The general secretary and spokesman of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE), Mons. Francisco César García Magán, expressed his conviction that there are no conditions for a resignation of Pope Francis, hospitalized for 14 days due to health problems.
Asked at the end of the meeting of the Permanent Commission of the Coordination Organ of the Spanish Prelates, Mons. García Magán explained that the renunciation of the Pontiff is scheduled in the Canon 332.2 of the Canon Law Codewith the only requirement that “be free and manifests formally.”
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Mons. García Magán also recalled that it is public that in 2013 Pope Francis gave the then Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Bertone, “a letter signed with his formal resignation in case of impediment.”
“I signed it and said: ‘In case of impediment for medical issues or what I know, here is my resignation. They already have it ‘. I don’t know who Cardinal Bertone will have given it to her, but he gave her when she was secretary of state, “the Pontiff revealed to the Spanish newspaper ABC in 2022.
The CEE spokesman said in this regard that “these conditions are not taking place because that impediment to which the Pope referred to was when it is linked to a mental limitation, to a mental impediment. What the Pope has now are age diseases. ”
“As he has said on occasion, the Church is not governed with the knees, but is governed with the head, with the help of the Holy Spirit,” added the Prelate, who, after the resignation of Benedict XVI, considered that, if Pope Francis made the same decision, “it would not be novelty.”
The Episcopal spokesman also stressed that “we are not in a pre -flag period, much less” and called on the people of God to “intensify the prayer for the healing of this Pope” and do it “with affection and communion.”
Spanish cardinals who would participate in a conclave today
To questions from the media present, Mons. García Magán explained that, in the event that Pope Francis died, there are four CEE cardinals who could participate in a conclave after being less than 80 years old.
This is the archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal José Cobo and that of Barcelona, Cardinal Juan José Omella, and the Emeritus of Madrid, Cardinal Carlos Osoro and Valencia, Cardinal Antonio Cañizares.
Predictably, for health reasons, Cardinal Cañizares will not be able to move to Rome in the case.
Two other Spanish cardinals members of the curia could be part of the conclave. This is Cardinal Fernando Vérguez, president of the Government of the Vatican State (which turns 80 on March 1) and Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, Pro-Prefect of the Dicasteria for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life.
There are three other weddded with Spanish origin under 80 years of age that belong to other episcopal conferences: the emeritus archbishop of Santiago de Chile, Cardinal Celestino Aós Braco; the Archbishop of Rabat, Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero (born in Spain and Paraguayan nationalized); and the Bishop of Ajaccio (Corsica, France), Cardinal Francisco Javier Bustillo.
Nicolás de Cárdenas
Born in 1980, I am a Spanish and journalist’s husband and father with more than 20 years of experience in print and digital media, specialized in socio -political and religious information. I have worked more than 10 years in defense of human rights and I have accreditations in journalism and comprehensive communication. Since July 2022, I am a correspondent for ACI Press and Ewtn News in Spain, covering international events of the Catholic Church.