Perhaps its just me but ever since the election of Francis
to the Papacy it seems like everyone, even faithful Catholics are complicit in
creating an aura of rupture over the new papacy. Perhaps it should be expected that people are
so fascinated with every little aspect of Francis’ ways that they forget that
its really not about the person but the office.
It was the same thing with JPII (and no I don’t say the great, let
history decide that), people treated the papacy as a celebrity office, picking
and choosing what they like to hear from him and propping up an image that is
friendly to them, like that hes ecumenical because of the Assisi issue. Benedict was a known commodity unlike these
two, so no honey moon existed. With
Francis it is said that people are walking on egg shells around him (I would
presume with what he says its probably like walking on egg shells when hes around
traditionalists).
There have been many gestures and things that have been said
in this short 3 months by the Holy Father that have often left us scratching
our heads as to what he means by such. I
think I am at the point that I want to compile some things I have noticed and
give a quick take on them.
1.
Forgoing of wearing the Mozetta and the red
shoes. Just after he appeared as the new
pope most people recognized that he was not wearing the traditional Mozetta and
later on that he was not wearing the red shoes.
Many in the media pointed to this immediately saying that surely this
was a guarantee of ruptures to come, that finally the carnival was over as
rumors put it, which were later refuted.
Such clothing is often viewed as luxurious wear, trampling on the poor
and their misery. Anyone can learn that
the red is symbolic thing representing the blood of the martyrs which the Pope
is to always prepare to also undergo. Many
said that the shoes were from a prestigious maker that the rich and famous use,
but the shoes were actually made by a local cobbler, so strike 2. Protestants came out saying that this was a
good sign that he would forgoe such things, but as with everything else
protestants have a hard time understanding the importance of symbols in the Christian
life. Francis later said that he was
keeping his black shoes because they were fairly
2.
Just after the Pope was elected he made a couple
statements that he hoped for a poor church and a church of the poor. Many people immediately jumped on the words
and said finally a Pope focused on the poor and not just the Vatican’s wealth. I think its fair to say that the Pope is a
Jesuit and very detached from worldly things including money and power. I remember hearing a story from Badger Catholic about Father
John Hardon and his profound simplicity where he is said to only have had 2
pieces of clothing, 2 cassocks. Now I
will note here that he did from time to time were pants, but still it was a detachment from the
world and the concerns of the world that defined the late Fr. Hardon. So too Francis is not attached to the things
of the world and people cannot put him in a box that that confuses a culture
built on division. My initial thought on
his statement of a poor church was a church detached from the things of the
world that often keep us from being the evangels we are called to be. He later confirmed this thinking in one of
his addresses in the Paul VI hall during a general audience. If we think for just a second it was the poor
Catholic immigrants that came to this country that built the cathedrals by
taking out 2nd mortgages, who had children, who were persecuted for
the faith and yet persevered. They were
detached from how the world saw them.
Its not that they would not want to be American but they knew that they
were to be in the world but not of it.
Having a love for creation doesn’t mean you place it above the final
goal of being with the creator of the creation.
We are called to go against the grain, to be the light of the
world. The poor who have made up the
majority of Holy Mother Church were dependent on God and trusted him just as he
told them to. The concerns of the world
for riches and control distort the simple joy of trusting in him. I know not where I will get my food, my
clothing or the respect I seek, I place that in his hands and I pray his will
be done and he never disappoints. Even
when things take a turn for the worse I remember Colossians 1:24 when Paul says
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my
share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is
lacking in Christ’s afflictions.
3.
When Francis decided to not move into the Papal
apartments it was generally hailed as another fantastic break from the church’s
so called Traditions and represented the humble aspect of the new pontiff, a
paradigm shift from the past. Supposedly
it was said that he thought the apartment was too huge so he shunned to
life. I want to point out a couple
things. First no Pope since Leo XIII has
occupied more than one level of the apartments.
About a year or two ago the History Channel got permission to make a
documentary about the Vatican including the Papal apartments. From what I remember the apartment that
Benedict XVI occupied was not glittering, but very modest with a small TV and old
furniture. After the announcement was
made the Eponymous Flower posted an article really looking at the supposedly shunned
apartments, which the Pontiff still uses for meetings by the way. You can find that great article here. Perhaps one of the things that need to be
cleared up is the reason why he choose not to be in the Papal apartments,
namely he doesn’t like being entangled in bureaucracy and he loves being around
people. Benedict was a shy man and
familiar with the way the Vatican Bureaucracy worked. The bureaucracy does act as a buffer, but it
also prevents the pontiff from getting helpful information. For instance during the reign of Benedict XVI
there were some in the Vatican who wished to see the Neocatecatical ways
liturgy approved, and it was nearly approved until Raymond Cardinal Burke
received a private audience with the Pope where he revealed the plot greatly saddening
the Holy Father and eventually stopping the plan. Francis in staying at the guest house is able
to step out of the bureaucracy and get to business on his terms without a
million road blocks that hindered the previous pontificates.
