By Juan Gonzalez and Matthew Fox: Former Catholic

Priest on "The Pope's War"and Clergy's Child Molestation. Juan Gonzalez: As Pope Benedict formally stepped down on Thursday, speculation mounts over who will become the next pope. On Wednesday, Pope Benedict bid an emotional farewell at his last general audience, saying he understood the gravity of his decision to become the first pontiff to resign in nearly 600 years. The 85 year old pope cited ill health, as the reasons for his departure. Addressing an estimated 150,000 supporters in St Peter's Square, Pope Benedict said he is resigning for the good of the church. In these past months, I have felt that my strength has decreased, and I have asked God, earnestly in prayer, to enlighten me and, with His light, make me take the right decision, not for my own good, but for the good of the church. I have taken this step in full awareness of its gravity and also its rarity. However, with a profound serenity of spirit. Loving the church also means having the courage to take difficult and anguished choices, always having in mind the good of the church and not oneself. I was deeply grateful for the understanding, support, and prayers of so many of you, not only here in Rome, but also around the world. The decision I have made, after much prayer, is the fruit of a serene trust in God's will, and a deep love of Christ's church. I will continue to accompany the church with my prayers, and I ask each of you to pray for me, and for the new pope. Pope Benedict's tenure was marked by several scandals, perhaps most notably his handling of sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church, including allegations he ignored at least one case of abuse, while serving as a cardinal. Documents show in 1985, when he was known as Cardinal Ratzinger, he delayed efforts to defrock a priest convicted of molesting children. Meanwhile, last year he oversaw an assessment from the Vatican, that found the largest and most influential group of Catholic nuns in the United States had, quote, "serious doctrinal problems" because it had challenged the church's teachings on homosexuality and the male only priesthood, among other things. More recently, Italian news sources say an investigation by three cardinals, into leaked Vatican documents show rampant corruption in the Vatican ranks.