Pope Francis joked that John XXIV will succeed him in 2025: who is he

John XXIV will be Pope Francis’ successor in four years. At least, this is the answer that the Pontiff gave in private audience to the Bishop of Ragusa, in Italy, Mgr Giuseppe La Placa, when he wanted to confirm his presence at the acts of the 75th anniversary of the creation of his diocese, in 2025..

Certainly it was a joke, but recurring, which he had done on several occasions, the agency reported N / A. AND It’s not because I’m thinking of stopping: “It hasn’t even crossed my mind” He pointed out in the interview COPE conducted with him in September, when the Italian press speculated, after the emergency operation to which he had undergone a short time ago, at the age of 85, when they took about 30 centimeters of intestine.

Either way, Francisco is getting ready to celebrate his birthday on December 17th with increasing health problemsIndeed, since the age of 21, he had part of his right lung removed, due to a serious infection.

Pope Francis: “Some wanted my death”

He also has gallbladder, heart and sciatica problems, as well as spinal disease, which makes mobility difficult. Even with this delicate health picture, he must continue with a rhythm of hearing and movement inappropriate for a person of his age and state of health.

Analysts say the The Pope is aware that his time at the head of the Church cannot be very long and seeks to influence the choice of his successor, so after launching Juan XXIV revealed his preference for a profile similar to his.

Who is Juan XXIV

He is “candidate” would be like a great reformer, since his predecessor John XXIII stood out for having summoned the Vatican Council II which involved the major “aggionamiento “of the Church in recent centuries. If he finally manages to impose it, it will be continuity and if he does not, there will be a rupture from the moment this name is announced in Saint Peter’s Square.

Francis was the pope with the most cardinal electors appointed out of the 121 under 80 who currently make up the conclave: 70 against 38 for Benedict XVI and only 13 for John Paul II. However, before December 2022, the composition will change: 11 will reach retirement age, so it is very likely that Francis will convene a new consistory, the ceremony for the creation of cardinals, and add ten more electors.

In this context, it is expected that the The conclave that will designate his successor would be totally Franciscan, since he would have the two-thirds majority necessary to elect the new pontiff, in accordance with the standards established by Benedict XVI.

May the predecessor, Benedict XVI, be still alive, configure a strange situation in the Church, in which two potatoes coexist, and there are quite a few critics of Francisco who continue to grant Ratzinger legitimacy.

What would have happened then if the pressure to make him resign from the current emeritus had flourished? That there would be three popes as soon as his successor was appointed.

By choosing his Jean XXIV, François reminds Angelo Roncalli – Juan XXIII– who was anointed about to turn 78, preceded by a reputation as a curator. Bergoglio himself canonized him in 2014. But he finished surprising the Church and the world with the convocation of Vatican Council II.

He renewed the liturgy and replaced Latin with the vernacular languages. Bet on him ecumenism, open to the role of lay people in the Church and he approached the contemporary world to establish a dialogue centered “on what unites us and not on what separates us”.

Do you know who would be Francisco’s John XXIV? The one considered to be one of his own is the 64-year-old Filipino Jesuit, whom he has put in charge of the management of Caritas International and placed at the head of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, as prefect, in addition to appoint him president of the Catholic Biblical Federation.

He is the Bishop of Manila, his name is Luis Antonio Tagle and he is known as Cardinal Chito. But even with the council numerically on its side, it will not be easy for Francis to impose a line of succession in the unfavorable climate in an important sector of the Church.

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