ANSWER by Staff on November 1, 2003

Dear Henry: Your question seems to imply that the Pope may be "controlled". This is not so. Even if it were true that some other pope of the past had been "controlled" by Vatican officials, it is hardly true of this pope. Pope John Paul II is a strong Pope who takes the bull by the horns and allows no one to manipulate him. That was true even in the first moments after he was elected. He did things exactly as he wished to do them regardless of the advice or pressure from Vatican advisors and aides. Although I do not remember the details at the moment, in the first moments after he was elected he ignored the pressures from the Vatican officials to do what they thought he should do in those early moments of being Pope according to long established customs. This man is not one to be manipulated by anyone. By virtue of the Office of the Papacy, God's primary intent and will is for the Supreme Pontiff to remain in office until death. God directing a Pope to resign is an extraordinary exception that has only occurred once or twice in history. The Pope made his statement that God wanted him to continue as Pope because this is what God must have told him when the Pope was in prayer. We know and discover God's will through various combination of means: 1) by biblical revelation; 2) by revelation of Sacred Tradition; 3) by circumstances and situations; and 4) by prayer. Obviously if we feel God is telling us something that violates the bible or Sacred Tradition, then it is not God who is talking to us. But with that foundation, we come to discover God's will through prayer. The Sacred Tradition of the Church is that Pope remains in office until death. That has been the norm since St. Peter. Thus, practice is what would be normal to follow regardless of any illness or infirmity. Only in an extreme and extraordinary situation would God ask a Pope to resign, and as I said, that has happened only once or twice in history. Contrary to popular opinion, the various Vatican Officials CANNOT exercise the power of the Papacy if a Pope becomes incapacitated. All the Vatican officials could do in that case is to run the affairs of the Church in a restricted and limited way. NO DECISION that is a decision for the Pope can be made if the one who is Pope is not able to make the decision. This is true also in the period after a Pope dies and a new Pope is elected -- all decisions and power that must be exercised by the Pope alone ceases during that time. Thus we cannot have a situation of a Vatican Official making papal-only-type decisions on behalf of an incapacitated Pope. This Pope, however, is not incapacitated. While his body is weak and infirmed, his mind is sharp and clear. All those who have been in personal audience with him in recent weeks affirm this. Be not afraid! Our Holy Father is still in control and is still doing God's work that has been given to him as Christ's Prime Minister. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary