Only five Catholic cardinals, considered princes of the church who vote for the pope, have resigned — or been kicked out – since 1791.
When British Cardinal Keith O’Brien announced his resignation Monday as a Scottish archbishop, he also said he would not do the most important task of a cardinal: vote for the next pope. But he did not take the rare step of quitting the College of Cardinals altogether.
The last five cardinals to resign or be forced out of office left for reasons ranging from health to politics to a desire to have a family, says church historian Matthew Bunson, editor of The Catholic Almanac. They were:
- French Cardinal Louis Billot (1846-1931), the only cardinal to resign in the 20th century, stepped down in 1927 in a political split. He supported a radical French nationalist movement, Action Française, which was opposed by Pope Pius XI.
- Italian Carlo Odescalchi (1785-1841) sought to leave so he could devote his life to preaching and prayer as a member of the Jesuits; Pope Gregory XVI ordered a commission of cardinals to study the matter and accepted his request in 1838.
- Italian nobleman Cardinal Marino Carafa di Belevedere (1764-1830) resigned from the college in 1807 so he could marry and maintain the line of descent for his family. He became prince of Acquaviva and married Marianna Gaetani dell’Aquila d’Aragona.
- Italian Cardinal Tommaso Antici (1731-1812) asked to leave in 1798, citing poor health and a desire to spend his last days in solitude and prayer. His resignation was accepted by Pope Pius VI.
- French Cardinal Étienne-Charles de Loménie de Brienne (1727-1794) got in political hot water with Pope Pius VI in the wake of the French Revolution. The cardinal, who had served as finance minister to King Louis XVI, accepted a civil constitution that put the Catholic Church in France under the control of the political authorities. He was repudiated by the pope and removed from the college in 1791. The revolutionaries were no happier with him: He died in prison.
Sources
- USA Today
- Image: The Guardian