stefano Carofei/Vatican Pool via Getty Images

VATICAN CITY Pope Benedict XVI sent shockwaves throughout the Catholic Church Monday, announcing he would resign Feb. 28, citing health concerns. Here is the full text of his announcement, which he made to cardinals celebrating the naming of three new saints.

"Dear 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."

[bobhobbs]

God Bless this pope, who has the honesty and courage to accept his limitations, and pass responsibility to a capable successor, who will continue God's Work on Earth.

[cleric77]

BWB2020 -- For a teaching by a pope or ecumenical council to be recognized as infallible, the teaching must be a decision of the supreme teaching authority of the Church (pope or College of Bishops); it must concern a doctrine of faith or morals; it must bind the universal Church; and it must be proposed as something to be held firmly and immutably. The terminology of a definitive decree will usually make clear that this last condition is fulfilled, as through a formula such as "By the authority of Our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by Our own authority, We declare, pronounce and define the doctrine . . . to be revealed by God and as such to be firmly and immutably held by all the faithful", or through an accompanying anathema stating that anyone who deliberately dissents is outside the Catholic Church

[signseeker1717]

Doctrinal definitions may be the basis for hierarchal decision-making, but for the average person the concept of "infallibility" may seem less applicable than accountability for one's actions in daily life.

[Meezermom1951]

Maybe all the guilt on his and the Catholic church's conscience has finally caught up with him and he can't handle it anymore.....How sad that it hasn't to all the rest of the evil ones who crawl through the halls of the Vatican and parish churches and allow the very few good men to shine through.

[Thomas1117]

Well mom it must be nice,no matter your constant anger and frustration, to live in such a simple minded world full of gratuitous attacks. I should imagine there are very few evil people among the halls of the Vatican and at least as great a ratio all about you in every day life. Look first to your own behavior and choices.

[cleric77]

Meezermom1951 ....Just a theological thought Christ Jesus died on Calvary's cross for the sins of the whole world..including the sins of the clergy within Christendom...it is only unbelief in Christ Jesus as Savior condemns a person. "ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God!"

[BWB2020]

"...and I ask pardon for all my defects..."

Well, at least he recognizes that he has them.

So much for the concept of "Papal infallibility"...

[societyofosiris]

Perhaps if you actually understood what Papal infallibility was to begin with then, perhaps, your comments would be more intelligible.

[ortodoxa]

The whole thing of papal infallibility is so old and pathetic. It amazes me that with all the advances of technology and libraries at our fingertips; many people continue to believe OLD rumors, misconceptions, and interpretations of what infallibility on the chair of Peter really means. It is a pity that people like BWB2020 and others still believe old tales.