The reporter asked Pope Francis about what he thought of Pope Benedict’s resignation, as follows:
What do you think of the renunciation of Benedict XVI?
Pope Benedict has made a very significant act. He has opened the door, has created an institution, that of the eventual popes emeritus. 70 years ago, there were no emeritus bishops. Today how many are there? Well, as we live longer, we arrive to an age where we cannot go on with things.
Pope Francis thus sees Benedict XVI’s act as setting a precedent for future popes that mirrors the way in which bishops have similarly begun to have retirements in recent decades. Note that Francis refers to Benedict having “created an institution.”
Francis’s use of the plural (“eventual popes emeritus”) may even envision the idea of more than one former pope being alive at the same time. Indeed, in light of what he says next, he may be thinking of himself and Benedict XVI sharing this status at some point.
It was recently announced that Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz did not burn the private papers of Bl. John Paul II, as was requested in his will.
Now they are being published in book form in Poland, and it’s causing quite a stir!
It also raises some interesting questions.
Here are 14 things to know and share . . .
1) Who is Cardinal Dziwisz?
Currently, he is the Cardinal Archbishop of Krakow, Poland.
But, many years ago, in 1966, he was appointed the personal secretary of Karol Wojtyla, who was then the Archbishop of Krakow.
Archbishop Wojtyla was made a cardinal the next year, and in 1978 he was elected to the papacy and became Pope John Paul II.
When that happened, he retained the future-Cardinal Dziwisz as his personal secretary, and he served him in that capacity until his death.
Cardinal Dziwisz was thus one of the individuals closest to John Paul II during his pontificate—and before.
2) Where did John Paul II express his wishes about his private papers?
The document in question is known as the Testament of Pope John Paul II, and it is available online.
The document was first written in 1979 and supplemented and modified over the years, as John Paul II’s reign progressed.
The part dealing with his private papers is in the first section, written just a few months after he became pope.
3) What does that passage say?
The relevant passage reads:
I leave no possessions of which it will be necessary to dispose.
As for the things I use every day, I ask that they be distributed as seems appropriate.
Let my personal notes be burned.
I ask that Fr. Stanisław [Dwizisz] see to this, and I thank him for his help and collaboration, so understanding for so many years.
On the other hand, I leave all my other “thank yous” in my heart before God Himself, because it is difficult to express them.
Note that Cardinal Dwizisz is the only person John Paul II singles out by name for thanks. That is how close the two were.
4) Did John Paul II “order” Cardinal Dwizisz to burn the papers?
Some news outlets (like this one) are reporting it just that way, but “order” may not be quite right.
I don’t speak Polish, so I can’t comment on the force that the statement has in the original language of the document, but “Let my personal notes be burned” is not as strong in English as “I order that my personal notes be burned.”
Pope Francis has just released a new document titled Evangelii Gaudium.
It is his first apostolic exhortation, and it is devoted to the theme of the new evangelization.
Here are 9 things to know and share . . .
1) What does “Evangelii Gaudium” mean?
It’s Latin for “The Joy of the Gospel.”
2) What is an apostolic exhortation?
It’s a papal document that, as the name suggests, exhorts people to implement a particular aspect of the Church’s life and teaching.
Its purpose is not to teach new doctrine, but to suggest how Church teachings and practices can be profitably applied today.
Some apostolic exhortations are devoted to the pastoral challenges faced in particular parts of the world (Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas). Others are devoted to particular themes.
Previous apostolic exhortations include:
Paul VI’s Evangelii Nuntiandi (on evangelization today)
John Paul II’s Christifideles Laici (on the role of the laity)
John Paul II’s Redemptoris Custos (on St. Joseph)
Benedict XVI’s Sacramentum Caritatis (on the Eucharist)
Benedict XVI’s Verbum Domini (on the Word of God)
3) How much authority does an apostolic exhortation have?
