In his own words: Pope Francis’ views on resigning changed over time

In his own words: Pope Francis’ views on resigning changed over time
Pope Francis entered his fourth week in the hospital with double pneumonia, increasingly handing off his day-to-day duties to cardinals as questions swirl about the near and long-term future of his papacy. (AFP/File)
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Updated 08 March 2025
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In his own words: Pope Francis’ views on resigning changed over time

In his own words: Pope Francis’ views on resigning changed over time
  • On Saturday, the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, took Francis’ place to celebrate Mass for a pro-life group
  • On Sunday, another Vatican official, Cardinal Michael Czerny, is stepping in for the pope to celebrate a Holy Year Mass for volunteers

ROME: Pope Francis entered his fourth week in the hospital with double pneumonia, increasingly handing off his day-to-day duties to cardinals as questions swirl about the near and long-term future of his papacy.
On Saturday, the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, took Francis’ place to celebrate Mass for a pro-life group. On Sunday, another Vatican official, Cardinal Michael Czerny, is stepping in for the pope to celebrate a Holy Year Mass for volunteers.
There is no reason why such delegation of papal obligations cannot continue, especially since Francis remains conscious and working from the hospital. But the 88-year-old pope has spoken about the possibility of resignation, though his position has changed over time, especially after the death of Pope Benedict XVI.
Here’s what Francis has said about pope’s retiring, in his own words:
On Benedict’s resignation:
In his 2024 memoir, Life, Francis recounted how he first learned about Benedict’s resignation, the first in 600 years. He said a Vatican journalist had called him in Buenos Aires on Feb. 11, 2013, and told him the news as it was breaking.
“For a moment I was paralyzed. I could hardly believe what I was hearing,” Francis wrote in Life. “This was news I had never expected to receive in my lifetime: the resignation of a pope was unimaginable, although it was provided for in canon law. In the first few moments I said to myself, ‘I must have misunderstood, it’s not possible.’ But then I understood that Benedict had surely meditated and prayed for a long time before making this brave and historic decision. Faced with his declining strength, he had evidently realized that the only irreplaceable element in the Church is the Holy Spirit, and the only Lord is Jesus Christ. This is why he was a great pope, humble and sincere, who loved the church until the end.”
During the 10 years they lived together in the Vatican as a reigning and retired pope, Francis repeatedly praised Benedict’s courage and humility for resigning and said he had “opened the door” to future popes also stepping down.
On the chance he might follow:
In a 2022 interview with Spain’s ABC daily, Francis revealed that he had written a letter of resignation soon after he was elected pontiff. The letter laid out his resignation if medical problems impeded him from carrying out his duties or from freely announcing a resignation.
The text of the letter has not been released and it’s not known what sort of medical impairment or lack of consciousness might trigger a resignation. Canon law has no provision for what to do if a pope is permanently impaired and canonists are divided on whether a pre-written letter of resignation would be valid.
Canon 332.2 says that for a pope to resign his office, “it is required for validity that the resignation is made freely and properly manifested but not that it is accepted by anyone.”
Francis has repeated the existence of his resignation letter as recently as last year. But in Life, which was published a year ago this month, Francis said he had no plans to resign and was at least at that time enjoying good health.
“But this is, I repeat, a distant possibility, because I truly do not have any cause serious enough to make me think of resigning,” he said. “Some people may have hoped that sooner or later, perhaps after a stay in the hospital, I might make an announcement of that kind, but there is no risk of it: Thanks be to God, I enjoy good health, and as I have said, there are many projects to bring to fruition, God willing.”
And what changed after Benedict died:
Benedict died Dec. 31, 2022, at age of 95. There were not a few problems during those 10 years of cohabitation, with traditionalists and conservatives looking to Benedict as their nostalgic point of reference.
In his first interview with The Associated Press after the death, Francis again repeated that Benedict had opened up the possibility of future retired popes. He repeated that if he were to follow, he would live outside the Vatican in a home for retired priests in the diocese of Rome and be referred to as the “emeritus bishop of Rome” as opposed to “emeritus pope.”
Francis said Benedict’s decision to live in a converted monastery in the Vatican Gardens was a “good intermediate solution,” but that future retired popes might want to do things differently.
But a few weeks later, speaking to Congolese and South Sudanese priests, Francis changed tune. Freed from Benedict’s presence, Francis pointed out the risks that papal resignations become the norm. He repeated that he had written a letter of resignation, but made clear the papacy was for life.
“I did it in case I have some health problem that prevents me from exercising my ministry and I am not fully conscious in order to resign,” he said, according to the closed-door comments reported by the Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica.
“However, this doesn’t mean that resigning popes should become, let’s say, a ‘fashion,’ or a normal thing. Benedict had the courage to do it because he didn’t feel like going on because of his health. I for the moment do not have that on my agenda. I believe that the pope’s ministry is ad vitam (for life). I see no reason why it shouldn’t be so. The ministry of the great patriarchs is always for life. And historical tradition is important.”
“If, on the other hand, we listen to the gossip well, then we should change popes every six months!”


