Pope Francis says that he is not considering resigning, that he is recovering well from his colon operation, and that his doctors are no longer require him to follow a diet.
He shares all of this in a light-hearted interview with the Spanish radio station COPE.
Throughout the conversation which lasted nearly an hour and a a half, the Pope addresses a variety of topics.
For instance, he says that he would like for Cardinal Angelo Becciu to be declared innocent in his current trial, but that it is for the courts to decide.
Pope Francis announced his next trips to Glasgow, Malta, Greece, and Cyprus. He also said he may travel to Santiago de Compostela in Spain to mark 40 years since Pope John Paul II's pilgrimage there in 1982.
Pope Francis says that the new constitution of the Vatican Curia will soon be published. Although there won't be any major changes from its current form, he recalls that it was the cardinals who laid out his governing priorities prior to the conclave that elected him.
On current politics he says that he is concerned by the situation in Afghanistan, that he is committed to continuing dialogue with China, and is saddened by the throwaway culture behind Euthanasia.
It is the first interview the Pope has given since he underwent colon surgery in July. The more than an hour-long conversation shows that at 84 years old, Pope Francis remains in great shape and is making plans for the future.
JM