It is one of the more important papal documents—more important, for example, than a Wednesday audience or a homily.
As it is of a pastoral nature rather than a doctrinal or legal nature, though, it is ranked lower than an encyclical or an apostolic constitution.
As with everything official that the pope writes, it is to be taken very seriously.
4) What leads a pope to write an apostolic exhortation?
Pope Francis has just released his first encyclical, Lumen Fidei. Here are 14 things you need to know about it.
Pope Francis has just released his first encyclical, Lumen Fidei, or “the light of faith.”
The first encyclical of a pope is always closely watched, because it frequently signals the way in which he intends to govern the Church.
This new encyclical is even more intriguing because much of it was actually written by former Pope Benedict.
Here are 14 things you need to know . . .
1. What is an encyclical?
An encyclical is a kind of letter. Papal encyclicals usually deal with matters of Church teaching (doctrine). Popes write them when they feel they have something important to say about particular teachings.
Although they are not infallible, encyclicals are authoritative.
The word “encyclical” comes from the Greek word for “circle,” indicating that it is to be circulated among different people.
The encyclical Lumen Fidei is addressed to “the bishops, priests, and deacons, consecrated persons, and the lay faithful.” This indicates a broad audience.
The encyclical was originally begun by Pope Benedict in order to commemorate the Year of Faith and to complete a trilogy of encyclicals he had been writing on the three theological virtues—faith, hope, and charity.
The preceding two were Deus Caritas Est, on the theological virtue of charity, and Spe Salvi, on the virtue of hope.
Pope Benedict’s health did not allow him to remain in office, however, and so the draft of the encyclical was inherited by Pope Francis, who chose to complete it.
3. Has this ever happened before?
Yes. In fact, Pope Benedict’s first encyclical was based, in part, on an encyclical that John Paul II had begun preparing but had not finished.
4. Does Lumen Fidei acknowledge Pope Benedict’s role in its composition?
Yes. In it, Pope Francis writes:
These considerations on faith — in continuity with all that the Church’s magisterium has pronounced on this theological virtue — are meant to supplement what Benedict XVI had written in his encyclical letters on charity and hope. He himself had almost completed a first draft of an encyclical on faith. For this I am deeply grateful to him, and as his brother in Christ I have taken up his fine work and added a few contributions of my own. [LF 7].
Did Pope Francis just admit the existence of a “gay lobby” at the Vatican? If so, what will he do about it?
Pope Francis recently made the news by, apparently, acknowledging the existence of a “gay lobby” at the Vatican.
What did he say? What did he mean? And what will he do in the future?
Here are 10 things to know and share . . .
1. What did Pope Francis say?
According to press reports, Pope Francis recently said:
“In the Curia there are holy people, truly, there are holy people. But there’s also a current of corruption – there’s that, too, it’s true…. The ‘gay lobby’ is spoken of, and it’s true, that’s there… we need to see what we can do.”
The comments were purportedly made during an hourlong audience the Pope held last Thursday with the Religious Confederation of Latin America and the Caribbean (CLAR).
An unsigned “exclusive, brief synthesis” of the encounter – featuring a series of pull-quotes, but not a full transcript – was apparently provided to and subsequently published on Sunday afternoon by Reflexión y Liberación, a church-focused Chilean website with sympathies toward liberation theology.
These thus were not public remarks, which raises a question about their authenticity.
Was St. James the Just the leader of the early Church–or was St. Peter?
Some claim that it was James, not Peter, who was the leader of the early Church after the time of Christ.
What evidence can they provide for this claim?
And what evidence is there against it?
Which James?
“James” was a common name in first century Judea, and there were several men named James who are mentioned in the New Testament.
Unfortunately, precisely how many Jameses there are many is not clear.
They are described different ways, and it is not clear whether a James described in one passage is the same as the James mentioned in another.
The James who assumed a prominent leadership role in the Jerusalem church after the time of Christ is known as “the brother of the Lord.”
