Pope Benedict XVI became the first pope in 600 years to resign in 2013, but Francis, then 85, denied that he had any immediate plans to do the same. Instead, he reiterated that “the door is open.”
Although having a retired pope on hand has been beneficial, Francis stated in the interview that the Vatican has to properly control the role of an emeritus pope.
They assert that these decisions and Benedict’s ongoing presence in the Vatican led to uncertainty among the faithful and made it possible for Francis’ traditionalist detractors to cite Benedict as a benchmark for conservatism, endangering the Catholic Church’s unity.
He recalled that prior to the conclave in 2013 that led to his election as pontiff, he had intended to step down from his position as archbishop of Buenos Aires. Francis announced that he had set up a lovely apartment in Buenos Aires where he could continue to listen to confessions at a neighbouring church and visit the ill at a hospital.
“The first experience went rather well because he’s a saintly and discreet man, and he handled it welll. But in the future, things should be delineated more, or things should be made more explicit.
“I think for having taken the first step after so many centuries, he gets 10 points. It’s a marvel,” Francis added.
