Exiit qui seminat

 While returning from his weeklong trip to Canada, Pope Francis told

reporters that he's realized that he needs to slow down his activity

because of his physical health. Pope Francis, who will be 86 in

December, while not considering resigning from the papacy at the

moment, the Holy Father recognized that it might become an eventuality if

he was unable to perform his duties as Roman Pontiff. "You can change

the Pope," he remarked. While it would be unprecedented that the

Church could possibly have two "Pope emerti", it's not an impossibility.

Being Pope is an "office" and role of the church that is given to the Bishop

of Rome and, even though it is much more important and has a lot more

responsibility, in essence it's no more different than being named the

bishop of a diocese or even the pastor of a parish - all of them are offices

that have specific roles and responsibilities under canon law. A priest or

anyone can resign from an ecclesiastical office. Under normal

circumstances, a resignation has to be made to the proper authority (a

pastor has to resign to his bishop, the bishop resigns to the Holy Father).

The only wrinkle is that, except for God, there is no greater authority in the

life of the Church that the Pope can offer his resignation ("the First See is

judged by no one"). So canon law has a special provision in place for the

resignation of the Pope. Canon 332 §2 states that for the Roman Pontiff

to validly resign it has to be "made freely and properly manifested but not

that it is accepted by anyone." It has to be done of the Pope's own free

will and announced in an appropriate manner. If you recall, when Pope

Benedict XVI announced his own resignation, he did it during an official

declaration of the canonization of several saints. If Pope Francis were to

do so, he would have to announce it in similar circumstances. Then, after

the resignation date, a conclave of cardinals of voting age (under 80)

would be called and the Holy Spirit would be invoked for the election of a

new Holy Father. As a Church and at every Mass we pray for the Pope.

Let us continue to pray for Pope Francis and for our Church that the Chair

of Peter may faithfully fulfill his office as Vicar of Christ and true shepherd

of His flock.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Rob Sinatra