Pakistani nationals leave India as tensions between the two nations escalate over Kashmir attack

Pakistani nationals leave India as tensions between the two nations escalate over Kashmir attack
Updated 59 min 3 sec ago
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Pakistani nationals leave India as tensions between the two nations escalate over Kashmir attack

Pakistani nationals leave India as tensions between the two nations escalate over Kashmir attack
  • Deadline for Pakistani citizens to leave the country – with exceptions for those who are on medical visas in India – passed on Sunday
  • But many families still scrambling to the Indian side of the border in Attari town in northern Punjab state to cross into Pakistan

ATTARI, India: Dozens of Pakistani nationals living in India headed to the main land crossing between India and Pakistan on Wednesday, following New Delhi’s decision to order almost all Pakistani citizens to leave the country after last week’s deadly attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
The deadline for Pakistani citizens to leave the country – with exceptions for those who are on medical visas in India – passed on Sunday, but many families were still scrambling to the Indian side of the border in Attari town in northern Punjab state to cross into Pakistan.
Some were arriving on their own and others were being deported by police.
“We have settled our families here. We request the government not to uproot our families,” said Sara Khan, a Pakistani national who was ordered back to Pakistan without her husband, Aurangzeb Khan, who holds an Indian passport.
Waiting on the Indian side of the border crossing, Khan carried her 14-day-old child in her arms. She said Indian authorities did not give her any time to recuperate from a caesarean section and that her long-term visa was valid until July 2026.
“They (authorities) told me you are illegal and you should go,” said Khan, who has been living in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 2017. “They gave us no time. I could not even change my shoes.”
Tensions between rivals India and Pakistan have escalated after gunmen killed 26 people, most of them Indian tourists, near the resort town of Pahalgam in disputed Kashmir.
At least three tourists who survived the massacre said that the gunmen singled out Hindu men and shot them from close range. The dead included a Nepalese citizen and a local Muslim pony ride operator.
India has described the massacre as a “terror attack” and accused Pakistan of backing it. Pakistan has denied any connection to the attack, which was claimed by a previously unknown militant group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance.
The massacre set off tit-for-tat diplomatic measures between India and Pakistan that included cancelation of visas and a recall of diplomats. New Delhi also suspended a crucial water-sharing treaty with Islamabad and ordered its border shut with Pakistan. In response, Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines.
As tensions escalate, cross-border firings between Indian and Pakistani soldiers have also increased along the Line of Control, the de facto frontier that separates Kashmiri territory between the two rivals.
Kashmir is split between India and Pakistan and claimed by both in its entirety. New Delhi describes all militancy in Indian-controlled Kashmir as Pakistan-backed terrorism. Pakistan denies this, and many Muslim Kashmiris consider the militants to be part of a home-grown freedom struggle.
Meanwhile, India’s cabinet committee on security, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met on Wednesday. It was their second such meeting since the attack.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in separate phone calls with India and Pakistan, stressed the need to “avoid a confrontation that could result in tragic consequences.” The US State Department also called for de-escalation and said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be speaking soon to the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers.
The two nations have frequently come to blows over Kashmir in the past, but last week’s massacre has escalated tensions and Modi has repeatedly vowed to pursue and punish the attackers.
Early Wednesday, Pakistan said it had “credible intelligence” that India intends to carry out military action against it in the “next 24-36 hours on the pretext of baseless and concocted allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident.”
There was no immediate comment from Indian officials.


Sweden arrests suspect after fatal triple shooting

Sweden arrests suspect after fatal triple shooting
Updated 30 April 2025
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Sweden arrests suspect after fatal triple shooting

Sweden arrests suspect after fatal triple shooting
  • Tuesday’s shooting took place in broad daylight, a day before the Valborg or Walpurgis spring festival
  • The Scandinavian country has struggled for years to rein in shootings and bombings between rival gangs

UPPSALA, Sweden: Swedish police have arrested a suspect in a shooting that killed three young men at a hair salon, authorities said on Wednesday, amid heightened nerves over gun violence in the Scandinavian nation.
Tuesday’s shooting took place in broad daylight, a day before the Valborg or Walpurgis spring festival which draws more than 100,000 people to the city for celebrations, many of them students.
“One person has been arrested suspected of murder,” police commander Erik Akerlund told a press conference a day after the shooting in the city of Uppsala, 60 kilometers (37 miles) north of Stockholm, that shocked Sweden.
Swedish media reported that at least one of the dead had connections to organized gang crime, though police would not confirm those reports.
The Scandinavian country has struggled for years to rein in shootings and bombings between rival gangs.
Akerlund said several people “considered of interest in the investigation” had been brought in for questioning.


