Monday, June 1, 2015

El Papa Solitario: Only 20 Percent of the Bishops are For Franciscus? -- The Shadow Cabinet of Santa Marta

(Rome) Pope Francis (almost) place for all merciful words, but when he talks about the bishops of the Catholic Church, "he seems to pick up the stick," the Corriere della Sera. Italy's bishops had to be told some of the pontiff at the opening of its spring conference on May 18. They had strives startled in the days before, to take cover and Francis to appease (see "Cicero's" Stab in the Hornet's Nest - Italy's Bishops to Take Cover and Rehabilitate even the Ghostwriter of the Pope ).
For months the bishops registered pain not only in Italy, and to their surprise, a rigor of Argentine Pope, with whom she had not expected. A rigor that is directed against them.
Behind expressions of loyalty and fidelity to the Holy Father, there is palpable  discomfort in the episcopate. As much as  the Italian bishops also endeavor to recognize the Pope's cultural coordinates, to understand and to follow these, they seem increasingly convinced that the Argentine Church leader - despite Italian roots - cherishes an anti-Italian prejudice  whose edges are difficult to dull.

Pope of "epochal turning point" has trouble finding followers in the episcopate

The discomfort affects not only the Italian Episcopal Conference and the Vatican. Staff at the Roman Curia have been left pretty hang dog since being  papally diagnosed with 15 diseases diagnostics before Christmas 2014. The mood disorder has been detected also in other countries and their church hierarchies. Francis, the Pope of the "epochal turning point" (Corriere della Sera), seems to be, thanks to media support, easy to do, acting as a popular triumph. Much more difficult, i is for the head of the church to find a convinced followers in the church hierarchy. Moreover, the consensus of Francis seems to sink among the bishops.
According to the Corriere della Sera from last May 20th the numbers 20, 70, 10 apparently reflect the mood of the Roman Curia.  Among all the employees of the pope  there are only 20 percent who would support him with conviction in his government. 70 percent said they would form a "silent majority", which would remain "neutral" to fulfill their cause and wait for the next pope. Ten percent are strongly, however, among the group (though not always stated) who are opponents of Argentina's pontificate.
These figures would tossed around in the papal residence of Santa Marta, in the Argentine community in Rome and in Argentina. The Corriere della Sera talks about a "potential geographic and strategic break".

Bishops Take Pontificate as Truly "Anti-Italian, Anti-European, Anti-Western" 


Catholic bishops
How accurate these figures are, can not be said on the basis of the newspaper's vague source. The fact is that not only in Italy is  the pontificate of Pope Francis perceived as "anti-Italian, anti-European and anti-Western." But  was he not exactly what the Cardinals in conclave wanted? Apparently not quite.
The Fifth General Conference of Latin American Bishops' Council in 2007 in Aparecida, whose final document was then still largely dominated by Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires,  was in the forefront  of Latin American church leaders. Pope Francis register "exactly" that there are cardinals and bishops who never mention Aparecida. In turn, can be heard by high church officials that they did not understand the "reforms of Francis". And ever is the "model Buenos Aires" simply not applicable to the whole Church. It would involve "a" experience, but not "the" experience of the Church.
From the Latin American, especially Argentinean environment of the Pope, however, the   claim is fast at hand among European bishops, and  above all the Western bishops, have the habit to  still to see thsemselves "almost like princes."
Pope Francis seems to do nothing to prevent this divergence between a culturally diverse understanding of the Church at the episcopal level or wanting even merge the two ways of thinking.

