Who leads the Catholic Church when the Pope is sick?

Table of Contents

Pope Francis's recent hospitalisation due to a lung infection has raised questions about who would take over as leader of the Catholic Church if the Pope were to become unable to perform his duties.

He's still got control, with the Vatican confirming he's resting calmly after a breathing issue.

Unlike scenarios involving death or resignation, the Vatican is without specific protocols for situations where a pope is severely unwell or in a coma.

As Pope Francis's hospital stay hits the 10-day mark, matching his 2021 stay for colon surgery, chatter about the Pope's authority, how it's used, transferred, and the events surrounding it have come up again.

This has led to speculation about whether Francis might consider stepping down if he's unable to carry on, following in the footsteps of Pope Benedict XVI.

as per the church's internal rules and regulations.

Nothing has changed in his position, role or authority since Francis was elected the 266th pope on March 13, 2013. That position is by theological design.

The Vatican Curia

Francis might be the top bloke, but he's already handed over the day-to-day running of the Vatican and the Church to a team of officials who get the job done whether he's at the Apostolic Palace or not, and whether he's conscious or not.

The most senior of these is Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state. It appears that Pope Francis' hospitalisation didn't signal a change in the way the church is run, as Parolin was in Burkina Faso on February 14 when Francis went into hospital. Parolin is now back at the Vatican.

Other Vatican functions are carrying on as usual, including the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee Year events.

On Sunday, for instance, Archbishop Rino Fisichella celebrated a Jubilee Mass in St Peter's Basilica, which was meant to be attended by Francis. Before delivering the pope's prepared homily, Fisichella said a special prayer from the altar on Francis' behalf.

What happens when the head of the Catholic Church falls ill?

There are rules in place if a bishop gets sick and can't run their diocese, but not if the Pope gets sick. Canon 412 says a diocese can be declared "impeded" if its bishop – due to "captivity, banishment, exile, or incapacity" – can't do their pastoral work. If that happens, the day-to-day running of the diocese is taken over by an auxiliary bishop, a vicar general or someone else.

Even though Francis is the bishop of Rome, there's no clear plan in place if he's unable to perform his duties. Canon 335 states that if the Holy See is either empty or unable to function properly, the church's governance can't be changed. However, it doesn't explain what it means for the Holy See to be unable to function properly or what steps would be taken if that were to happen.

In 2021, a team of canon lawyers aimed to suggest rules to cover this legislative gap. They developed a canonical crowd-sourcing project to draft a new church law covering the role of a retired pope, as well as guidelines for when a pope is unable to govern, whether temporarily or permanently.

The proposed guidelines say that with advancements in medical science, it's a strong possibility a pope could be alive but unable to carry out their duties. It suggests the church should have a system in place for declaring a "totally impeded see" and transferring power to prevent division within the church.

Under the proposed rules, control of the universal church would be handed over to the College of Cardinals. If the Pope had a temporary health issue, they would appoint a committee to take charge, with regular check-ups every six months to see if the Pope was able to return to work.

What about the letters?

Francis confirmed in 2022 that soon after he was elected pope, he penned a resignation letter, to be used if he became medically incapacitated. He said he handed it over to the then-secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, and assumed Bertone had passed it on to Parolin's office when Bertone retired.

The text is not public, and the conditions Francis is considering for a resignation are unknown. It's also unclear if such a letter would be valid under canon law. Canon law demands a papal resignation to be "freely and properly manifested" — as was the case when Benedict announced his resignation in 2013.

In 1965, Pope Paul VI wrote letters to the Dean of the College of Cardinals suggesting that if he were to become seriously unwell, the Dean and other cardinals should accept his resignation. The letter was never needed, as Paul lived another 13 years and passed away while still in office.

What occurs when a pope passes away or steps down?

The only time papal power gets passed on is when a pope passes away or resigns. When this happens, a whole bunch of rituals and procedures kick in to govern the "interregnum" – the time between the end of one pope's term and the election of a new one.

During that time, referred to as the "sede vacante", or "empty See", the camerlengo, or chamberlain, oversees the administration and finances of the Holy See. He confirms the pope's passing, seals the papal apartments and prepares for the pope's burial before a conclave to elect a new pope. The role is currently held by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the head of the Vatican's lay office.

The Camerlengo has no role or duties if the Pope is just unwell or otherwise unable to perform his duties.

Similarly, the dean of the College of Cardinals, who would lead a papal funeral and arrange the conclave, has no extra responsibilities if the pope is just unwell. This position is currently held by Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91.

Earlier this month, Francis decided to keep Re in his position even after his five-year term had come to an end, rather than making way for someone new. He also extended the term of the vice-dean, Argentine Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 81.

Aussies who think for themselves are independent global citizens. They're not defined by their age, location or background, but by their outlook. In today's world, communities want the real story and honest opinions from a news brand they can rely on. With the facts and the inspiration, these independent readers have the power to make their voice heard on the issues that matter to them.