Can the Pope's Accusers Force Him to Resign?

Image via Reuters/Gregorio Borgia/Pool

"The pope has the right to freely resign. That's what the canon says. The doubt is whether the situation Francis is in now really allows for a free choice because there is a political faction in the Church trying to force it," said Nicholas Cafardi, former dean of Duquesne University School of Law.

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An image of the November 2026 issue of Sojourners, titled "Face to Face." It features George Lakey on the cover
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