Pope Francis may consider possibility of retirement after exhausting Canada trip

Pope Francis acknowledged on Saturday that he was no longer in the condition to travel like he used to, saying his trip to Canada was “a bit of a test” that shows he needs to slow down and one day possibly retire, according to the Associated Press.

Given his long history of knee pain, the head of the Roman Catholic Church drew concerned questions about his health and the future of his pontificate following his use of a wheelchair, walker and cane to get around this week – the first trip he has needed assistance to get around.

The typically congenial and active pope found his program and ability to mingle with crowds “sharply” limited, reports AP.

His Holiness told reporters during a press conference on his return flight to Rome that while he had never considered retirement until now, he realizes he has to at least slow down. He also said there was “nothing wrong” with a pope stepping down.

“It’s not strange. It’s not a catastrophe. You can change the pope,” he said while sitting in an airplane wheelchair.

“I think at my age and with these limitations, I have to save (my energy) to be able to serve the church, or on the contrary, think about the possibility of stepping aside,” he added.

The week-long Canada sojourn comes after Pope Francis apologized to representatives of Canada’s Indigenous communities in April for the church’s role in establishing residential schools, where countless students suffered physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

Francis was forced to cancel multiple trips abroad this year after injuring his right knee, the most recent of which was an Africa trip that was scheduled for the first week of July.

His Canada trip featured several moments when Francis was clearly in pain as he maneuvered getting up and down from chairs, according to AP.

Francis’ pontificate has been marked with relatively progressive moves, such as the appointment of women to prominent positions in the Vatican hierarchy.

His Holiness told reporters on Saturday that he was not opposed to the development of Catholic doctrine on the use of contraception, citing recent congressional debate on modifying the church’s absolute “no” to artificial contraception.

The pope has also been criticized for capitulating to the Chinese Communist Party by agreeing to recognize Chinese bishops appointed by Beijing. Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun called the deal “an incredible betrayal” of China’s underground Catholic churches who swear loyalty to the Holy See.