The Pope also suffers from sciatica, a chronic nerve condition that causes pain in his back, hips and legs, leaving him with a limp. The outbreak of that condition forced him to cancel or modify premium occurrences.
These setbacks, combined with his age, have fueled speculation that Francis could follow in his predecessor’s footsteps and step down. Benedict XVI, who died last month, retired in 2013, the first pope to do so in 600 years.
Francis said in previous interviews that he has never ruled out the possibility of retirement, although he has no immediate plans to do so, but he told the AP news agency he has not considered drafting rules – as some The cardinal and canon lawyer proposed – to “normalize or regulate” future papal resignations, saying Benedict’s gesture did not set enough precedent. Other popes might have handled retirement differently, he said.
He is outspoken in his negative assessment of the reforms being mulled over by the German church, including married priests, female deacons and church blessings for same-sex couples. He warned that the so-called “Synodal Way”, which involves dialogue between the German bishops and a lay organization known as the Central Committee of German Catholics, risks becoming dogmatic. .
“The danger here is that something very, very ideological creeps in. When ideology is involved in church processes, the Holy Spirit comes home, because ideology overcomes the Holy Spirit,” said Pope Francis.
Francis also referred to a wave of criticism from cardinals and bishops of his pontificate that only increased after the death of Benedict XVI on December 31, describing it as a “storm” nasty rash that makes you a little uncomfortable.” But he said it was important that his critics be able to speak freely.
“If it wasn’t like this, there would be a dictatorship of distance, as I call it, where the emperor is and no one can tell him anything,” Francis said. “Criticism helps you grow and improve things.”
