Shock resignation may do Catholic Church a small disservice

Strange though it may seem, Pope Benedict’s decision to resign the papacy for the good of the Catholic Church may do it a small disservice.

By leaving his post instead of taking it with him to the grave, he is depriving the Vatican, Rome, and the worldwide Catholic community of the chance to show how formidable a force the faith can be.

The funeral of a serving pope is so much more than a farewell to a loyal servant. It is a chance to open up the immensely rich vaults of history, tradition, and ceremony that have been collected more than 2,000 years and polish them off for an airing before a new audience.