Pope Francis Resignation: Retired Pope Francis addresses his resignation and his Journey to Iraq. Pope Benedict XVI reads his resignation to cardinals in Latin in this Feb. 11, 2013, file photo. “It was a difficult decision, but I believe it was correct,” the retired pope recently told Corriere Della Sera. City of the Vatican (CNS) While needing assistance pronouncing each word, Pope Benedict XVI spoke to an Italian newspaper about his retirement and Pope Francis’ upcoming trip to Iraq.
The 94-year-old Pope stepped down on February 28, 2013. In February, he and Archbishop Georg Ganswein, his personal secretary, met with the director of Corriere Della Sera. “His words pour out drop by drop,” Archbishop Ganswein “repeats and ‘translates’ as Benedict nods,” according to an article published on the anniversary of his resignation. “He nods” when asked if he regrets retiring, according to the publication. “It was a difficult decision, but I feel it was correct,” the former pope said. “My ‘fundamentalist’ friends are still enraged; they refuse to accept my decision.” Pope Benedict accepts that his resignation has sparked “conspiracy theories.”
According to him, his butler leaked private documents to a journalist, resulting in the Vatileaks scandal. Others speculated that it was a plot among Curia officials to protect one another, as well as the LGBT lobby. Some speculated that it was because of Bishop Richard Williamson, who was excommunicated in 1988 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, the founder of the Society of St. Pius X, for being ordained against papal orders.
In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI lifted the ex-communications in order to start formal reconciliation talks. Bishop Williamson stirred outrage when he denied gassing Jews in Nazi incarceration camps. According to the Vatican, the Pope was unaware of the bishop’s Holocaust opinions. Many of Pope Benedict’s supporters do not believe his resignation was “a conscious decision” made without external pressure, he said. “However, I’m clean.”
“There is only one pope,” he declared. “One.”
The retired Pope, according to Corriere, is aware but difficult to fathom. “Physical frailty” is implied by his little wrists. He wears a watch and has an emergency alarm, according to the publication. Pope Francis “becomes dark, troubled” when asked about his March 5-8 trip to Iraq, according to the publication. “It’s a necessary visit,” he said. For security and COVID considerations, this is a risky journey. The Vatican nuncio to Iraq, Archbishop Mitja Leskovar, who was to receive the pope, tested positive for coronavirus on Feb. 27 and was quarantined.
Three popes?
Francis will be in his prayers, according to the retiring pope. The pope was asked about Joe Biden by Corriere. “He’s a practicing Catholic who opposes abortion,” the previous pope said. (factschronicle.com) He follows the Democratic Party’s agenda as president. We don’t know what he thinks about gender issues.” The retirement of Francis could result in a “worst-case situation.” Pope Benedict XVI’s unexpected abdication in 2013 stunned the world, which was accustomed to popes dying in office.
Will Pope Francis make a similarly bold move in the future?
Pope Francis’ recent colon surgery, mobility difficulties, and events that hint at his legacy have Vatican experts wondering if he’ll quit. Benedict XVI was succeeded by Jorge Mario Bergoglio, currently Pope Francis, nine years ago. After Joseph Ratzinger’s conservative, rigid papacy, he was a breath of fresh air. However, the pope has been in a wheelchair for the past month due to health issues, prompting concerns about the Holy See’s future.
According to Italian media, Pope Francis may resign, which would be an extraordinary step for the Vatican. On May 31, 2022, Pope Francis waves as he exits St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome. The pope is routinely reported to be ill and on the verge of stepping down in Italy’s media. Pope Francis’ visit to L’Aquila in August reignited talk about his resignation.
What is the purpose of this journey?
On August 28, Pope Benedict XVI will go to L’Aquila to begin the “Feast of Forgiveness,” a seven-century-old festival founded by Pope Celestine V, who resigned in 1294 after four months as pope one of only a handful of popes to do so before Benedict XVI. The festivities will begin the day after Pope Francis names 21 new cardinals to vote for his successor if he steps down. The Vatican has also scheduled two days of seminars for the new cardinals the following week to brief them on Pope Francis’ logistical changes, which include allowing women to lead Vatican offices.
These actions appear to be final, implying that Pope Francis is protecting his legacy. The pope of 2013 was elected to clean up the Roman Curia, which has been beset by corruption. In the last nine years, he’s done so, at least in part. After finishing his task, the pope may retire without remorse. “On his way home from South Korea in 2014, Francis commented that Benedict’s departure had opened the door for resignations to become more common,” according to a church historian at Kean University in Union, New Jersey. The last pope resigned 600 years ago. Who knows if future popes will decide to step down?
Why do Popes refuse to resign?
Pope Benedict XVI stepped down in 2013, and Pope Gregory XII stepped down in 1415. The Roman Catholic Church’s canon law allows popes to quit whenever they want. Popes frequently die on the job rather than retiring when their health deteriorates to the point where they can no longer perform their duties, out of fear of setting a precedent that would allow popes to be forced to resign or leave when things get too difficult.
“There’s a biological aspect,” Francesco Mores, a historian of Christianity and churches at the University of Milan, told Newsweek. “In the past, there was a whirling change of Church of Rome bishops, and people died far more easily than they do now.” “Popes are not required to resign.” Popes rarely resign, according to Mores, because of their symbolic role as Jesus Christ’s earthly vicars. Bishops, not Popes, retire at the age of 75.
“God has appointed [the pope] to be Jesus’ Vicar”
He observed, “His resignation is complicated.” Benedict resigned due to a lack of “mental and physical strength.” Some feared his decision would “secularise” the Roman Catholic Church, while others said his decision was justified by a debilitating illness. Nobody can object to a pope resigning because it isn’t requested. There are no roles in the Vatican that are above the papacy, and the pope has no retirement rules.
Is It Possible That There Will Be Three Popes?
There had never been two reigning and one “emeritus” pope at the Vatican before Benedict XVI and Francis. Unprecedented circumstances generated consternation and debate. According to Vatican and religious affairs expert John Thavis, the Catholic Church would have three living popes for the first time in contemporary history. “Once a pope, always a pope,” he said, referring to the belief among many Catholics that “once a pope, always a pope.” “It’s a new scenario, but it was foreseen nine years ago when Pope Benedict resigned.”
There are three live popes?
“Please, God, save us!” It’s difficult enough with Benedict as “emeritus pope,” according to Mores. Journalists think he just uses his eyes to communicate. It would be impossible to interpret an eye-communicator next to another ’emeritus pope,’ he continued. “Popes and anti-popes have existed previously, but not since 1449,” Bellitto explained. “Not any longer. Although Benedict is no longer the Pope, he continues to wear white and use his papal name. To avoid such misunderstandings, the church must develop protocols.
