. >> reporter: archbishop william laurie said he visited the vatican 7 weeks ago and saw no signs of the pope slowing down, muff less resigning. >> the minute i heard about it, i was surprised. i certainly didn't expect to hear that this morning. >> reporter: installed by pope benedict xvi as the 16th archbishop of baltimore, williams said the he saw no signs of the pontiff's imminent retirement. >> he spoke once again about baltimore. and so, the holy father's mental alertness and acuity certainly seemed pretty wonderful to me. >> reporter: while the last pope to resign did so 600 years ago, the archbishop says benedict may be renouncing the rest of his time to prayer. >> this is a solemn occasion for us of course, but i hope we recognize the humanity of this pope who recognized that the stamina required for this role wasn't his any longer. he really announced this to the whole world. that takes a marvelous, holy, and strong person to do this. i would like to recognize that at this moment. >> reporter: in a statement, average bishop williams' predecessor grant laurie called this a s

speaking before parishioners on ash wednesday to testifying before politicians, baltimore archbishop william laurie wil to convince lawmakers to vote against the death penalty. >> people commit heinous crimes and should be punished but we feel there is a better way than capital punishment, especially because there is life without parole. >> it is unusual for the catholic leader to get political but his predecessor, edwin o'brien, testified in 2009 in support of a compromise bill to make capital punishment more restrictive. >> there is no compromise on life. if we can move forward in a greater respect for the life of every human being, we're getting somewhere. >> the current passion for this issue stems from the pro-life stance of the church. >> we have a great consistency in their teaching about the value of human life from conception to natural death. it is different morally but it is consistent with that vision and a teaching. >> public opinion on this issue differs from church leadership. a 2012 pew research poll of u.s. catholics showed 59% are in favor of the death penalty for convicted murder

the archbishop of baltimore, william laurie, says he met with the pope in rome a few week ago and saw no signs of him slowing down. pope benedict will devote the rest of his life to prayer and reflection. >> there's only one holy father. what he's zoing float tiring in the way that you and i think about retirement. you have your 401k, you have your little place and you go off and do it. the holy father lives a different kind of existence. >> archbishop laurie say the fact that the pope would recognize his own physical frailty and display it to world shows his own humility. >> the college of cardinal wills decide on the next pope president the archbishop of baltimore will vote for a new pope. >>> for the latest developments, follow us on twitter, @abc2news. >>> we have an update on a case thatter with first to tell you about last fall. it involves a former detective with the queen anne's county sheriff's office who is suing the sheriff and his brother. >> reporter: the federal government took a big step to get involved in this qaibs tiling a motion to intervene. sheriff gayry hoffman a