Popes are for life, resignations should not become a fashion, Francis
says
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[February 16, 2023]
By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis has said that pontiffs resigning
instead of ruling for life should not become a "fashion" in the Roman
Catholic Church and happen only in truly exceptional circumstances.
The comments, made in private conversations with fellow Jesuits during
his recent trip to Democratic Republic of Congo, were a shift away from
previous remarks in which Francis said that longer life spans and
medical improvements could make retired popes an institution in the
Church.
La Stampa newspaper published the comments on Thursday in an article by
Father Antonio Spadaro, a Rome-based Jesuit priest who attends the
meetings and writes about them afterwards with the pope's permission.
On Feb. 2 in Kinshasa, Francis was asked about media reports that he
could resign.
He repeated a comment first made to a Spanish newspaper in December that
several months after his election in 2013 he gave a Vatican official a
resignation letter to be used in case one day he suffered a severe
medical condition that would leave him permanently unconscious and
unable to make decisions.
"This does not, however, in any way mean that popes retiring should
become, let's say, a fashion, a normal thing," he said.
"I believe that the papal ministry should be for life. I don't see a
reason why it should not be this way ... historic tradition is
important. If instead we listen to gossip, then we would have to change
popes every six months," he said.
In 2013, Pope Benedict, citing frail physical and mental health, became
the first pontiff to resign in 600 years.
He lived for nearly 10 more years, and, according to top aides, remained
lucid until a few days before his death last Dec. 31.
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Pope Francis looks at the coffin of
former Pope Benedict during his funeral, in St. Peter's Square at
the Vatican, January 5, 2023. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
Benedict continued writing and received visitors, who sometimes
disclosed what he said, feeding a conservative, nostalgic Catholic
faction unhappy with Francis' papacy.
His nearly 10 years as pope emeritus were one of the most divisive
periods in modern Church history. Although Francis often compared
having Benedict living in the Vatican to having a grandfather in the
house, a book by Benedict's closest aide exposed strains while two
men wearing white lived in the tiny city-state.
The tone of Francis' comments to the African Jesuits was in a marked
contrast to that which Francis used in the past when discussing the
possible resignations of popes, including himself.
Returning from Canada last July, Francis said increasing age and
ailments, including a knee problem that forces him to use a cane and
wheelchair, made him realise that he had to slow down "or decide to
step aside". In August he said popes who resign are humble.
In 2014, Francis said the resignation of Benedict a year before
should not be seen as "a unique case" and that by stepping down,
Benedict had become "an institution who opened a door, the door of
emeritus popes".
In his conversation with the African Jesuits this month Francis said
his own resignation for health reasons "is not on my agenda for the
moment".
(Additional reporting by Francesca Piscionieri; Editing by Simon
Cameron-Moore)
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