Catholic Church parishioners are waking up today to the news that Pope Benedict the 16th is stepping down. It's been nearly 600 years since a Pope resigned from leading the Roman Catholic Church.

Benedict, 85, says he has no specific medical conditions forcing him to retire, but he says he no longer has the mental or physical strength to lead the more than 1 billion Catholics worldwide.

This news comes as the Los Angeles Archdiocese is surrounded by controversy over recently released files detailing cases of sexual abuse in the church. KPCC reporter Brian Watt joins the show from Saint Monica's Church in Santa Monica.