VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis says he hasn’t thought of issuing norms to control future papal resignations and plans to proceed for so long as he can as bishop of Rome, regardless of a wave of criticism from some top-ranking conservative cardinals and bishops about his papal priorities.

In his first interview because the Dec. 31 loss of life of retired Pope Benedict XVI, Francis addressed his critics, his well being and the subsequent section of his hold forth, which marks its tenth anniversary in March with out Benedict’s shadow within the background.

Francis’ feedback, delivered Tuesday on the Vatican lodge the place he lives, got here at a very tough time, because the pontiff navigates conservative opposition to his insistence on making the Catholic Church a extra welcoming, inclusive place — criticism that he attributed to the equal of a 10-year itch of his papacy.

“You prefer that they don’t criticize, for the sake of tranquility,” Francis informed The Associated Press. “But I prefer that they do it because that means there’s freedom to speak.”

Some commentators imagine Francis may be freer to maneuver now following Benedict’s loss of life. Others counsel that any kind of ecclesial peace that had reigned was over and that Francis is now extra uncovered to critics, disadvantaged of the moderating affect Benedict performed in retaining the conservative Catholic fringe at bay.

Francis acknowledged the knives had been out, however appeared nearly sanguine about it.

“I wouldn’t relate it to Benedict, but because of the wear-and-tear of a government of 10 years,” Francis mentioned of his critics. He reasoned that his election was initially greeted with a way of “surprise” a few South American pope. Then got here discomfort “when they started to see my flaws and didn’t like them,” he mentioned of his critics.

“The only thing I ask is that they do it to my face because that’s how we all grow, right?” he added.

The pontiff, in the meantime, mentioned he was in good condition, {that a} slight bone fracture in his knee from a fall had healed with out surgical procedure and was able to get on with his agenda.

“I’m in good health. For my age, I’m normal,” the 86-year-old pontiff mentioned, although he revealed that diverticulosis, or bulges in his intestinal wall, had “returned.” Francis had 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his massive gut eliminated in 2021 as a result of of what the Vatican mentioned was irritation that brought about a narrowing of his colon.

“I might die tomorrow, but it’s under control. I’m in good health,” he mentioned with his typical wry sense of humor.

Speculation about Francis’ well being and the future of his hold forth has solely risen following the loss of life of Benedict, whose 2013 resignation marked a turning level for the Catholic Church since he was the primary pontiff in six centuries to retire.

Francis praised Benedict as an “old-fashioned gentleman,” and mentioned of his loss of life: “I lost a dad.”

“For me, he was a security. In the face of a doubt, I would ask for the car and go to the monastery and ask,” he mentioned of his visits to Benedict’s retirement residence for counsel. “I lost a good companion.”

Some cardinals and canon attorneys have mentioned the Vatican should situation norms to control future papal retirements to forestall the few hiccups that occurred throughout Benedict’s unexpectedly lengthy retirement, throughout which he remained a degree of reference for some conservatives and traditionalists who refused to acknowledge Francis’ legitimacy.

From the title Benedict selected (pope emeritus) to the (white) cassock he wore to his occasional public remarks (on priestly celibacy and intercourse abuse), these commentators mentioned norms should clarify there is just one reigning pope for the sake of the unity of the church.

Francis mentioned issuing such norms hadn’t even occurred to him.

“I’m telling you the truth,” he mentioned, including that the Vatican wanted extra expertise with papal retirements earlier than getting down to “regularize or regulate” them.

Francis has mentioned Benedict “opened the door” to future resignations, and that he too would contemplate stepping down. He repeated Tuesday that if he had been to resign he’d be known as the bishop emeritus of Rome and would dwell within the residence for retired clergymen within the diocese of Rome.

Francis mentioned Benedict’s choice to dwell in a transformed monastery within the Vatican Gardens was a “good intermediate solution,” however that future retired popes may wish to do issues in a different way.

“He was still ‘enslaved’ as a pope, no?” Francis mentioned. “Of the vision of a pope, of a system. ‘Slave’ in the good sense of the word: In that he wasn’t completely free, as he would have liked to have returned to his Germany and continued studying theology.”

By one calculation, Benedict’s loss of life removes the principle impediment to Francis resigning, because the prospect of two pensioner popes was by no means an choice. But Francis mentioned Benedict’s loss of life hadn’t altered his calculations. “It didn’t even occur to me to write a will,” he mentioned.

As for his personal near-term future, Francis emphasised his position as “bishop of Rome” versus pontiff and mentioned of his plans: “Continue being bishop, bishop of Rome in communion with all the bishops of the world.” He mentioned he wished to place to relaxation the idea of the papacy as an influence participant or papal “court.”

Francis additionally addressed the criticism from cardinals and bishops that burst into public within the weeks since Benedict’s loss of life, saying it’s disagreeable — “like a rash that bothers you a bit” — however that’s higher than retaining it beneath wraps. Francis has been attacked for years by conservatives and traditionalists who object to his priorities of social justice points corresponding to poverty, migration and the atmosphere.

“If it’s not like this, there would be a dictatorship of distance, as I call it, where the emperor is there and no one can tell him anything. No, let them speak because … criticism helps you to grow and improve things,” he mentioned.

The first salvo within the newest wave of assaults got here from Benedict’s longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, who revealed the unhealthy blood that accrued over the past 10 years in a tell-all memoir printed within the days after Benedict’s funeral.

In one of essentially the most explosive sections, Gaenswein revealed that Benedict discovered by studying the Vatican every day newspaper L’Osservatore Romano that Francis had reversed one of the previous pope’s most vital liturgical choices and re-imposed restrictions on celebrating the Old Latin Mass.

A number of days later, the Vatican was rattled anew by the loss of life of one other conservative stalwart, Cardinal George Pell, and revelations that Pell was the writer of a devastating memorandum that circulated final yr that known as the Francis hold forth a “disaster” and a “catastrophe.”

The memo, which was initially printed beneath the pseudonym “Demos,” listed what it thought of issues within the Vatican beneath Francis, from its precarious funds to the pontiff’s preaching type, and issued bullet factors for what a future pope ought to do to repair them.

Francis acknowledged Pell’s criticism however nonetheless sang his praises for having been his “right-hand man” on reforming the Vatican’s funds as his first financial system minister.

“Even though they say he criticized me, fine, he has the right. Criticism is a human right,” Francis mentioned. But he added: “He was a great guy. Great.”