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
