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Pope Francis’ pontificate is not over, and his latest decision on what happens between now and 2028 will shape the rest of it, according to Massimo Faggioli, an American academic and professor at Villanova University who has closely followed the papacy for over a decade.
Following last October’s inconclusive Vatican summit, which resulted in no concrete action on possible reforms, questions arose about whether Francis’ papacy was losing momentum.
Vatican officials, however, maintained that the pope was still considering future changes while awaiting a series of 10 expected reports on potential reforms in June.
Despite his ongoing battle with double pneumonia, the 88-year-old pontiff has approved a new three-year process to consider reforms for the global Catholic Church. Many see this move as a sign that he intends to continue leading the Church.
Francis has extended the work of the Synod of Bishops, a hallmark of his 12-year papacy, which has tackled issues such as the possibility of women serving as Catholic deacons and greater inclusion of LGBTQ people in the Church.
The synod, which held an inconclusive Vatican summit last October, will now engage in global consultations before hosting a new summit in 2028.
The pope approved the new reform process on Tuesday from the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli (Gemelli University Hospital) in Rome, where he has been hospitalized for over a month.
His prolonged public absence has fueled speculation that he might follow his predecessor Benedict XVI and resign.
However, his close associates and biographers insist that he has no intention of stepping down. His approval of a long-term reform initiative signals his commitment to continue, despite his age and health challenges.
“The Holy Father . . . is helping push the renewal of the Church toward a new missionary impulse. This is truly a sign of hope,” said Mario Grech, the official leading the reform process, in an interview with Vatican media.
Since becoming pope in 2013, Francis has been seen as a leader striving to modernize the Church.
However, his reform agenda has faced resistance from some Catholics, including a few senior cardinals, who accuse him of diluting Church teachings on issues such as same-sex marriage, divorce, and remarriage.
TRACY CABRERA