Boni, in her study, which has been discussed in Vatican circles, presents “the reasons for the need and urgency of an intervention from the supreme legislator of the Church (the Pope) in order to fill two legal gaps: ”the regulations of the Apostolic See when the Pope cannot exercise, temporarily or permanently, his office because of “an irreversible impediment,” and the regulations of the “juridical status of a Roman pontiff who resigned from his office.”
In short: what to do when a Pope has a disease that affects his intellect and his will? And what is the status of the Pope Emeritus?
Growing conversations about Boni’s essay led to rumors of Pope Francis’ resignation. The logic is this: If we have begun to discuss the status of the Pope Emeritus, then it means that the Pope wants to resign.
The fact is that there have never been any signs that Pope Francis wants to give up. Francis told Nelson Castro, in an interview in the book “La Salud de los Papas“ (“The Health of the Popes”), that he sees himself dying “as Pope, or in office or emeritus.”
According to an Argentine priest who has known Pope Francis since his days in Buenos Aires, “there is only one reason why Pope Francis would resign: so that he can influence the process to choose his successor.”
It is a somewhat harsh reading of Pope Francis’ personality. However, if the supposedly new rules establish that the Pope Emeritus falls in the ranks of the cardinals, his presence in the pre-conclave general congregations could certainly influence the choice of his fellow cardinals.
How much of all this is gossip, and how much is true? First, it is true that the Pope’s health has suffered a severe blow and that Pope Francis himself has begun to speed up some decisions in case something happens.
Vatican sources told CNA that they now expect a very rapid closure of the seemingly never-ending process of the reform of the Curia, which could happen between the end of September and the beginning of October; a new consistory for the creation of 5 or 6 new cardinals at the beginning of October; and then a “series of decisions with harsh tones,” similar to the publication of Traditionis Custodes.
According to one source, “no one expects the Pope to die or resign anytime soon. But everyone is preparing not to be taken by surprise when it happens.”
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