Pope Benedict XVI has announced that he’s resigning for the “good of church”, which of course makes our ears prick up immediately.

Sure, he could be resigning for health reasons, but many previous Popes have shuffled off their mortal coil while in Papal power. So, apart from failing health, what could have sparked the Holy Father’s resignation?

The Small Matter Of His Nazi History – Beni has acknowledged he served in the Hitler Youth during a “dark time” in his childhood. Could he have been a naughtier boy than he previously disclosed?

A Sexual Sex Scandal – Not only has a sex-abuse scandal rocked the Catholic Church, Benedict is said to have approved an accused molester’s transfer to therapy, which is a slightly less stringent punishment than a pederast typically enjoys.

Speaking of Scandal – Church scandals (like “Vatileaks”) have been hard on Benedict’s health. In fact…

Imminent Demise – It may be that Benedict is simply much more ill than the Church has previously disclosed, and is days away from eternal life.

A Somewhat Flimsy Prophecy – Of course, there’s also an ancient prophecy to consider. A bishop named Malachy proclaimed in 1140 that the 111th pope – the one after Benedict – would reign during the downfall of the church, which would be preceded by a Papal resignation. But Malachy’s predictions were likely invented for political reasons.

[Source : The Atlantic Wire]