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STREAK GOES ON: HAWKS HIT 20 Chicago Sports ChicajjoSribune Questions? Call 1-800-Tribune Friday, March 1, 2013 Breaking news at chicagotribune.com A final farewell Benedict's reign ends with a promise to obey next pope ALESSANDRO BIANCHIREUTERS PHOTO A helicopter carrying Pope Benedict XVI passes St. Peter's Basilica on Thursday as the outgoing pontiff departs the Vatican for the papal summer villa outside Rome. Cardinals focus on quest for new leader By Philip Pullella and Tom Heneghan Reuters VATICAN CITY With Pope Benedict XVI officially in retirement, Catholic cardinals from around the world Friday begin the complex, cryptic and uncertain process of picking the next leader of the world's largest church. Benedict ended his difficult reign Thursday pledging unconditional obedience to whoever succeeds him to lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics at one of the most crisis-ridden periods in the church's history. Some details are still unclear, owing to Benedict's unexpected abdication, so the cardinals will hold an informal session before the traditional rounds of talks begin Monday.

No front-runner stands out among the 115 cardinal electors those younger than 80 so discreetly sizing up potential candidates will be high on the cardinals' agenda They will also use closed-door consultations preceding a conclave to discuss future challenges Please turn to Page 16 George: Resignation liberates' successor By Manya A. Brachear Tribune reporter ROME Cardinal Francis George hopes to become the first Roman Catholic archbishop of Chicago to live to retire. But he didn't expect the Holy Father to take that same approach. George watched from the rooftop of the Pontifical North American College in Rome on Thursday as the white helicopter carrying then-Pope Benedict XVI circled St Peter's Square and flew out of sight In retirement, "he may be a spiritual father, but not somebody who's a pastor who governs," George explained hours after he shared one last private moment with the pope and minutes before Benedict's departure. "He's given that up because he feels he really can't do the function as he ought to.

That's a modern note in our perception of the papacy." Suddenly, a global church in which 1.2 billion faithful love their Holy Father finds itself without one and facing a paradigm shift. Could Benedict's Please turn to Page 16 VINCENZO PI NTOGETTY-AFP PHOTO The pope gives his last address from a balcony at the villa. Timing is key for conclave A quick move to elect the church's next pope would favor the most familiar faces. Nation World, Page 17 Benedict's temporary home Italian hilltop town of Castel Gandolfo has played summer host to popes for centuries. Nation World, Page 17 500,000 lbs, 1,000 bolts, 9 days Groupon CEO to staff: 'I was fired' Jh i n.

Replacement of Wells Street Bridge's southern part 'as difficult as it gets' By Cynthia Dizikes Tribune reporter Over the next week, construction crews will descend on the Wells Street Bridge to perform the engineering equivalent of a heart transplant on the nearly century-old structure. CTA Brown Line and Purple Line service across the bridge will be cut off temporarily starting Friday night as dozens of tradesmen work around-the- into place by Tuesday. That will leave the crews several days to install more than a thousand bolts needed to attach the 72-foot-wide span (each must fit within one-sixteenth of an inch), rebuild the ties and track work, and replace and re-energize the rail power and track signaling in time for the morning commute on Monday, March 11. The full rehabilitation of the similar Lake Street Bridge in 1996 took about 12 months. This portion of the Wells Street Bridge reconstruction is slated to be completed in just nine days, said Daniel Burke, Please turn to Page 9 Mason's ouster no surprise in light of firm's poor results By Ameet Sachdev and Robert Channick Tribune reporters After he was fired Thursday, Andrew Mason wrote a note to his Groupon colleagues filled with the same offbeat humor, charm and candor that defined his tenure as chief executive of the daily deals company he co-founded.

"After four and a half intense and wonderful years as CEO of Groupon, I've decided that I'd like to spend more time with my family," the letter began. "Just kidding I was fired ANTONIO PEREZTRIBUNE PHOTO A replacement for a portion of the Wells Street Bridge floats on the Chicago River in preparation for the project. BLOOMBERG PHOTO Andrew Mason was dismissed as CEO of Groupon. Phil Rosenthal: Mason's exit just might be a good deal for Groupon. Business clock, 12 -hour shifts to demolish the southern portion of the double-decker drawbridge.

If all goes according to plan, the replacement section, which was floated up the Chicago River by barge last Saturday, will be moved surprise. Questions about his future have been swirling for months because of Groupon's poor performance since going public a little more than a year ago. Run the marathon if you're lucky Lottery replaces registration system. Talk, Page3 Automatic budget cuts set to begin Experts favor targeted trims. Nation World, Page 12 today." His ouster came as no Please turn to Page 10 Tom Skilling's forecast High 34 Low 20 Chicago Weather Center: Complete forecast on back page of AE section $1.00 city and suburbs, $1.25 elsewhere 165th year No.

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