‘COURT GOSSIP’

Pope Francis: No, I’m Not Stepping Down, and I Don’t Have Cancer

The leader of the Catholic Church also discussed the recent overturning of Roe in the 90-minute interview, calling abortion “a problem.”

Pope Francis is, by his own account, still up for the job. In a July 2 interview with Reuters, the Catholic leader addressed many topics, including resignation rumors that have been fueled by his recent health issues and the decision to create new cardinals. Yet the pope said that the question of resignation “didn’t enter [his] head,” according to the National Catholic Reporter. He likewise tamped down concerns about his health, calling suspicions that doctors found cancer a few years ago “court gossip” and describing a knee injury that forced him to cancel a trip to two African nations as a “small fracture.” Yet the interview did not only cover the 85-year-old’s wellbeing, as Pope Francis also commented on the recent overturning of Roe, saying that while he could not comment on the legal intricacies, he maintains that abortion is “a problem.” With respect to future plans, the pope said he hopes to visit Moscow and Kyiv in the fall.