Cardinal Castillo: Pope Francis has not thought about resigning but the renunciation letter is ready

The Archbishop of Lima (Peru), Cardinal Carlos Castillo, said that Pope Francis “has never thought about renouncing” but “the renunciation letter is ready” in case “loses consciousness.”

“I have always insisted – and it is because he himself has said it – that his conception of what the papacy is is that a Pope has to finish his period completely to death (…) that is, he has never thought of giving up,” said the cardinal in an interview with RPP On March 13, at the end of Francisco’s papacy.

Lucidity is “fundamental to a Pope”

“What happens is that it could be that at one time a state of … above all refers to lucidity. Lucidity is essential for a Pope, ”said the member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, who was traveling for several weeks in Rome.

“Then, if that were (like this), he already made the renunciation letter, he is ready in case (Pope Francis) loses consciousness. If you lose consciousness, you must choose another Pope, ”said Cardinal Castillo.

“But beyond that, I think he, say … also the conditions are not for that, this is a little long disease but it happens to us all, right? And not for that reason we renounce our work,” he said.

Pope Francis’s renunciation letter

Although he did not specify, the cardinal would have referred to the letter spoken by Pope Francis in December 2022, in an interview with the Spanish newspaper ABC.

“I have already signed my resignation,” said the Holy Father on that occasion. “I don’t know who Cardinal Bertone will have given her, but he gave her when she was secretary of state,” he explained.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone was appointed Secretary of State in 2006, during the Pontificate of Benedict XVI, and was in office until August 31, 2013, that is, during the first months of Francisco’s papacy.

“Surely he handed it to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the new Secretary of State,” said Pope Francis then.

Pope Francis entered the Gemelli Hospital, afflicted with bronchitis, on February 14, in what is his fourth hospitalization of his 12 years of papacy.

Days later, doctors diagnosed him bilateral pneumonia and asthmatic bronchitis. On February 21 they indicated that Pope Francis was “in danger” and since 24 the faithful began to pray the Rosary daily, for the Holy Father, in the Plaza de San Pedro.

On March 10, doctors withdrew the reserved prognosis of Pope Francis and reported after pneumonia is referring, but a possible discharge date has not yet been indicated.