Pope Francis mentioned in his new autobiography that he does not plan to resign and is not dealing with any health issues that would make him need to do so. He also said he still has many projects to complete.
Francis, who is 87, made these remarks in an autobiography. The autobiography is titled 'Life: My Story Through History'. This autobiography is set to be published on Tuesday, the 11th anniversary of his appointment as pope. Some parts of it were published in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on Thursday.
In his autobiography, which was written with Italian journalist Fabio Marchese Ragona, Francis talks about important moments in his life and how they relate to world events, such as World War II, Argentina's military dictatorship, and Vatican politics, and how these experiences influence his decisions as pope.
He also addresses ongoing discussions about his health, criticism from conservatives, and what these things might mean for the future of his papacy. These topics have always surrounded the papacy, but the possibility of a pope resigning only became real with the retirement of the late Pope Benedict XVI in 2013.
Francis has faced health issues over the winter, including bronchitis, the flu, and a cold. He has had an aide read most of his speeches for the past two weeks. Additionally, he underwent surgery to remove part of his large intestine in 2021 and was hospitalized three times last year. He has also had intestinal scar tissue removed from previous surgeries to address diverticulosis, or bulges in his intestinal wall.
In the autobiography, he emphasizes that being pope is a lifelong position but he has prepared a resignation letter to be held in the Secretariat of State in case a serious physical problem arises.
He stated, 'But this is, I repeat, a distant possibility, because I truly do not have any reason serious enough to make me consider resigning. Some people may have hoped that I might make an announcement of that kind after a hospital stay, but there is no risk of it. Thankfully, I am in good health, and as I have said, there are many projects to complete, God willing.'
Francis admitted that both Vatican insiders and outsiders have accused him of ruining the papacy and have tried to stop the changes that he was supposed to make following his election in 2013.
He said, 'There was a strong desire to change things, to abandon certain attitudes, which, unfortunately, have been hard to eliminate. Of course, there are always some who want to slow down reform, who want things to stay the same as they were during the time of 'pope kings'.
In the autobiography, Francis reaffirmed his recent decision to allow Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples and rejected the idea that this could divide the church. However, bishops in Africa and conservative bishops worldwide have said they will not follow this new guidance.
He stated, 'I just want to say that God loves everyone, especially sinners. And if my fellow bishops decide not to follow this path based on their judgment, it doesn't mean that this will lead to a split in the church, because the church's doctrine is not being questioned.'
He confirmed his support for civil partnerships while rejecting same-sex marriage, stating that it is fair for these individuals in loving relationships to have the same legal protections as everyone else.
He argued that Jesus associated with marginalized individuals, and he believes that the church should be doing the same with LGBTQ+ members today.
He urged for a welcoming environment, especially for those who have been baptized and are part of God's people in every way. He also encouraged those who have not been baptized and wish to be, or want to be godparents, to be embraced and to follow a careful path of personal discernment.
