It didn’t take long for news of Pope Benedict XVI’s planned resignation to hit the Internet before haters went to Twitter to flood his account with death threats and harassing messages.
A sample of the vile tweets follows (Warning: very graphic language).
Jens Vanderbeke @JenzlWashington – Hey, @Pontifex: why don’t you die like every guy before you.
something in the way @AllApologies_ -RT @Pontifex: Fuck the lot of ya. Go to hell. Cunts.
Patrick Terrill @PatricknSD – AP News – Vatican says Pope Benedict XVI resigning on Feb. 28. GOOD RIDDANCE ASSHOLE
Steele Saunders @SteeleSaunders -“Oh he didn’t die” – Billions of disappointed people. #Pope
Kaos @RKA0S -Good riddance @Pontifex off you fuck! You vile harbourer of child molesters!
Kieran Morris @hipsterscumbag – Hahahaha yes @pontifex, congrats on the retirement, now DIE
Mojave Phone Booth@MojaveFoneBooth -Cracks me up that the Pope thinks he’s going to heaven, & that there is a heaven, & that Peter was a Pope, & that a cracker is a dead Jew, &
I was thrilled when he was elected in 2005. I had long been a fan of his writings under his given name of Joseph Ratzinger, especially his beautiful little memoir, “Milestones.”
That book makes it clear that a quiet life of scholarship and prayer was always his heart’s desire. But he set that life aside when called by Pope John Paul II to serve at the Vatican.
Benedict’s reflections on the beatitudes in his book “Jesus of Nazareth” profoundly deepened my understanding of the spiritual significance of pro-life activism, especially our presence in prayer at abortion facilities.
Those words were a major inspiration behind my “Blessed Are They Who Mourn” project last month, calling on pro-lifers to visit memorial sites and mourn for the victims of abortion.
Both Catholics and Protestants recognize Benedict as a strong but humble witness to the sanctity of life. His leadership will be missed, but we know that we will continue to be in his prayers.
Please join me in returning the favor and praying for this great champion of the truth, this moving example of obedience to God’s call to serve others.
Farewell, Pope Benedict! May you grow ever closer in your well-earned retirement to the Lord you have served so faithfully!
