Rome Newsroom, Apr 17, 2023 / 11:55 am
On Monday Pope Francis introduced a limit of 80 years of age for retired bishops and patriarchs in the Eastern Catholic Churches to take part in decisional voting.
In the motu proprio Iam Pridem, issued April 17, the pope modified four articles in the Code of Canons for the Eastern Churches, which regularly meet in synods of bishops to make decisions and elect patriarchs.
The changes exclude retired bishops and patriarchs over the age of 80 from participating in deliberative voting.
In his introduction, Pope Francis said that “for some time now” the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches has been hearing from patriarchs, major archbishops, and bishops in the Eastern Churches about difficulties regarding the number of retired bishops who participate in their meetings “with an active voice.”