THE RESIGNATION OF BENEDICT XVI

The resignation of Pope Benedict has taken many people by surprise. There are precedents for papal resignations; but those resignations are remote. John XVIII (1003-1009) ended his days as a of S Paul’s-without-the walls, though it is unclear whether he resigned voluntarily or was forced out. The corrupt Benedict IX was deposed in 1046, though it is also said that he was bribed to go away. In 1294 Pope Celestine V abdicated at the age of 85 and resumed his previous existence as a . He died in 1296 and was subsequently canonised under his own name as St Peter del Morrone. In 1415 Gregory XII resigned, along with two other , so that the Church could unite around a new pope. Gregory then became Cardinal Bishop of Porto until his death in 1417. Since 1415 every pope has died in office.

But more important than these precedents is the recent history of the Church. Until about fifty years ago priests and bishops were expected to stay at the helm until death and retirement was rare for them. Thus the famous Cardinal Mannix was Archbishop of Melbourne for 46 years until his death at the age of 99 in 1963. Archbishop Peter Amigo was Bishop of Southwark from 1904 until his death at the age of 85 in 1949. Archbishop James Smith of St Andrews and Edinburgh died in office in 1928 at the age of 87. Similarly, his successor, Archbishop Andrew MacDonald died in office at the age of 79 in 1950. The first Archbishop of this diocese to retire was Cardinal Gray in 1985. Priests followed the same pattern and often remained in post until death, unless they had to move into a care home.

But then in the time of Pope Paul VI (1960-1978) it was stipulated that bishops must offer their resignation to the Pope at the of 75; and priests must offer their resignation to their bishop at the same age. These provisions were included in the Code of Canon Law published in 1983. There had been instances of bishops and priests remaining at the helm when they were obviously physically or mentally ill. Where clergy were still fit at the retirement age, their resignations need not always be accepted. Pope Paul VI also ruled that Cardinals over the age of 80 should not be eligible to vote for a new pope. This provision possibly owed something to the primitive living conditions that obtained in the Conclave until a new building was constructed for the purpose by Pope John Paul II.

So the retirement of bishops and priests has only happened fairly recently in the history of the Church. Now at some point somebody clearly asked the question: what about the Pope? Can he retire? There were precedents – admittedly remote. But the Pope is a bishop and as such he has the same rights as any other bishop of the Church. Therefore he can resign and the 1983 Code of Canon Law states: “If it happens that the Roman Pontiff resigns his office, it is required for validity that the resignation is made freely and properly manifested but not that it is accepted by anyone” (canon 332/2). Thus a pope cannot be forced into abdicating, even if he is physically or metally ill.

Having set a modern precedent, Pope Benedict has made it easier for a future pope to go in the same way if he feels he cannot carry on because of infirmity.This is also liberating for the Cardinal electors. In the past, there was a tendency not to choose a candidate who was relatively young since he might be in office too long. Pope Pius IX was elected in 1846 at the age of 54 and reigned until 1878 at the age of 86. The Cardinals then chose a 67 year old Cardinal Pecci, who had not been in the best of health. However, Pope Leo XIII, as he became, was Pope for the next 25 years until he died in 1903 aged 93. Since then have begun their pontificates in their 60s or even later. The great exception was John Paul II who was 58; but after John Paul I, who reigned for only a month, the Cardinals then were then not looking for a short pontificate!

In former times, when the Pope did not move out of the Vatican, it was possible for a very old man to remain at the helm. But the of the Pope has changed. He is now expected to make long foreign trips and keep his eye on so many things. It has now become, perhaps, the job of a relatively young man.

It has been reported that both Pope Paul VI and John Paul II thought about resigning because of ill health. Pope Paul died before the issue became imperative. John Paul II reportedly made plans to retire but was allegedly talked out of it. By the time he became ill, he could only have retired to some kind of care home, which itself would have presented great logisitical dificulties. Pope Benedict, though frail, does not need a care home. Moreover, John Paul II maybe had a special vocation in his last years to show an example of patient endurance in suffering, which has proved to be a sign of hope for others. Pope Benedict has his own vocation to a life of payer and study for his last years.

Pope Benedict remains Pope until 8pm on 28 February. In retirement, he will remain a bishop of the Church and will use his own name, Joseph Ratzinger, perhaps being known as Bishop Emeritus of Rome.

Paul Kelly