North Korea’s Kim watches missile test-firings from country’s first destroyer

North Korea’s Kim watches missile test-firings from country’s first destroyer
Updated 30 April 2025
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North Korea’s Kim watches missile test-firings from country’s first destroyer

North Korea’s Kim watches missile test-firings from country’s first destroyer
  • The official Korean Central News Agency said Wednesday that Kim watched the tests of the destroyer’s supersonic and strategic cruise missiles, anti-aircraft missile, automatic guns and electronic jamm
  • North Korea and Russia have been sharply expanding military and other cooperation in recent years, with the North supplying troops and conventional weapons to Russia

SEOUL: North Korea said Wednesday leader Kim Jong Un observed the test-firings of missiles from a recently launched destroyer — the first such warship for the North — and called for accelerating efforts to boost his navy’s nuclear attack capabilities.
North Korea last week unveiled the 5,000-ton destroyer equipped with what it called the most powerful weapons systems built for a navy vessel. During Friday’s launching ceremony at the western port of Nampo, Kim called the ship’s construction “a breakthrough” in modernizing North Korea’s naval forces.
Outside experts say it’s North Korea’s first destroyer and that it was likely built with Russian assistance. They say North Korea’s naval forces lag behind South Korea’s but still view the destroyer as a serious security threat as it could bolster North Korea’s attack and defense capabilities.
The official Korean Central News Agency said Wednesday that Kim watched the tests of the destroyer’s supersonic and strategic cruise missiles, anti-aircraft missile, automatic guns and electronic jamming guns earlier this week.
He appreciated the ship’s combination of powerful strike weapons and conventional defenses and set tasks to speed the nuclear-arming of his navy, the report said.
During the ship’s launching ceremony, Kim said the destroyer will be deployed early next year. He said the acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine would be his next big step in strengthening his navy. He underscored the need to beef up North Korea’s deterrence capability to cope with what he called escalating US-led hostilities targeting the North.
An analysis of photos of the warship shows that its anti-air radar system is likely from Russia, said Lee Illwoo, an expert with the Korea Defense Network in South Korea. He said the warship’s engine system and some of its anti-air weapons systems also likely came from Russia.
North Korea and Russia have been sharply expanding military and other cooperation in recent years, with the North supplying troops and conventional weapons to support Russia’s war efforts against Ukraine. The US, South Korea and their partners worry Russia will likely in return provide North Korea with high-tech weapons technologies that can enhance its nuclear program as well as shipping other military and economic assistance.
South Korea’s military said Wednesday that South Korean and US intelligence authorities were closely monitoring North Korean warship development. South Korea’s spy agency separately told lawmakers that North Korea won’t likely be able to deploy a nuclear-powered submarine anytime soon without Russian support.
In March, North Korea unveiled a nuclear-powered submarine under construction. Many civilian experts said at the time that North Korea may have received Russian technological assistance to build a nuclear reactor to be used in the submarine.
Lee said the deployment of a warship with an advanced radar system off North Korea’s west coast could sharply bolster its air defense capabilities for Pyongyang, the capital. Lee said South Korea, which has 12 destroyers, still vastly outpaces North Korea’s naval forces. But he said the North Korean destroyer, which can carry about 80 missiles, can still pose a big threat, as South Korea’s navy hasn’t likely braced for such an enemy warship.


Russia begins building road bridge to North Korea

Russia begins building road bridge to North Korea
Updated 30 April 2025
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Russia begins building road bridge to North Korea

Russia begins building road bridge to North Korea
  • The new road bridge, which has been under discussion for years, will be 850 meters (2789 ft) and link up with the Russian highway system

