VATICAN CITY
The Tablet
17 June 2014 by Hannah Roberts in Rome
Pope Francis has revealed that he plans to follow in the footsteps of Pope Benedict XVI and retire when he is “no longer able to go on”.
Benedict “opened a door and created an institution” when he became the first pope in 600 years to step down last year, Francis said. In a wide-ranging interview with a Spanish newspaper he explained: “As we are living longer, we tend to reach an age where we cannot carry on. I will do the same as him, ask the Lord to send me a sign when I reach that time and tell me what to do and he will certainly tell me.”
Before he was elected Pope, he had already handed in his resignation as archbishop of Buenos Aires and picked out his retirement home: a foundation for elderly priests, he said.
The candid disclosures came during a hard-hitting interview with La Vanguardia newspaper, published in Barcelona, in which Francis also elaborated on his political views.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.