Papa Mstaafu Benedikto XVI: Dhamiri Nyofu, Utashi na Uhuru

Na Padre Richard A. Mjigwa, C.PP.S. – Vatican.

Ilikuwa ni tarehe 11 Februari 2013, Baba Mtakatifu Mstaafu Benedikto XVI katika mkutano wa Makardinali alipotangaza 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 Mstaafu Benedikto XVI anasema, baada ya kuchunguza dhamiri yake mbele ya Mwenyezi Mungu pamoja na umri wake, akatambua 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. Alisema kwamba, ulimwengu mamboleo 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 Mstaafu Benedikto XVI alikiri kwa unyenyekevu kwamba, katika miezi ya hivi karibuni, alitambua kwamba, hawezi tena kutekeleza majukumu yake kikamilifu.

Kwa utashi na uhuru kamili akatamka 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 akawashukuru wote kwa upendo na kazi walizoshirikiana kwa pamoja katika kutekeleza majukumu yake kama Khalifa wa Mtakatifu Petro. Akaomba radhi kwa mapungufu yake ya kibinadamu na hatimaye, akalikabidhi Kanisa kwa Kristo Yesu, Mchungaji mkuu. Hata baada ya miaka nane kuyoyoma, Baba Mtakatifu Mstaafu Benedikto XVI anasema, uamuzi wa kung’atuka kutoka madarakani ulikuwa ni mgumu sana, lakini aliufanya kwa dhamiri nyofu, utashi na uhuru kamili. Na ana amini kwamba, alifanya uamuzi wa busara. Anasikitika kusema kwamba, baadhi ya marafiki zake wenye “misimamo mikali” bado wamekasirika na wameshindwa kupokea kabisa uamuzi wake wa kung’atuka kutoka madarakani. Anasema, bado kuna watu wenye “nadharia” kwamba, ilimpasa kung’atuka kutoka madarakani kwa sababu ya uzee.

Huu ni ufafanuzi ambazo umetolewa na Baba Mtakatifu Mstaafu Benedikto XVI katika mahojiano maalum na Gazeti la “Corriere della Sera” linalochapishwa kila siku nchini Italia, kama sehemu ya kumbukumbu ya miaka nane tangu alipong’atuka rasmi kutoka madarakani na huo ukawa ni mwanzo wa mchakato wa kumtafuta Khalifa mwingine wa Mtakatifu Petro. Hadi sasa kuna baadhi ya watu wamezama kwenye nadharia ya “kashfa ya nyanyaso za kijinsia ndani ya Kanisa”, Kashfa ya Vatileak, iliyovujisha nyaraka za siri kutoka Vatican au kashfa ya Richard Williams. Anasema, dhamiri yake ni nyofu na safi na kweli ametulia na wala hana sababu ya kuamini “nadharia” hizo.

Baba Mtakatifu Mstaafu Benedikto XVI amegusia pia Hija ya Kitume ya Papa Francisko nchini Iraq, kuanzia tarehe 5 hadi 8 Machi 2021, kwa kunogeshwa na kauli mbiu “Bali ninyi msiitwe Rabi, maana mwalimu wenu ni mmoja, nanyi nyote ni ndugu” Mt. 23:8. Hija hii ya kitume anasema Baba Mtakatifu Mstaafu Benedikto ni muhimu sana kwa maisha na utume wa Kanisa nchini Iraq. Kwa bahati mbaya imeangukia wakati tete na hivyo kuifanya hija yenyewe kuwa katika mazingira ya hatari sana. Hii ni kwa sababu za usalama pamoja na maambukizi makubwa ya Janga la Virusi vya Korona, UVIKO-19. Hadi sasa mazingira ya Iraq ni tete sana. Baba Mtakatifu Mstaafu Benedikto XVI anasema, anamsindikiza Papa Francisko kwa sala na sadaka yake, ili aweze kufanika hija hii ya kitume inayopania kukuza na kudumisha majadiliano ya kidini, kiekumene, kitamaduni na kisiasa kwa ajili ya ustawi, maendeleo na mafao ya watu wa Mungu ndani na nje ya Iraq.

DECLARATIO: 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.

From the Vatican, 10 February 2013

BENEDICTUS PP XVI.