What next?

Well!  That old Chinese saying comes to mind "May you live in interesting times" ( can't remember if it was a curse or not).
  So let's recap,   we've had a papal resignation, on the same day lightning striking the cupola of St Peter's, then  portents in the skies over Russia and  earth tremors in Rome. Then if that wasn't enough we have a purported dossier doing the rounds in the Curia, threatening to name and shame the "lavender mafia" with two Italian media outlets stating that the cardinal electors will be furnished with the report before the conclave. A final deadline for the Society of St Pius X that turns out wasn't a final deadline, Mueller (CDF) did this of his own bat and got slapped over the wrist for it( not to mention Bertone also getting the boot into our Teutonic friend over the Peruvian university).  Add to that the German episcopal conference coming out and saying that the "morning after pill" is not that bad after all!!!  Give me a moment to catch my breath,  while the words rats and sinking ship spring to my mind.

         Did Benedict jump or was he pushed?  My gut feeling is the former, he's been around the Vatican for 30 years, so he knows how the game is played. I believe that JPII is in his mind and he doesn't want a repeat of that sad and slow decline when there was no one at the rudder of the barque ( other than Ratzinger) and all sorts of shennanigans went on. It also goes to show that he doesn't really trust those around him to assist him faithfully in his final years.
    Benedict, I believe, has attempted to put the pieces in place to continue the work that he felt he was unable to finish.  It is one hell of a gamble.
    All the recent rumblings from Rome and various national conferences are the first moves on both sides before the cardinals gather. Both sides are jockeying for position, pressure of all forms is being exerted on the cardinals.
     Who will the successor be? Your guess is as good as mine. I would love Ranjith or Burke, but they are only pipe dreams. It all depends on what the cardinals think is the movement of the Holy Spirit. How much  is the inspiration of divine grace, or what they read in the newspapers from the "voices in the church" remains to be seen?
    God willing it will be a strong European pope ( a Thomist would be good) , who can clean house, clear out the disease that infects Holy Mother Church and go somewhat towards the cure of the patient.  European, since the most pressing issue is FAITH. The western hemisphere is a wilderness, shorn of all religious or spiritual forms, left to the depredations of moral relativism and soon to tear itself apart in its death throes. Unfortunately through socio-political means it influences the rest of the world. Does the developing world have problems? Of course it does, but by attempting to redress the balance in the west this will have a knock on effect in the rest of the world. Forget for the moment about social justice, the disconnect of the laity etc ( the list of whinges is exhausting), the Church is in the salvation business, lose sight of that in the conclave and things will definitely get a lot worse.
 Sede vacante in a few days. Interesting times indeed!