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Compulsory Retirement Age for Popes?

Rumours multiply in Rome that Francis is about to regulate the retirement of a pope with a Motu Proprio, after Benedict XVI’s retirement produced confusion and chaos.

According to Specola (InfoVaticana.com, August 26), Francis wants to set an age threshold for popes at 85 years at which the sitting pope “must” step down, thus turning the papacy into a temporary office.

But like most things Francis does, this idea would not be thought through to its conclusion, because a pope cannot "present" a resignation, only "declare" it, and if he doesn't, no motu proprio can force him to do so.

Picture: © Mazur, CC BY-NC-ND, #newsAjorlqtsgi

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Ultraviolet
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Implying the next Pope couldn't simply write his own Motu Proprio reversing Francis. After all, that's what he just did with Traditionis Custodes undoing Benedict XVI's Summorum Pontificum, eh?
Of course, Pope Tagle's own Motu Propri will focus on more significant matters, like establishing what color balloons future popes must always carryMore
Implying the next Pope couldn't simply write his own Motu Proprio reversing Francis. After all, that's what he just did with Traditionis Custodes undoing Benedict XVI's Summorum Pontificum, eh?

Of course, Pope Tagle's own Motu Propri will focus on more significant matters, like establishing what color balloons future popes must always carry
Orthocat
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One wonders if this is some kind of retroactive move to undo Benedict XVI description of "Pope Emeritus" fulfilling a contemplative role. In other words, another strike at pesky "Trads."
Ultraviolet
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Uh.. Benedict already undid that description himself back in 2014. --" Rather than being called by his papal name "Benedict XVI," the retired pontiff revealed that since his retirement he has wanted to return to his original priestly title and be called simply "Father Benedict."--
atreverse pensar
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It doesn't matter what he says.
But if he leaves, at least I wouldn't see his face.
John A Cassani
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He really should do it. It would have no real binding force, but if it were not immediately abrogated by the next pope, we would all know where the new guy stood. I recall Pope Benedict, in his last 17 days of “active ministry,” restoring the traditional full cardinalatial obeisance to the Papal Inauguration Mass. of course, Bergoglio immediately altered this (I only heard about it; I’ve never …More
He really should do it. It would have no real binding force, but if it were not immediately abrogated by the next pope, we would all know where the new guy stood. I recall Pope Benedict, in his last 17 days of “active ministry,” restoring the traditional full cardinalatial obeisance to the Papal Inauguration Mass. of course, Bergoglio immediately altered this (I only heard about it; I’ve never watched a Bergoglian mass live). Traditionally, Popes have been loathe to enact disciplinary laws that would directly affect their successors, as it is bad form to contradict a predecessor, unless your name is Jorge Bergoglio, I guess.
V.R.S.
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It should be voted democratically together with compulsory sainthood of the conciliar popes.
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