|
MECHELEN,
Belgium (Reuters) - A Belgian Roman Catholic cardinal who
said that he would not be surprised if Pope John Paul (news
- web sites) II opted to abdicate next year denied Monday
that he wished the Pope would do so.
``What
I did not want to say is that it would be wishful for this
pope to abdicate, or that I would like to have him abdicate
or that he is no longer doing his job well,'' Cardinal Godfried
Danneels told a news conference.
In his
new book ``Frankly Speaking'' released last week, Danneels
said that the 80-year-old pontiff could abdicate next year.
The
Vatican Thursday responded with a tersely worded statement
denying that the Pope had any plans to retire after this
year.
But
Danneels Monday said the public reaction to his comments
were exaggerated.
``The
media magnified what is actually an evident consideration,''
he said.
``Taking
into account increasing life expectancy, you cannot remain
forever at the head of such a large institution,'' he added.
In his
book, which takes the form of interviews on topics ranging
from science and politics to culture, Danneels comments
on whether a retirement age of 75 should apply to pontiffs,
as it does to bishops.
``The
question will inevitably be posed in the same form to popes.
And it would not surprise me if the Pope were to retire
after 2000.
``He
wanted at all costs to reach the jubilee year 2000, but
I consider him capable of retiring afterwards,'' he said
in the book.
Last
January, a German bishop, Karl Lehmann, caused a storm when
he aired the idea that the Pope might one day retire if
he felt he could no longer do his job properly.
Popes
usually remain in their post for life. The last pope to
resign willingly was Celestine V, who stepped down in 1294.
Gregory XII reluctantly abdicated in 1415 in order to resolve
a dispute when there was more than one pope sitting at the
same time.
According
to Canon 332 of Church Law, a pope can resign but he has
to do so freely and, since he is Supreme Pontiff, no one
has to accept the resignation.
|
