TRADIZIONE FAMIGLIA PROPRIETÀ magazine, Rome, Year 29, no. 99 October 2023, pp. 29-31
By Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira
In November 1994, rumors circulated in Rome of Pope John Paul II’s possible resignation. At a meeting for members and volunteers of the Brazilian TFP, Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira analyzed this hypothesis, commenting on its consequences and opening up the possibility of the election of an Argentine pontiff.
“The Question of the Legitimacy of the Pope’s Resignation
May Lead to a Chaotic Situation Within the Church.”
On November 2, 1994, the Estado de S. Paulo daily quoted a statement by Vittorio Messori, to whom, as you well remember, John Paul II gave the famous interview that later turned into the book Crossing the Threshold of Hope. Messori stated, “They say that the pope is old and ill to foment the idea that he is clinging to power out of sheer ambition despite his precarious condition.” Messori adds that the media are creating a psychological climate to force the pope to resign by manipulating rumors about his health.
This news is very important considering the old proverb, “There is no smoke without fire.” Indeed, one feels some smoke in the air. Rumors are circulating that John Paul II is so impaired that he should consider resigning.
What would be the consequence of John Paul II stepping down? In principle, when a person in lawful possession of an office resigns, he loses that office, and that is where it ends. However, the question may arise whether his resignation was perfectly free and consensual; otherwise, its validity may be questioned. Resignation is a legal act, and the validity of any legal act depends on the full freedom with which the person has acted.
Rumors are also circulating that John Paul II has passed the age at which any bishop should automatically pass to emeritus status. If all bishops, even those from small and easy-to-govern dioceses, must resign after a certain age, would this not also apply to the Rome Diocese?
Some will say that the pope is the supreme judge and is even above Canon Law, which is true. In this case, however, the voices say that no one should be a judge in his own case. Doesn’t this also apply to the pope? This circumstance creates a painful situation for any pope who has passed the age limit and is physically impaired. To somewhat malevolent minds, it could give the impression of a man clinging to office for the sake of power instead of setting an example by resigning.
However, the legitimacy of the resignation remains questionable because a campaign of rumors that the pope is too old and ill could force him to resign. He could do so under pressure, in an unpleasant situation, accused of clinging to office only for the sake of power. In this case, whether he resigned freely or was forced to do so might be questionable.
This would raise another problem: Would the conclave act appropriately by electing his successor? So, we have a situation that can lead to real chaos within the Church by opening up unending disagreements that can cause division amid the chaos.
I don’t know if this is the situation [progressives] want to bring about, but I wonder if someone intends to create such a quagmire in the Church.
The Estado de São Paulo article also quotes progressive theologian Hans Küng as saying, “I consider it dangerous for a pope’s election to take place in the presence of his predecessor because this would limit the freedom of the College of Cardinals.”
Be that as it may, it seems that John Paul II’s resignation hypothesis is taking shape. Among possible successors, the newspapers mention Cardinals Martini of Milan, Daneels of Brussels, Vlk of Prague, and Moreira Neves of Brazil. However, I would mention a hypothesis raised by Jean Guitton, a friend of Paul VI, who says that the next pope may be an Argentine. This seems plausible because the four Argentine cardinals are all of Italian descent and are therefore suited to a compromise formula between a past of Italian popes and a future of popes from other continents.
* Meeting for Brazilian TFP members and volunteers on November 12, 1994, taken from a recording without the author’s review.