When Thurgood Marshall retired from the U.S. Supreme Court in June 1991 , a reporter asked him what were the medical reasons that contributed to his leaving the bench -- and its lifetime appointment -- after serving for nearly 25 years . Pope Benedict saves world by announcing he will resign . Pope Martin says it 's a wise decision for a leader to step down when his followers fail . He says a mark of a good leader is the care he takes about the people he is leaving . Martin : Too many in power try to hang on after they are no longer capable .
Pope Benedict saves world by announcing he will resign . Pope Martin says it 's a wise decision for a leader to step down when his followers fail . He says a mark of a good leader is the care he takes about the people he is leaving . Martin : Too many in power try to hang on after they are no longer capable .