Tippecanoe County priests react to Pope Benedict's resignation

TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - In a statement to clergy around the world Pope Benedict XVI wrote his health has been rapidly declining. Father Tim Alkire from St. Boniface Church in Lafayette read News 18 some of that letter.

"[It reads] 'In order to govern the bark of St. Peter and proclaim the Gospel both strength of mind and body are necessary,'" Alkire said. "Then he added, 'That strength in the last few months has deteriorated in me.'"

With that news Pope Benedict announced he will resign from head of the Catholic Church on Feb. 28.

"To be perfectly honest I was completely shocked," Alkire said.

"It was a complete shock," Purdue student Emma Ferrell said.

"I would more likely have expected to get news the pope had died than he had resigned being that we haven't had a resignation in 600 years," Father Patrick Baikauskas of West Lafayette's St. Thomas Aquinas Church said.

Who could be the next pope? Tippecanoe County priests believe he will be younger. However, they admit anything could happen.

"There is always speculation, and one of the first things people want to know is, will there be an American pope," Alkire said. "Will it be a pope from the third world? I'd say to people stay tuned because anything is possible."

"Personally I'm trying not to speculate," Ferrell said. "I'm waiting for that final decision that comes from the cardinals."

Baikauskas said the next pope will be getting a church that is expanding the ways it evangelizes with the Internet and social media. Also, it's a church that is still getting out of some turmoil.

"The sexual abuse scandal isn't over," Baikauskas said. "We can't just say, 'Let's brush this behind us.' We need to to continue to be vigilant in protecting our children."

With Pope Benedict's pre-Lent announcement it's expected a new pope will be named in time for Holy Week at the end of March.