On Feb. 28, Pope Benedict XVI will resign from his position, the first to step down from the Catholic Church’s top seat in nearly 600 years. His announcement, given this past Monday, sent shock waves through the Catholic community worldwide.

In modern times, it’s unheard of for the pope to step down from his office. Once appointed, popes have held onto the title and duties for life, seeing it not as a job but as a personal identifier, much like being a monarch. Thus, as some see it, the Vatican will be faced with having two living popes after Benedict’s successor is named: The retired, inactive pope and the acting pope.

The most recent pope before Benedict, Pope John Paul II, stayed on through infirmity until his death in 2005. Toward the end, he was quite ill, but never abdicated his seat. Benedict was by the pope’s side during his final days, then as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, and it’s quite possible that his resignation was informed, in part, by having seen his predecessor’s struggles to continue to meet the demands of his position even as his health declined.

What is the better decision for the leader of one of the world’s major religions, with an estimated 1.18 billion faithful looking up to him? It seems to us that Benedict’s decision is the wiser of the two.

When a leader is too sick or tired to put his or her full effort into guiding the organization, it is time for that leader to step down. This is no time for the church to have a leader who is infirm, unable to take an active role in guiding the faithful and promoting the church worldwide. The Catholic Church has faced many difficulties during the past decade or so, ranging from a devastating exposé of child abuse by church leaders to declining membership due in part to the spread of secularism in Europe and elsewhere.

Important issues are before the Catholic Church, including calls for change among some members who would like to see more liberal policies toward women in leadership roles, layperson involvement, birth control, gays and abortion.

The pope is no figurehead, making diplomatic visits to smile for the cameras. No, to Catholics he is a direct link to God himself ”“ his doctrines on faith and morals are believed to be infallible ”“ and his influence on social matters directly affects populations of Catholics everywhere.

While some may feel that the pope’s appointment should last a lifetime, we find wisdom in Benedict’s decision to step down and hope that this sets a precedent for future popes who will now see it as an option when they no longer feel up to the enormous task of heading up the Catholic Church.

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Today’s editorial was written by Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.