COMMENTARY: April 19 marks the 20th anniversary of the election as pope of one of the most consequential ecclesial figures of ...

whether Francis might resign if he becomes irreversibly sick and unable to carry on. Francis has said he would consider it, ...

As noted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, it was at a fairly “ordinary” consistory in 2013 that Pope Benedict XVI announced his surprise resignation. Who is eligible to be the next ...

But the 88-year-old pope has spoken about the possibility of resignation, though his position has changed over time, especially after the death of Pope Benedict XVI. Here's what Francis has said ...

The Pope appealed to St. Benedict for help "to hold firm Christ's central position in our lives. May he always be first in our thoughts and in all our activities!" Before concluding, Benedict XVI ...

“As he has said on occasion, the Church is not governed with the knees but with the head, with the help of the Holy Spirit,” added the prelate, who, after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI ...

Pope Francis, right, hugs Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI prior to the start of a meeting with elderly faithful in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Sept. 28, 2014. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File ...