by Anura Guruge
on February 23, 2023

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I am NOT an advocate of papal resignations. I think it detracts from the office.

Francis has talked about the possibility of him retiring since more of less day 1 of his office. But, most (if not ALL) of us who are serious Vaticanologist KNEW he would never resign while Ex-Pope ‘Benedict XVI’ was alive. Well, that is no longer an impediment.

Yes, Pope Francis at 86 is OLD & is now the 3rd OLDEST pope in recorded history. He doesn’t look or act happy. Also take a look at the photo above. He has put on a LOT of weight. Yes, lack of mobility has to be an issue.

I get a feeling, & as always I could be very wrong, that he is frustrated. He doesn’t like being incapacitated & not being able to do his job. But, I hope he does NOT resign. Definitely NOT on Feb. 28. That would create a dangerous precedent. February 28 the day when popes resign. That will NOT do.

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by Anura Guruge
on January 24, 2023

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This will be the 4th year in a row that Pope Francis has opted for a private Lenten retreat. The pope going to a Lenten retreat, away from Rome, with the heads of the Vatican dicasteries was a fond, much anticipated tradition started by Pope Pius XI (1922 — 1939). So, it is a practice going back close to a century.

That the pope, because of COVID, opted for a private retreat in 2022 & 2021 is understandable.

In 2020 he stayed back because he was suffering from a bad cold — & COVID was beginning to raise its ugly head.

Obviously this year the impediment, indubitably, also has to be health. And that is what makes you — or more to the point I — start to wonder.

Is the pope slowly getting ready to announce his retirement?

Yes, there was plenty of talk & speculation on this matter last year — some of it prompted by the pope himself.

But all of us with some understanding of the papacy & the Vatican knew that Francis would not retire while ex-pope Benedict XVI was still alive. Having two ex-popes would have been too much for the Church.

But, now Benedict XVI is gone — & the one month anniversary will be next week.

Benedict XVI resigned on February 28, 2013.

February 28 is just 5 weeks away.

I sure hope he doesn’t retire on February 28.

That will create a terrible precedent, February 28 becoming the accepted day for contemporary popes to retire.

I get a feeling Francis is discouraged by his health. He isn’t the happy fellow he was in 2013. The papacy has taken its toll on him.

We just have to wait & see.