Francis "el jesuita" always looking for new ways to reach the goal

However, Francis is quite Jesuit, which is why he seeks the targets in the most viable way. If the opposition to a way is too big, he does not care to insist   and looks for another way to target the same goal. This process repeats itself tirelessly until the set goal is achieved. The probability that a goal was to be closed, is quite low, because it presupposes that the target is recognized as wrong.
A concrete example: When Pope Francis came to Rome, he wanted to change the Roman Curia radically and largely dissolve it. He now had to recognize that this goal is not attainable. The existing Curia but still not to be trusted,  but he has created within the Roman Curia his own "Curia in reduced form".
The remaining Curia he described in turn in his Christmas message of 2014, as the "Levites". Clearly his disapproval of an entire institution could not be missed. Some Vaticanistas felt that the Pope had thus undermined his own pontificate. But Francis sees it differently. In this part of the curia he does not rely in any case. His mansion is a small part of a real existing parallel Curia.

Pope's own parallel Curia - cursus honorum : assets cancelled  with resignation of Benedict XVI. 

In previous preparations of the repeatedly announced eco-encyclical, Francis has not availed himself of the Curia. Rather, the entire preparatory work bypassed the curia. He consulted with it personally, but principally with his team of advisors, selected personalities and experts. For the transcript, he let his ghostwriter from Buenos Aires work. Titular Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez, had largely written the instruction of Bergoglios  final document of Aparecida. The text shoul be subjected to in recent weeks to a further revision. The trusted people who crafted it on behalf of the Pope hand, have but remained the same.
And as for the Bishops, Francis does not rely on structural changes, but to a radical change of the cursus honorum ."So, it's as if all balances after the resignation of Benedict XVI. have been canceled," says the Corriere della Sera .

"Insulated" Pope or self-isolation?

More voices of an "isolated" Pope do not refer to a lack of support of the Pope by diocessan bishops or curia representatives, but in a form of self-isolation. It is the Pope, who merges the traditional hierarchies of the Church, ignoring the usual decision-making processes at the Vatican. "I do not know how long the Pope will succeed in  steering the process and to master that which he has set in motion,"  cited the Corriere della Sera  an unnamed "concerned European cardinal". You've seen it in the Synod of Bishops last October. The pope "was in danger, that it slips from his hand," said the same Cardinal.
More significant  is another concern. As the Pope points his finger again and again at all in the Church, Francis' strength, indeed himself, but weakens the Church. Francis has changed the image of the Church. Conflicts such as Vatileaks, the Vatican bank, pedophilia would now felt far less traumatic than under his predecessor. At the international level, the Church is more active than ever in political issues of Ukraine on the Middle East to Cuba. In an indication that there are many in the Church, also in a leading position, who do not understand the reform plans of the Pope, is countered by the   of the circle of the Pope with a standardized statement: Only those who would say that are those who don't want to change anything.

Francesco Cardinal Montenegro

Lightning careers: From unknown province bishop to cardinal

The Pope tried fractures and fissures that open up because his actions -despite his best efforts- are not understood by a part of the Church, to engage   his charisma.  How long this will be possible is also indicated by the Corriere della Sera on the outstanding issues. Above all there has been no match in language between the Pope and many bishops.
Who agile, as the Archbishop of Agrigento, Francesco Montenegro, whose diocese is in  the headline-grabbing  Lampedusa, has experienced a meteoric rise from unknown provincial bishop to be made a cardinal and this overnight possibly the future Pope, theoretically he may even be a contender for the successor of Peter.

The shadow cabinet of Santa Marta

These capricious personnel decisions reinforce the gap between the "People's Pope" (Corriere della Sera) and the bishops. They feel outclassed by the all overshadowing figure of Francis. Yet they do not say it. However, they complain about the Pope's  attempts to govern the universal Church on  demand by means of a shadow cabinet in Santa Marta. Not all seems to be aware that this criticism also means that the procession of the Pope from the Apostolic Palace to Santa Marta more than just a gesture of humility was that gave him much sympathy in the media and among the people. Santa Marta would then not only form a virtual, but  an actual break between the Pope and the Roman Curia.
Pope Francis always makes for new construction, but the resulting internal church problems and fractures do not seem to concern him in any way. It seems as if the constant unrest, unease and a latent discontent is a means of government for him. Above all the last  , two years, two months and two weeks after taking office have been uncomfortable, especially for the critics of Argentine Pope. Francis himself still seems to literally enjoy his pontificate.
Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Corriere della Sera / Angelo Gelo
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches....
AMDG

26 comments:

Geremia said...