4.
A couple weeks ago the Holy Father made a
statement about Atheist’s that was all of the sudden blown up by the media who
claimed it meant Atheist’s were assured of Heaven. In fact the Pope made no such comment, he
merely said that we can meet each other in doing good. Now before we delve into the issue that only
Good can be done by those in Christ understand I agree, but we are talking
about actual grace which is given to all and we can use this grace that God
gives to the heathens to bring them closer to God. This whole thing reminds me of the former
Pontiffs interview with Peter Seewald where he was asked whether it was a good
thing that Male prostitutes use condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS. The Holy Father said that it was a move in a
moral way that the person thinks of the others good when asking the
question. However he didn’t say that it
would be ok, just that it is a move in the right direction, not a saving one
and still sinful. The moral of both
stories is that the media is incompetent, and some are even downright evil in
their distortion.
5.
Another complaint is that the Holy Father only
rarely refers to himself as the Pope.
Many see this as a shift of emphasis that he rejects the office. This, however, is a mistake. It is true that he much prefers at least
publicly to be refereed to as the Bishop of Rome, but in doing so he doesn’t
reject any other title afforded to the Supreme Pontiff. For instance I can think of a number of times
he references himself as the Pope so its not like it escapes him. Rather in continuity with Benedict I think he
is really trying hard to bring the Orthodox back in Communion with the Holy See
and one of the ways to create the trust is to use familiar terms that both “lungs”
share. Specifically speaking Ignatius of
Antioch refers to the Bishop of Rome who over sees the church in charity, so it’s
a common link. So too before he was
elected as a pope he was asked his opinion on titles. He did not reject that titles should be used
but he did say that when one has to use titles over and over again to demand
they recognize his authority he has already lost that authority. So when people say that he is breaking the Tradition’s
you can recognize that they are removing themselves from reality. The Pope does not wish to hold himself up as
a man against all others, but as the Servant of Servants correcting those
dissenting from the faith in all charity.
Therefore don’t make a big deal of which title he prefers all of the
titles are valid and it is up to the Pope how he wishes to wield his authority
in the church.
6.
This love of the poor is often referenced by
those in the church (or out of it for that matter) who seek to set up Francis
against the previous pontificates. This
is yet another media blitz to control the conversation and create false
distinctions that only serve to confuse and divide the faithful. All Pontiffs even the bad ones loved the poor
to some degree or another. Benedict didn't
see his being a Pope in every sense as being opposed to loving the poor. For instance in 2010 he was given a gift of a
$2500 truffle, he immediately had it delivered to a soup kitchen for their
use. Living in the Vatican or living in
the streets makes no difference in the end, and it shouldn't be used to condemn
either. St. Louie IX was a King, living
with all the indulgences due his honor, yet his Love for the Lord humbled him
to be a Christian King taking care of the poor and the widows while defending
the country he was entrusted to.
7.
A confusion of humility with simplicity, is
perhaps the greatest confusion that is permitted by quite a few out there. Even Catholic media sources allow this to propagate. When people see that he doesn't wear the red
items, or that he doesn't use a golden pectoral cross or lives in the guest
house and not the papal apartments they say isn't that humble? Hes rejecting material goods, he’s so humble. Such thinking is Jansinist. Its not humble to reject the traditions that
are developments of the office. It might
indeed be simplistic, but its not humble.
Imagine if a King existed that when asked to give its people hope in
leading his people into battle instead appoints another to take his place so
that he may maintain his comfortable existence.
It is the same with Francis he might well feel uncomfortable with the so
called “trappings” and tempted if he were to adhere to the Traditions that are
part of the development of the office.
This is not an exclusive feeling toward the papacy. Fulton Sheen and even Pius X were
uncomfortable in the office with all of its traditions, yet they submitted
themselves humbly accepting the office and all that came with it. Perhaps when Francis is convinced that he
will not be tempted by such aspects he will be more open to giving himself over
to the office completely.
Let Us always pray for the Holy Father in his most difficult
work in the Vineyard. So too continue in
praying for all the clergy and religious, for their battle with the diabolical is
unceasing! Oh and by the way I dont think Francis really cares about the issues most Traditionalists do, thats going to have to be a grass roots effort
