Pope Francis: Health, Plans, and Reflections on His Papacy

For now, no resignations, "I enjoy good health." Pope Francis in his autobiography that will be available in bookstores from March 19th by Harper-Collins "Life. My Story in History," written with Fabio Marchese Ragona, a Mediaset Vaticanist and personal friend, confirms once again what the 87-year-old pontiff thinks about stepping back following the example of his predecessor Benedict XVI ("some over the years may have hoped, perhaps after one of my hospital stays"). He repeats that "the Petrine ministry is for life, and therefore I do not see conditions for a resignation. Things would change if a serious physical impediment were to occur, and in that case, I have already signed at the beginning of my pontificate the letter of resignation that is deposited in the Secretariat of State." Should this hypothesis ever occur, Bergoglio – as he has already made known over the past years – will not call himself Pope Emeritus, "but simply bishop emeritus of Rome, and I would move to Santa Maria Maggiore to return to being a confessor and bringing communion to the sick. But this is a distant hypothesis, because I really have no such serious reasons to make me think of a resignation. There is no such risk: thanks to the Lord, I enjoy good health and, God willing, there are many projects still to be realized." In recounting himself, Pope Bergoglio revisits the main moments of his life. The family of Piedmontese origins, the emigration to Argentina at the beginning of the last century, the 'mythical' grandmother Rosa who taught him faith and many beautiful things about life, his classmates, his studies in chemistry, and even a little girlfriend. "During that year in the seminary I also had a little crush: it's normal, otherwise, we wouldn't be human. I had already had a girlfriend in the past, a very sweet girl who worked in the cinema world and who later got married and had children. This time, however, I was at one of my uncle's weddings and was dazzled by a girl. She really turned my head because she was so beautiful and intelligent. For a week I had her image always in my mind and I found it difficult to pray! But luckily it passed, and I devoted soul and body to my vocation." At St. Peter's the first tests on how to bless gay couples: a quick sign on the forehead (to not exceed 15 seconds) The eleven years of pontificate are analyzed through the dominant passages starting from the election that took place in 2013. The relationship he was able to establish with the other Pope, Ratzinger, while living on the Vatican hill in the monastery, the travels in the world, the wars that torment him, the battle to save the planet, the relationship with women and with other religions. There are also some passages on Europe. One in particular emphasizes the difficult relationship with Viktor Orban In the European Union "each people brings its riches, its culture, its philosophy and must be able to maintain them, harmonizing in the differences. I talked about it precisely in Budapest because I hope those words are heard both by the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, because he understands that there is always a great need for unity, and by Brussels - which seems to want to standardize everything - because it respects Hungarian singularity." The Pope in the book expresses himself several times in defense of peace, work, against arms dealers and the excesses of finance. He then launches an appeal to protect creation - "time is running out, we don't have much left to save the planet" - inviting young people to "make noise," without resorting to violence and without "defacing works of art." "Ratzinger, a shining example": Don Georg celebrates mass at St. Peter's while the historic prophecy on ethical relativism becomes current again On homosexuals, another very delicate point of the pontificate, Francis repeats that doctrine will not change, what must change is the pastoral care, the attitude towards them. "I imagine a mother Church, that embraces and welcomes everyone, even those who feel wrong and who in the past were judged by us. I think of homosexual or transgender people who seek the Lord and who instead have been rejected or driven away." The Pope confirms "the blessings to irregular couples: I just want to say that God loves everyone, especially sinners. And if some brother bishops decide not to follow this path, it does not mean that this is the antechamber of a schism, because the doctrine of the Church is not questioned." Homosexual marriage is not possible, but civil unions are: "It is right that these people who live the gift of love can have legal coverage like everyone else. Jesus often went to meet people living on the margins, and that is what the Church should do today with people from the LGBTQ+ community, who are often marginalized within the Church: make them feel at home, especially those who have received baptism and are fully part of the people of God. And those who have not received baptism and wish to receive it, or who wish to be godfathers or godmothers, please, let them be welcomed." Vatican, the hypothesis of reforming the conclave and those who foresee strong risks of manipulation on the candidates: here's why In these years, there have been no lack of criticism for his authoritarian style of government, for the mistakes made, and gradually a base of opposition has formed. At different times he was attacked by blogs and newspapers, especially American ones. The Pope took it philosophically saying that if he had followed all the things said and written about him, he would have had to go to the psychologist once a week. But he was hurt by those who wrote that "Francis is destroying the papacy." "What can I say? That my vocation is the priestly one: first of all, I am a priest, I am a shepherd, and shepherds must be among the people... It is true that the Vatican is the last absolute monarchy in Europe, and that often inside here reasoning and court maneuvers are made, but these schemes must be definitively abandoned." In the conclave of 2013 "there was a great desire to change things, to abandon certain attitudes that unfortunately still today struggle to disappear. There is always someone trying to slow down the reform, who would like to remain still in the times of the Pope-king."