Will Pope Francis ever retire? If so, when?

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Duesenberg

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Will Pope Francis I, ever retire? If so, when?

Some background:

Saint John Paul II was chosen as pope in 1978 at 58 years of age. He reposed almost 27 years later.

Pope Benedict XVI was chosen as pope in 2005 at 78 years of age. He retired almost 8 years later at 86 years of age.

Pope Francis I was elected as pope in 2013 at 77 years of age. He’ll be 81 this December.
  • He won’t retire. He’ll repose while the Pope of Rome.
  • He’ll retire after Pope Benedict XVI reposes.
  • He’ll retire in 5 years or less.
  • He’ll retire in 10 years or less.
  • He’ll retire in 10+ years.
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If he isn’t assassinated or dies unexpectedly, I think there’s a strong possibility the Holy Father will eventually resign. I think Benedict XXVI opened up that possibility for all future Popes in order to make the position of Vicar more seamless.
 
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There’s no Pope Francis I, as there is no Pope Francis II. I don’t know, by the way.
 
Zaccheus said:
Pointless speculation.
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Either don’t participate if it is allegedly idle chatter (it is nothing of the sort) or report the thread if it violates the rules in some way. It is entirely up to you.
 
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Duesenberg said:
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TK421:
Benedict XXVI opened up that possibility for all future Popes
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I agree. That move and how he handled it showed me the AWESOME intellect of Pope Benedict XVI.
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Not just intellect, but perhaps a subtle shift in policy as well.

Pope St JP II, in my opinion, marked the end of an era among Pontiffs. He suffered with his disease to his last breath, and Cardinal Ratzinger was his friend and saw him suffer throughout that time. I believe that experience guided his own decision in whether or not it was best for the Church that he continue in his work until the very end or whether he ought to resign.

Not that I am at all being critical of St JP II or the great fortitude he displayed, but having read his biography, Benedict XXVI always did have a little bit more of a Martha-type personality. He always was more of a pragmatist.

So in our contemporary age, with the fast pace of life, future Popes now have some precedent to retire if they eventually feel that is the right decision to make. Of course, that is something that will be their own prerogative.
 
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Several popes had renunciated long before Pope Benedict XVI did, albeit not in modern times. That’s where Benedict’s own precedent came from. I was just commenting on how well he has handled it.
 
Right. The last one happened a long, long time ago. So Benedict’s decision was an ice-breaker for it.
 
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He is correctly called Pope Francis, not Pope Francis I.

I cannot vote because the question makes no sense to me. Could you add some more choices like “Don’t know, don’t care” or “Don’t ask, don’t tell”?
 
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Sorry to have impressed you in that way. I have amended my post in order to contribute some helpful suggestions.
 
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TK421 said:
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Zaccheus:
Pointless speculation.
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Either don’t participate if it is allegedly idle chatter (it is nothing of the sort) or report the thread if it violates the rules in some way. It is entirely up to you.
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Meh. I expressed an opinion. That’s part of what discussion forums are for.
 
I think the popes should retire at age 85. They can remain active as spiritual leaders thereafter as their faculties allow.
 
Sir2v4 said:
I think the popes should retire at age 85. They can remain active as spiritual leaders thereafter as their faculties allow.
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That’s a very interesting thought. I wonder how that would impact the choice of future choices? If a mandatory retirement age was set for popes, would 75 or even 70 make more sense?
 
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I’m not sure if it is possible to put an age limit on the Pope and make it binding on him. Something tells me it isn’t.

You would need some pretty young birds to make it before 70 though. People are living longer and staying healthy longer. Benedict might still be able to challenge Francis to a friendly round of jousting in 10 years for all we know.
 
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TK421 said:
I’m not sure if it is possible to put an age limit on the Pope and make it binding on him. Something tells me it isn’t.
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That’s a very good point. I do think that if the age limit was say 70 and presuming it could be enforced, I think more capable popes would be chosen. Very possibly the same exact same men, only at an earlier period in the lives when they have more vigor and mental acuity.
 
How is this awesome now?

The only other Pope to resign, in the 13th century, ended up in the bottom chamber of the Inferno in Dantes _Divine Comedy _

Now it’s awesome for a Pope to resign.
Looks like we’re heading to a wonderful stage.
 
It was constructive, and a valid opinion. I voted because it is just a poll, and it is assumed none of us know the future. But it should not hurt for us to be reminded this is nothing but idle speculation from ignorant people, myself included.
 
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