Let's hope that of the other 80% there is a group that calls a council to defend Catholic truth (formally excommunicate heretics against the indissolubility of marriage etc.).

Anonymous said...

Not only in Italy, but I have read that nearly the entire Polish bishops are against Francis....and very many in the USA. I hope many other bishops from elsewhere...Africa also, unite against Francis.
He and his shadow cabinet and supporters can be brought down. He CAN BE FORCED OUT. And it is the duty of all the traditional and orthodox good Cardinals,bishops,priests,religious and faithful to see to it that if the Synod goes in the way contrary to our Catholic Faith with regards to marriage,gays, and Communion for divorced....that Francis is forced out. As well as his associates.

Anonymous said...

The bishops ought to be against him because he is anti-Catholic.

Anonymous said...

Hope they will , sometimes, remember what really means being a true Roman Catholic, never forget what our brothers from middle east are suffering, sanguis martyrum, semen christianorum, stand up!

Robbie said...

It's an interesting read and we've started to see more articles like this in the last few weeks. That suggests to me, after two very long years, the "institutional Church" feels it's safe to push back against Bergoglio and his cronies. I guess the luster has come off his halo and the bishops no longer fear the positive press he got and still gets.

However, I'm not sure if this really matters. It probably means the Synod won't go the way Marx and Kasper want, but it remains to be seen if this period marks a turning point where Bergoglio and his entire progressive agenda are actively stymied. Conservatives are, generally, less likely to try and gum up the works as they generally respect authority. Progressives, on the other hand, are always trying to blow things up as they did with Benedict's papacy.

I do think the Synod could be a major turning point for those 80% who are apparently waiting for a new pope, though. If the Synod goes the way last year's did and gets far out of hand, I think it could serve as a moment when many on the fence throw their hands up in the air and decide they must work to oppose or stymie Bergoglio. All that said, I think Bergoglio realizes the tide is not with him and he won't allow the Kasper position to move forward. He'll just wait for a more advantageous time to try again.

I just wish this would all end and soon.

Anonymous said...

As great a Pope as he was, considering the Popes of the last 50 years, we really need to blame Pope Benedict XVI for being such a wimp. If he had been tougher, made better appointments, and had been the "Gods Rotweiller" he was nicknamed as being, he would have stayed in office till the end, and Bergoglio and company would still be insignificant people.
God Bless Benedict XVI for what he did do, I just wish he had more backbone and wasn;t a jellyfish once he became Pope....which he was in many ways.
For one thing, Sodano should have been stripped of all power and titles and exiled to Siberia. LOL

Anonymous said...

This ambition alone would disqualify anyone from the Chair of Peter: “When Pope Francis came to Rome, he wanted to change the Roman Curia radically and largely dissolve it.” It bespeaks an individual seriously at odds with reality, sporting a seriously deficient emotional and intellectual development. It is more worthy of some adolescent naïf – and let that not be mistaken for humility. As frightening as this reality is, it is actually somewhat less alarming than the fact that individuals in the episcopate engineered this election and got others to vote for him. The consequences are simply horrifying.

Anonymous said...

If only I could say you are wrong, but you are not. Terrible to say, but this entire circus is casting a raking light on the fifty-seven years.

Tancred said...

Start singing your posts or they will be deleted.

I don't care how interesting they are... if we can't tell one moron from the other, it makes things very difficult to read.

Anonymous said...

Seriously we need another inquisition to root out the heretics and their supporters from the Holy Catholic Church.

Anonymous said...

