Pope Francis Says He Will Resign if He Becomes Too Tired

Pope Benedict XVI left his role as leader of the Catholic Church ten years ago after only eight years in office. He was the first pope to step down voluntarily since Celestine V in 1294. As of late, Pope Francis has hinted that he too would step down.

Italian media reportedly questioned the pope on March 10 about potential resignation reasons. The 86-year-old pontiff answered by stating that sometimes fatigue prevents individuals from being able to “see things clearly.” He also implied that if he became too fatigued, he would resign.

Pope Francis has stated in the past that he had no plans to step down, but if his health continued to deteriorate, he may think about doing so. He previously asserted that he signed a letter of resignation that would take effect if he were to experience any kind of impairment.

Pope Francis is a contentious figure in the United States.

Conservative Catholics frequently disagree with his stances on matters such as guns, LGBTQ+ rights, and other topics.

For instance, he opposes bishops interfering in the political debate over whether or not to permit Catholics who support abortion to partake in holy communion.

Pope Francis has reportedly stated that transgender ideology “blurs differences and the value of men and women,” and that “Gender ideology, today, is one of the most dangerous ideological colonizations.”

Pope Francis has already spoken out against gender ideas in other speeches. He claimed that in 2016, children are encouraged to think they can pick their own sex. He continued by saying he thought the books supplied by the institutions that give them money were teaching them to think that way.

Conservatives who have been battling against the erasure of gender norms praised Francis’ statements extensively.

Regarding retirement, the pope made it clear that he has no immediate plans to do so.