Pope could resign over ill health, says cardinal…

THE TELEGRAPH 

Pope Francis could resign over ill health says Italian cardinal.

Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, the former head of the Vatican’s department of cultural affairs, raised the possibility as the 88-year-old pontiff spent his sixth day in hospital battling pneumonia in both lungs.

He said the Pope had always been “decisive” and hinted that he might voluntarily step down as head of the Roman Catholic Church if his health restricted his ability to fulfil his duties.

The Cardinal said Pope Francis had a tendency to “fight”, but if he was no longer able to communicate in an “immediate, incisive and decisive way”, he may consider resigning.

“I think he could do it because he is a person who is quite decisive in his choices,” said Cardinal Ravasi in an interview with Italian radio network RTL on Thursday.

“He has always had the tendency to fight and react and that is a legitimate choice too, because he has been able to handle trips in very difficult and challenging conditions, like the one in the Far East,” Cardinal Ravasi said, referring to the Pope’s gruelling 20,000-mile trip last year to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore.

“However, there is no question that if he found himself in a situation where he was compromised in his ability to have direct contact – as he loves to do – to be able to communicate in an immediate, incisive and decisive way, then I believe he might consider resigning.”

The Vatican said on Thursday the pontiff spent a restful night in his private tenth-floor suite at the hospital after being admitted with severe breathing difficulties last Friday.

The Vatican press office added that the Pope “got out of bed and had his breakfast in an armchair”.

By the evening his “clinical condition [was] improving slightly”.

“He is apyretic and hemodynamic parameters continue to be stable. He received the Eucharist this morning and afterwards went about his work activities,” the Vatican press office added…