Pope Francis's Latest Visit Fuels Speculations On His Pontificate

Pope Francis fueled speculation about his pontificate's future by announcing that he would travel to L'Aquila in central Italy in August for a feast organized by Pope Celestine V, one of the few pontiffs who resigned before Pope Benedict XVI stood down in 2013, Nicole Winfield reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Photo Insert: Worsening mobility problems have compelled Pope Francis to use a wheelchair for the last month.

Given his worsening mobility problems, which have compelled him to use a wheelchair for the last month, unsourced speculation in the Italian and Catholic media has been widespread that the 85-year-old Francis might be intending to follow in Benedict's footsteps.

Those reports gathered traction this week when Francis announced a consistory on Aug. 27 to elect 21 new cardinals. Sixteen of the cardinals are under the age of 80, making them eligible to vote in the conclave that will choose Francis' successor.

Pope Francis will have loaded the College of Cardinals with 83 of the 132 voting-age cardinals once they are joined to the ranks of princes of the church. While no one knows how the cardinals will vote, the chances of electing a successor who shares Francis' pastoral aims are increasing.

Francis also promised that the cardinals will be briefed on his recent apostolic constitution, which reforms the Vatican bureaucracy, over two days of meetings the following week.

The declaration, which takes effect on Sunday, allows women to lead Vatican posts, establishes term limits for clergy Vatican personnel, and presents the Holy See as an institution serving local churches rather than the other way around.

In 2013, Pope Francis was elected with the goal of reforming the Roman Curia. Francis' principal duty as Pope has been completed in some aspects now that the nine-year project has been rolled out and at least largely implemented.

As a result, the normally regular announcement of a pastoral visit to L'Aquila on Saturday carried more speculative weight than it could have otherwise. The timing was notable: from August until mid-September, the Vatican and the rest of Italy are generally closed to all but essential business.

Francis' invitation for a huge consistory in late August to create new cardinals, as well as his meeting of churchmen for two days of talks on implementing his reform and a symbolically significant pastoral visit, implies he may be planning something out of the ordinary.

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