gina messina-dysert. deeply engaged in the ongoing debate about the future of catholicism in america. professor, good to have you on this program. >> thank you so much. tavis: let me start with the obvious. many of us, even those of us who are not catholic, this has not happened in 600 years, so it has not happened in our lifetimes, that we have had an ex-pope. >> certainly, this is a significant historical event. this is the first pope to step down in 600 years and one of only 10 in the entire history of the catholic church. people are really curious what this means. will it is ring be smashed. will he continue to be in fallible. catholics are figuring this out as they go along. i think the most recent reports are that they are going to smash his ring and that the pope will no longer be in fallible once he steps down on february 28. i think the vatican itself is really trying to figure this out because this really is unprecedented. tavis: so for the catholic church, he is like the voice of god, but he is

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