Cardinal Marc Ouellet to retire
Facing a second accusation of sexual misconduct, 78‑year‑old Cardinal Marc Ouellet has announced his retirement at the head of the Vatican bishops’ office and La Presse is reporting that the official reason is that he’s past 75, the retirement age for bishops, anyway, which seems to soft‑pedal this as a response to the accusations.
Ouellet used to be considered papabile. Would he be off that list now?
azrhey 12:31 on 2023-01-31 Permalink
Well he will stop being eligible when he turns 80..so like bit over a year for the questions to become irrelevant.
H John 11:44 on 2023-02-01 Permalink
Ouellette remains electable.
After turning 80, he will still be a member of the college of cardinals and participate in the conclave; he just won’t have a vote.
There is no age limit on the person chosen, only on the electors who choose him.
Any Roman Catholic male can be chosen (with some minor limitations). That person, if not already a bishop, would have to agree to accept, and then be ordained a bishop.
Realistically, a non-cardinal hasn’t been chosen in the last 500 years (since Urban VI).
Then again, no Pope has resigned in the last 500 years.
https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/who-can-be-pope-13758
Kate 15:14 on 2023-02-01 Permalink
Thank you, H John.
Although Ouellet is still officially electable, though, wouldn’t a scandal on his CV make him a very unlikely choice?
azrhey, you and I will have to give up on our hopes to be pope.