This Pope with 20 percent support of his Bishops should start thinking retirement for the good of the Church. He has caused so much confusion Catholics are teaching anything goes in the Church. That there is no Hell so what is sin. The Pope is suppose to defend Tradition not attack it as an enemy of Christ when that Tradition with all it's Dogmas like them or not are protected by the Holy Spirit for ever. No one not even a Pope can Change them even over time.

Anonymous said...

The only morons are those that think Pope Francis is a great Pope.

Barnum said...

I hear you, but do you think it would be good for the Church to have 2 retired Popes? Sorry, I don't have an alternative suggestion, other than to pray for our Pope and the bishops

Fr. VF said...

I think, given his age, there will never be an overt "revolution" against Francis. But I certainly hope it is true that the majority of American bishops oppose him. Let us pray for another conclave--SOON.

Fr. VF said...

Benedict HAD to be aware of Burke's defense of Canon 915, and that Wuerl was the most vocal opponent of obeying Canon 915. (BTW: Disobeying Canon 915 is ALWAYS grave matter.) Yet, Benedict created the two of them Cardinals, side by side, at the same Mass. Burke should have put his foot down: "Either Wuerl, or me, but not both of us."

Barnum said...

I dig the circus metaphor, but the situation we Roman Catholics are in has been brewing at least since the French Revolution, maybe even since Hus. It is just bubbling over now.

Fr. VF said...

Reportedly, Burke argued against his election. After he was elected, the knife was at the ready.

Anonymous said...

Another live one!

Geremia said...

Maybe Benedict XVI is the leader of the "Novum" Sodalitium Pianum. (Or should it be called the "Sodalitium Benedictum"?)

Anonymous said...

Anon June 2 9:02 PM, evidently you do not know how powerful was/ is card.Sodano and his goodfella, he reigned under pope JP2 and continued under BXVI ' till he fired him, cannot say anymore, the loggia is a parterre de roi......once pope Benedict said to a bishop ' My papal power ends on the threshold of this room'. ditto.

Chloe said...

How's this for a frightening thought? I've been told that Francis has the power to appoint his successor.

Anonymous said...

They are mental unbalanced.

Bill said...

Anonymous! By the tenor of your posts, I can understand why you are fearful of using your own name. Please try to speak with greater charity even when disagreeing. It is only the proper thing to do. Try it--you may like it.

Geremia said...

How would that work?

YJulie said...

I'm not sure what Chloe might mean, but suppose this: Francis retires soon. He is under 80 and eligible then to vote in the conclave to elect his own successor! The "group" (led by Cardinal Wuerl) that elected Bergoglio is still intact and powerful, although no we see some "pushback," and will of course (as they did illegally last time) beforehand gather their forces, use their influence, go around to brother Cardinals wrangling and persuading. It could be a real contest, all out of our eye range of course! However, those 2 years ago led like innocent lambs now are wiser.

YJulie said...

If blame falls on anyone for category of wimp that allowed Bergoglio to step in, that blame is squarely on Cardinal Ouellet. He was the front-runner in Conclave. He was to be the next pope after Benedict! He stood up precipitously to stop the next vote that surely would have landed him the position. He did not want to be Pope. Some might say such a decisive and forward action of his was not obeying the Holy Spirit. I cannot judge THAT. But the fact is by Ouellet saying "Hey, guys, stop, please, not me!" cleared the road for Wuerl's candidate, who then "collected" most of the discarded Ouellet votes. That may be also illegal in canon law, to take a group of votes, as if this is the US Congress, and "negotiate" them to someone else, under direction of he who is not the Camerlengo too. When we understand that Bergoglio became pope by machinations, support of a small group, and willing trust and confusion in the majority to that small group, it is easier to see how they elect such a radical as Bergoglio. Wuerl and Company knew what they were doing quite precisely, also with approval of "gay" contingent. But most of these Cardinals were simply and trustingly led along the primrose path by them and now are seemingly quite stunned at what they got. But had Cdl Ouellet not interrupted the proceedings with his refusal, he would be our Pope now, that is certain.