This James is sometimes identified with James the son of Alphaeus, who is also identified with James “the Less.”
However, Benedict XVI noted:
Among experts, the question of the identity of these two figures with the same name, James son of Alphaeus and James “the brother of the Lord”, is disputed [General Audience, Jun. 28, 2006].
Regardless of how this issue is to be settled, there is one James in the New Testament who is clearly not the one in question—James the son of Zebedee, because he was martyred quickly (Acts 12:1-2).
Advocates of the “James not Peter” viewpoint have two major texts that they can appeal to, and neither is very good.
Recently, Pope Francis washed the feet of several young people, including young women. He did this in the wake of Pope Benedict's resignation. Here are two interesting discussions of Pope Francis's actions and a look at recent popes who thought about resigning but didn't do so in the end.
It has been widely reported that, when he was still the cardinal archbishop of Buenos Aires, the future Pope Francis washed the feet of women during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper.
Now he has done so as pope.
Did he break the Church’s law?
What does this event mean, and how can we understand what he was trying to do?
This special, extra episode of the Jimmy Akin Podcast contains two conversations I recently had on these subjects on Al Kresta’s and Drew Mariani’s radio shows.
I thought they were very interesting, productive discussions, and so I thought I’d share them with you.
Use the player or links below to listen!
(Or, if you’re reading by email CLICK HERE to go to the original post and listen.)
Long-time Vatican expert's new book contains a fascinating look at the recent popes who almost resigned but didn't. You'll be surprised how many there are!
Benedict XVI’s resignation may have been the first papal resignation in hundreds of years, but it didn’t come completely out of the blue.
He’d already indicated that he had been thinking about the subject of resignation.
What is less well known is that other recent popes had been thinking about it, too.
A lot of recent popes.
Here’s the story . . .
An Increasingly Heavy Cross
For some time, I had been aware that several recent popes, including Pius XII, Paul VI, and John Paul II had thought about resignation–or even made contingency plans for it.
But recently I was reading Andrea Tornielli’s fascinating new book Francis: Pope of a New World, and he includes a passage discussing the thoughts and plans of recent popes regarding resignation.
He reports:
The topic of resignation came to light again in the past century.
Advances in medicine have considerably extended life, and from Pius IX on, the job itself of the successor of Peter has been burdened with responsibilities and functions to the point of making it more and more difficult to carry out for a person who is not fully in possession of physical and intellectual strength.
He then lists the particular popes and what is known about their thoughts on resignation . . .
Pope Francis is having his "Inaugural Mass"? What happens in this Mass, and why is it important?
On Tuesday, March 19, Pope Francis will participate in his inauguration Mass.
If he hasn’t been inaugurated, is he pope yet?
If he is pope, why is this called is “inauguration” Mass?
Here are 9 things you need to know.
1. Is Pope Francis already Pope, if he isn’t “inaugurated”?
Yes. According to the Code of Canon Law:
Can. 332 §1. The Roman Pontiff obtains full and supreme power in the Church by his acceptance of legitimate election together with episcopal consecration. Therefore, a person elected to the supreme pontificate who is marked with episcopal character obtains this power from the moment of acceptance. If the person elected lacks episcopal character, however, he is to be ordained a bishop immediately.
This means that if the man elected pope is already a bishop (as Pope Francis was) then he becomes pope from the moment he accepts his election.
That happened during the conclave, and so Pope Francis is already, truly the pope.
2. Then why is he having an “inaugural Mass”?
Although “Mass of inauguration” or “inaugural Mass” is a common way of describing this event, it does not mean that he gains any office, power, or authority with this Mass.
It’s just a way of commemorating his entrance into office–rather like an inaugural ball held after someone becomes president, except it is a sacred rather than a secular celebration.
Paul VI is coronated with the papal tiara. He was the last pope to use this rite.
Soon the cardinals will send up black smoke or white smoke to indicate that we have a new pope. When should you be watching?