MOSCOW: Russia and North Korea on Wednesday began construction of a road bridge between the two countries that will span the Tumen river, part of an effort to strengthen their strategic partnership, Russia’s prime minister said.
The bridge is being built near the existing “Friendship Bridge,” a rail bridge which was commissioned in 1959 after the Korean war.
At a ceremony dedicated to the start of the new bridge’s construction, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said it was a significant event in Russian-North Korean relations, the TASS state news agency reported.
“The significance goes far beyond just an engineering task,” Mishustin was quoted as saying. “It symbolizes our common desire to strengthen friendly, good-neighborly relations and increase inter-regional cooperation.”
The new road bridge, which has been under discussion for years, will be 850 meters (2789 ft) and link up with the Russian highway system. Its construction was agreed during a visit by President Vladimir Putin to North Korea in 2024.
Russia’s Kommersant newspaper said the bridge will be ready by the summer of 2026.
Mishustin said the bridge “will allow entrepreneurs to significantly increase transportation volumes and reduce transportation costs, ensure reliable and stable supplies of various products, which will contribute to the expansion of trade and economic cooperation,” TASS reported.
About 600 North Korean troops have been killed fighting for Russia against Ukraine out of a total deployment of 15,000, South Korean lawmakers said on Wednesday, citing the country’s intelligence agency.


Australian triple-murder suspect allegedly cooked ‘special’ mushroom meal

Australian triple-murder suspect allegedly cooked ‘special’ mushroom meal
Updated 30 April 2025
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Australian triple-murder suspect allegedly cooked ‘special’ mushroom meal

Australian triple-murder suspect allegedly cooked ‘special’ mushroom meal
  • ‘Special meal’ for her in-laws was Beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms
  • Within hours of the lunch, the four guests developed diarrhea and vomiting

MORWELL, Australia: An Australian woman promised a “special meal” for her in-laws before dishing up a beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms that killed three of them, jurors heard Wednesday.
On the opening day of a trial that has drawn global attention, Erin Patterson, 50, faced a jury accused of three murders – including her parents-in-law – and one attempted murder.
She has pleaded not guilty to all counts, with her defense saying it was all “a terrible accident.”
Patterson “deliberately poisoned” her guests, Crown Prosecutor Nanette Rogers told the jury.
The accused served “individual beef Wellingtons, mashed potatoes and green beans,” with the guests eating from four large grey dinner plates, while she ate from a smaller, orange plate, Rogers said.
Patterson invited her guests to the lunch in late July 2023 at her home in the sedate Victoria state farm village of Leongatha, telling them she had a health issue to relate, the prosecutor said.
Her estranged husband Simon Patterson declined, texting her the night before that he felt “uncomfortable” going.
In a return text minutes later, Patterson said she was “disappointed,” as she wanted to prepare a “special meal and that she may not be able to have a lunch like this for some time,” Rogers said.
But her husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, decided to go, along with his aunt Heather Wilkinson and her husband, local pastor Ian Wilkinson.
During the lunch, Patterson claimed to have cancer and wanted their advice about how to tell her two children, the prosecutor said.
Medical tests later found no evidence she had cancer, Rogers said.
Within hours of the lunch, the four guests developed diarrhea and vomiting, and were raced to hospital.
All were diagnosed by treating doctors with poisoning by death cap mushrooms, Rogers told the court.
Within days, Don, Gail and Heather were dead.
Ian, the pastor, survived after nearly two months in hospital.
Patterson went to the hospital two days after the lunch and complained she, too, was unwell, the prosecution said.
She initially refused medical assistance and left the hospital, but relented and returned for treatment, the court heard.
Patterson said her children had eaten leftovers of the beef Wellington.
But she claimed to have scraped off the mushroom paste and pastry because they were “fussy,” Rogers said.
When medical staff demanded to see her children, Patterson resisted saying she did not want them to “be panicked and stressed.”
“She did not appear to be concerned about children’s health but rather about stressing them out,” Rogers said.
The children eventually received medical attention but did not have any symptoms of poisoning.
Rogers said Patterson knew that neither she nor her children had consumed the deadly mushrooms.
Police located beef Wellington remnants at Patterson’s home, which were found under forensic investigation to have traces of death cap mushrooms, Rogers added.
Patterson allegedly told doctors she used fresh mushrooms from a supermarket and also dried mushrooms from an Asian grocery – but she did not remember which one.
A Department of Health investigation was unable to trace any shop selling death cap mushrooms.
Patterson discarded a food dehydrator in the days after the lunch, which was later found to contain traces of death cap mushrooms, prosecutors said.
Patterson’s lawyer Colin Mandy said the poisoning was a “tragedy and terrible accident.”
“She didn’t do it deliberately, she didn’t do it intentionally. The defense case is that she didn’t intend to cause anyone any harm on that day,” he said.
Patterson is being tried in the Latrobe Valley Law Courts in Morwell, south of Melbourne.
The trial is expected to last about six weeks.