In light of his hospitalization due to pneumonia, Pope Francis is increasingly delegating his everyday responsibilities to cardinals, amidst speculation about the future duration and course of his papacy.
The delegation of duties can be observed with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, who recently presided over a Mass for an anti-abortion group in place of Pope Francis. Cardinal Michael Czerny is also slated to officiate a Mass for volunteers for the Holy Year as the Pope continues his recovery.
Despite the 88-year-old pontiff remaining alert and active from his hospital bed, he has considered the notion of resignation, though his views have fluctuated, particularly following the death of his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI.
Pope Francis has previously addressed the topic of papal resignation by recalling the unexpected resignation of Benedict in his memoir, “Life: My Story Through History,” released in 2024.
He described his initial disbelief upon learning the news in 2013, recognizing the deliberate contemplation and prayer that led Benedict to such a historic choice. Francis commended Benedict for recognizing that the only true constants in the Church are the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ. Thereafter, Pope Francis repeatedly praised Benedict’s decision, highlighting the pathway it set for subsequent popes.
In 2022, Pope Francis disclosed in an interview with Spain’s ABC newspaper that he had composed a resignation letter shortly after assuming his papal role, contingent upon any medical hindrances affecting his capacity to fulfill his duties.
The letter’s contents remain undisclosed, leaving uncertainties over which health conditions might necessitate a resignation. Current canon law offers no guidelines for situations of permanent papal impairment, and opinions differ on the legitimacy of prewritten resignation letters. However, Canon 332.2 specifies that a pope’s resignation needs to be made voluntarily and clearly announced.
Francis has mentioned the existence of this resignation letter repeatedly, yet in his more recent writings, he has expressed an enjoyment of good health and a lack of intention to resign.
He articulated in his memoir that any such decision is relatively remote, given his present health and aspirations to complete ongoing projects.
The scenario shifted slightly following Benedict’s passing on December 31, 2022, at the age of 95. Post-Benedict’s death, Pope Francis suggested aspiring retired popes could consider living outside the Vatican, contrasting with Benedict’s residence within the Vatican Gardens, calling it a “good intermediate solution.”
However, Pope Francis elaborated further, voicing concerns that routine resignations might become the norm, yet reaffirming that the papacy should ideally be lifelong. He later conveyed that while he has a resignation letter for health-related incapacitation, he doesn’t foresee papal resignation becoming customary, pointing out the importance of historical customs in the life-long nature of the papacy.
