Cardinal Camillo Ruini expressed the view that Pope Benedict XVI's resignation was a mistake. Ruini admitted to being surprised and unsure about the ultimate impact (good or harm) of Pope Francis's pontificate due to the sudden and significant change it represented. The 95-year-old cardinal, a senior figure in the Italian episcopate, shared these candid opinions in an interview with Italy’s Corriere della sera newspaper. Ruini ranked Pope St. John Paul II as the greatest among the popes of his lifetime, calling him a "true leader on the world stage." He listed Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI as a fortunate succession of great popes for the Church.
14 days ago
Cardinal Camillo Ruini, aged 95, is a senior Italian figure who served as vicar for Rome under John Paul II and president of the Italian bishops' conference.1
His recent interview with Corriere della sera offers candid views on multiple popes, carrying significant weight due to his experience.1
Ruini ranks Pope St. John Paul II as the greatest (maggiore) pope of his lifetime, describing him as a true world leader.1
He lists Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, and Benedict XVI among other great successors, calling it a fortunate period for the Church.1
Ruini deems Benedict XVI's 2013 resignation a mistake, though he avoids harsh judgment given Benedict's self-knowledge.1
He praises Benedict as a great theologian but notes governance as a weak point, with no strong alternatives emerging in the 2005 conclave.1
Ruini expresses surprise at the sudden and great changes under Francis, more than disappointment.1
He offers a complex evaluation with very positive aspects and others much less so, stating it's too early to determine if the pontificate did more good or harm.1
Ruini holds an excellent impression of current Pope Leo XIV after a brief post-election audience.1
He expresses happiness with the new pope.1
The interview highlights frank but measured speech on challenging topics like papal resignations and pontificates, setting an example for discussion without polemics.1
Author Christopher R. Altieri emphasizes that Ruini's clarity acknowledges realities whispered privately for years.1
Assess the theological impact of Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation
Pope Benedict XVI's resignation in 2013 marked a rare and momentous event in the life of the Church, valid under canon law and historical precedent, yet one that provoked widespread shock, theological reflection, and debate about the nature of the papal ministry. Drawing from Catholic theological analysis, the act raised profound questions about whether the Petrine office demands a commitment "unto death," akin to the Cross of Christ, or allows for renunciation in service to the Church's good. While affirming its legitimacy, the resignation compelled a rethinking of episcopal collegiality, pastoral charity, and the unique burden of the Bishop of Rome amid modern challenges.
The announcement elicited global reactions of incredulity, disappointment, sorrow, betrayal, anger, panic, and a sense of directionlessness, as if the faithful were "a flock suddenly left without a shepherd." For many Catholics, the papal ministry represented "the last bastion of stable authority in a world... marked by a crisis of authority," making the resignation feel like "the rug pulled out from under their feet." This emotional outpouring was not merely sentimental but embodied a "contemporary perception and expectation of the ministry of the Bishop of Rome," rooted in tradition yet hinting at deeper theological content. Critics, including echoes of Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz's remark that "one doesn't come down from the cross"—recalling Pope John Paul II's endurance—framed it as a potential flight from suffering, akin to St. Peter in Quo Vadis? Benedict himself acknowledged the "novelty" of his decision in his final General Audience, gently countering such views.
Ecclesiastical tradition and law unequivocally affirm the Pope's freedom to resign. The Catholic Encyclopedia details precedents like St. Celestine V (1294), who decreed papal abdication permissible and renounced the office after five months, leading Pope Boniface VIII to codify it in the Corpus Juris Canonici to end disputes. Other examples include Benedict IX (1044), Gregory VI (1046), and Gregory XII (1415) during the Western Schism. A resignation is valid if free, even without grave cause, as the Pope has no earthly superior and dissolves his "spiritual marriage" to the Roman Church by papal power alone; it strips all jurisdiction indelibly.
Though not explicitly codified for popes in the 1983 Code of Canon Law like for bishops (Can. 401 §1 requests resignation at 75; §2 for ill health or grave cause), the act aligns with this framework, as the Pope remains "essentially and fundamentally a bishop." Pope Francis later refined norms for age-related resignations of curial officials and bishops, emphasizing pastoral utility and continuity, indirectly underscoring the Church's evolving approach. Benedict's self-described incapacity due to age—"strength of mind and body are necessary" amid "rapid changes"—mirrors these provisions.
The resignation spotlighted the tension: "The Pope... more than a Bishop?" Jean-Marie Tillard notes the papacy's episcopal essence within the college of bishops, where Rome holds primacy, yet historical evolution suggests otherwise. Why is a bishop's resignation at 75 "normal," while a pope's seems "unusual" or "abnormal," despite canonical allowance? This reveals unresolved "tension between the bishops of local churches and the Bishop of Rome," with pre-Vatican II views of bishops as papal subordinates lingering, despite Lumen Gentium §27 affirming bishops as vicars of Christ in their own right. The event thus impelled harmonizing theology and canon law for the universal Church's mission.
Central to the debate is whether papal/episcopal ministry is "unto death," conformed to Christ's Cross. Dziwisz's critique implied Benedict abandoned the Cross, but the Pope Emeritus responded by embracing a different conformity: renunciation for the Church's good, motivated by "pastoral charity." He declared: "Loving the Church also means having the courage to make tough choices... always holding as first the good of the Church and not oneself." This "death to self"—entering "obscurity and... prayerful silence"—serves the flock better than prolonged incapacity, echoing the shepherd who lays down his life uniquely per divine call. Unlike John Paul II's singular path, each ministry is unrepeatable, grounded in discipleship. The Cross shines in such obedience, not mere endurance.
The resignation extends questions to all bishops: Is episcopal service abridgable, or lifelong? As one collegial ministry (LG §22), papal uniqueness does not exempt shared theology. It challenges norms like Can. 401, questioning subordination and affirming bishops' autonomy. Ultimately, it reframes resignation not as evasion but heroic charity, potentially normalizing prudent steps down for the Gospel's proclamation.
In summary, Benedict XVI's resignation, while legally sound and pastorally motivated, profoundly impacted theology by surfacing expectations of the papal office, reconciling Cross-theology with contemporary needs, and urging deeper reflection on episcopal vocation amid crisis. It did not undermine the Petrine ministry but enriched its understanding as service above self.