Many people across the world are wondering when we should be watching the chimney above the Sistine Chapel to see the smoke that will tell us whether a new pope has been elected.
Here is a quick guide to when to watch and what to expect . . .
The Color of the Smoke
After casting ballots, the cardinals burn them, and this is what produces the smoke. They also burn other things–straw or chemicals–to change the color of the smoke, though precisely what they’re burning this time is a bit of a mystery.
As most people know, it is supposed to be black if there is no new pope but it is supposed to be white if there is.
In practice, there have been troubles with the color of the smoke being unclear in the past.
Sometimes it starts off one color and then seems to change color. This can happen when the things the cardinals are burning don’t ignite at the same time.
Other times, the smoke seems too grey to say that it’s white or black.
To help clear up matters, they’re suppose to also start ringing the bells at St. Peter’s when a new pope is elected, but there has been confusion in the past with the bells, since they are ordinarily rung at several times of day.
Hopefully, there won’t be such confusion this time, but here’s when to watch . . .
Regularly Scheduled Times
On Tuesday the cardinals are scheduled to have only one round of voting, which is expected to end around 7:00 p.m., Rome time.
It might be somewhat earlier or later when the smoke appears, and it will almost certainly be black, since the first ballot almost never results in a papal election.
For the next few days, the cardinals are scheduled to have four votes–two in the morning and two in the afternoon.
They will burn the ballots after each pair of ballots.
This means that the cardinals will be burning the ballots after each odd numbered ballot (that is, after ballot #1 on day 1, after ballots #3 and #5 on day 2, and ballots #7 and #9 on day 3).
The first time they burn them should be around 12:00 p.m. (i.e., noon), Rome time.
The second time will be around 7:00 p.m., Rome time.
As before, the exact time may be slightly earlier or later.
The longer the conclave goes on, the higher the likelihood that the smoke will be white.
Unscheduled Times
If the cardinals elect a cardinal after an even numbered ballot (e.g., ballot #2 or #4 on day 2 or ballot #6 or #8 on day 3) then they will burn the ballots immediately.
As a result, the smoke at such an unscheduled burning will be white–announcing the election that has just happened.
Each round of balloting takes about an hour, so if they elect a pope on an even numbered ballot, the smoke would appear around an hour earlier than expected–e.g., around 11:00 a.m. or 6 p.m., Rome time.
As before, the exact time might be earlier or later.
The Rome Schedule
Here is a list of when to watch for the smoke if you are in Rome (all times local):
Morning even numbered ballot: 11:00 a.m. (uncheduled; indicates papal election)
Morning odd numbered ballot: 12:00 a.m. (scheduled; may be black or white smoke)
Evening even numbered ballot: 6:00 p.m. (uncheduled; indicates papal election)
Evening odd numbered ballot: 7:00 p.m. (scheduled; may be black or white smoke)
Your Time Zone
Rome has not yet gone on the Italian equivalent of Daylight Savings Time, so they are presently 5 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time and 8 hours ahead of U.S. Pacific Time.
Here is a list of the approximate times to watch for the smoke to appear in the different U.S. time zones (times in parentheses indicate unscheduled burnings):
By the way, last year I published a study of what the next pope’s name would likely be.
I’d investigated the history of pope names and found patterns in history that the popes themselves probably aren’t fully aware of.
There’s some fascinating stuff to be discovered!
I even listed the names that the next pope would most likely choose (will he be a Benedict? a John Paul? a Pius? a John? or something else entirely?)–as well as the names that the new pope would definitely not choose.
I put it together into a report that you can read on your Kindle, Nook, or Apple device (iPhone, iPad, iPod).
Pope Benedict shocked the world in 2013 by announcing his plans to renounce the papacy, becoming the first pope in centuries to do so.
, and he includes a passage discussing the thoughts and plans of recent popes regarding resignation.
