Community Corner

PATCH CLIPS: St. James Parishioners Surprised by Pope's Resignation

The news of Pope Benedict's retirement surprised churchgoers at St. James in Woodbridge Monday. Their real worry, though, was who would replace him.

It was a quiet noontime Mass at St. James, but this one was different. Churchgoers getting ready for the service to start all had heard the news that Pope Benedict XVI, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, was going to retire at the end of February.

The frail pontiff had said he was physically deteriorating and found his duties to be too taxing at the age of 85.

All of the ladies waiting for Mass to begin said they liked Pope Benedict and they would miss him. What they worried about was the changes that a new pope might bring to the Church.

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"Who knows what's going to happen?" said one woman who had been practicing her Catholic faith her entire life. "Marriage for priests, gay marriage, woman priests - who knows what's going to come?"

Another churchgoer said she also worried about what kind of pope would replace Pope Benedict. "He's a good man. We need someone who is strong to keep the Church strong," she said. 

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One of her biggest concerns is that the Church keep his strong anti-abortion stance. "We have to stand for what's right," she said.

But for now, with Mass about to begin, she said she'd do the one thing she always did, and what she knew would work.

"I'm going to pray that the cardinals choose the right man for the job."

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