Benedict's death clears path for Pope Francis to retire of old age in
future
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[January 03, 2023]
By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Six months ago Pope Francis brushed off
speculation he was about to resign due to health problems, but even if
he had toyed with the idea, he faced one major obstacle: there was
already another ex-pope in retirement.
The death on Saturday of Benedict, who in 2013 became the first pontiff
in 600 years to step down instead of reigning for life, should make any
decision to step down easier on Francis and the Church, which has
struggled enough with having "two popes", let alone three - two retired
and one reigning.
It could also prompt the current pontiff to review what happens to
future popes who decide to shuffle away from office because of old age
rather than holding on until they die.
Francis is now 86, one year older than Benedict was when he retired.
Despite needing a cane and a wheelchair, he shows no sign of slowing
down. Trips are planned for Africa this month and Portugal in August.
He has made it clear that he would not hesitate to step down someday if
his mental or physical health impeded him from leading the 1.3
billion-member Church.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Jan/03/images/ads/current/peasley_lda_051513.png)
In an interview with Reuters on July 2, he dismissed rumours of imminent
resignation. "It never entered my mind," he said, also denying rumours
among diplomats that he had cancer.
The previous month, the Catholic media world and some secular outlets
were caught up in a frenzy of unsubstantiated reports and frivolous
tweets speculating he would be out within a few months.
But as he now approaches the 10th anniversary of his election in March,
and in four years his life's ninth decade, the chances of resignation
will increase.
Church law says a pope can resign but the decision must be without
outside pressure, a precaution that harkens back to the centuries when
European potentates influenced the papacy.
NO LONGER UNTHINKABLE
Now that longer life spans have made papal resignations no longer
unthinkable, there have been repeated calls from Church leaders to
regulate the role of former pontiffs, in part because of the confusion
stemming wrought by two men wearing white living in the Vatican.
Francis told a Spanish newspaper last month that he did not intend to
define the juridical status of popes emeritus, although he had
previously indicated privately that a Vatican department could script
such rules.
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![](../images/010323PIX/news_m35.jpg)
Pope Francis leads the Angelus prayer as
the Roman Catholic Church marks its World Day of Peace, at the
Vatican, January 1, 2023. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Jan/03/images/ads/current/graue_lda_preowned_010223.jpg)
Australian Cardinal George Pell, a conservative who was close to
Benedict, has written that while a retired pontiff could retain the
title of "pope emeritus", he should return to being a cardinal, and
be known as "Cardinal (surname), Pope Emeritus".
Pell also said a former pontiff should not wear white, as Benedict
did, telling Reuters in a 2020 interview that it was important for
Catholics to be clear that "there is only one pope".
Academics and canon lawyers at Italy's Bologna University who have
studied the issue say the Church cannot risk even the appearance of
having "two heads or two kings" and have proposed a set of rules.
They say a former pope should not return to being a cardinal, as
Pell proposes, but be called "Bishop Emeritus of Rome".
Francis told Reuters in July that is precisely what he would want to
be called.
In that case there might not be any need for new legislation he
would then be subject to existing rules covering retired bishops.
Existing rules say bishops emeritus should "avoid every attitude and
relationship that could even hint at some kind of parallel authority
to that of the diocesan bishop, with damaging consequences for the
pastoral life and unity of the diocesan community".
Although he had retired, Benedict wrote, gave interviews and,
unwittingly or not, became a lightning rod for opponents of Pope
Francis, either for doctrinal reasons or because they were loath to
relinquish the clerical privileges the new pope wanted to dismantle.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Jan/03/images/ads/current/maskeauction_sda_LUAL_2022.png)
Francis told Reuters that he would not stay in the Vatican or return
to his native Argentina but live modestly in a home for retired
priests in the Italian capital "because it's my diocese". He said he
would want it to be near a large church so he could spend his final
days hearing confessions.
(Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
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