Pope Francis has sent a voice note message to hundreds of his supporters who are praying for him in Rome. The voice message, which was delivered in Spanish, was translated to English.
In a video by Sky News, the respected cleric expressed his gratitude for the kind gesture, as he continued to battle health challenges.
Pope Francis’ message reads:
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the Square”.
See the video here:
There has been speculation in the Vatican that Pope Francis may resign after he spent two weeks in the hospital fighting pneumonia.
The pope was put on a breathing machine on February 28 after suffering a sudden episode of respiratory difficulty, complicated by vomiting.
The Vatican reported on March 1 that he had not suffered further crises but that his medical picture “remains complex.”
Circumstances for resignation
Austen Ivereigh, a papal biographer, told CNN that Pope Francis would only consider resignation if he had a long-term degenerative or debilitating condition preventing him from fully carrying out the papal ministry.
Resigning the papacy is not like stepping down from a corporate position; it is considered a job for life. For Catholics, the pope is St. Peter’s successor, carrying out a ministry given by Christ himself.
However, advances in modern medicine and life expectancy have presented a new scenario.
Historical parallels and current speculation
The speculation brought back memories of February 11, 2013, when Benedict XVI announced his resignation during a routine meeting of cardinals.
Parallels were drawn with Benedict’s resignation when the Vatican announced that Pope Francis had called a consistory to consider sainthood candidates.
Marco Politi, a respected Vatican commentator, noted that consistories in difficult periods of the church have become highly political. He believes the pontiff is focused on surviving the crisis and completing the Jubilee year.
Freedom to decide
Pope Francis has previously stated that the papacy is “ad vitam” (for life) and that resignation is not on his agenda.
However, he has never ruled out resigning and acknowledged that Benedict’s decision had “opened the door” to future popes retiring. According to church law, a papal resignation must be “made freely and properly manifested” and is not to be “accepted by anyone.”
Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican foreign minister, emphasised that a papal resignation is not currently on the cards and that Francis is determined to recover.
