DBWI: Plausibility Check: What if Pope Benedict Resigned Last Year?

Francisco Cojuanco

So I had this idea for a TL. Sometime in 2013, Pope Benedict XVI resigns for reason of wanting a quiet reitrement. He is replaced by a Jesuit, say, that guy who came in second in 2005, Bergoglio, wasn't it? And he takes the name Francis.

So, plausible or not?
 

Lalli

Hard to imaginate that pope would resign. When pope did that lastly voluntarily? And Jesuit as pope? I bit suspect that. But if Benedict would have resign, there probably would be bit more liberal pope nextly. But still I see resignation of pope seems very implausible.
 

Tom_B

Have Pope Benedict's health deteriorate more than it has OTL thereby interfering with his abilities to perform his duties should remove the plausibility problems with the resignation. As for the conclave Bergoglio would have an outside chance though I would think it much more likely that the Italian cardinals would want to reclaim the papacy and rally around either Scola or Bertone.
 

Hugo Strange

Dude, seriously?? The last time a Pope resigned was in 1415. :eek: It's just never going to happen in this day and age.

But OK, for the sake of arguement, let's say Benedict XVI does resign for some reason, I can't see any way they would pick someone from the Americas as his successor. More than likely Angelo Scola, the Archbishop of Milan, would be a shoe-in to become the new Pope.

And a new Pope taking the name "Francis" is just ASB. It's widely accepted in the Vatican that there can be only 1 Francis of Assisi. You might as well talk about a new Pope taking the name "Jesus". The new Pope would likely take the name Paul VII or Pius XIII or something.
 

pdf27

Hugo Strange said:
And a new Pope taking the name "Francis" is just ASB. It's widely accepted in the Vatican that there can be only 1 Francis of Assisi. You might as well talk about a new Pope taking the name "Jesus". The new Pope would likely take the name Paul VII or Pius XIII or something.
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Hardly - the only name that's really off-limits is Peter. After all, there have been plenty of Pope Pauls, and St Paul really is more important in the grand scheme of things than St Francis ever was...
 

DevonPasty

Francisco Cojuanco said:
So I had this idea for a TL. Sometime in 2013, Pope Benedict XVI resigns for reason of wanting a quiet reitrement. He is replaced by a Jesuit, say, that guy who came in second in 2005, Bergoglio, wasn't it? And he takes the name Francis.

So, plausible or not?
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ASB right there. There will never been a Jesuit Pope, same as there will never been another English Pope. Yes Jesuits are Catholics and yes there are English Catholics but the big wigs are never going to put one of them in charge of the entire Faith.
 

voss749

The only way you would get a pope resigning and a jesuit pope...if something big happened like Benedict getting accused of abuse himself.
 
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