The Council of 8:
What's the big deal?
This is greater 'collegiality' but
not democratization of the Church
Translated from
April 16. 2013
So history repeats itself. Enthusiasms which can be well- or ill-intentioned and out-of-place annoyance at the announcement that Pope Francis has constituted a group of eight cardinals, representing the five continents, to advise him on the governance of the Church and to study an eventual reform of the Roman Curia.
It is a decision that stems from a suggestion made during the General Congregations that preceded the last Conclave. Yet this is not a new organism to be super-imposed on the Curia, whose well-defined functions remain completely in force, but a space for consultation that will allow the Pope to hear the voice of bishops from the world's most important dioceses.
[Pardon me, but I still think this is a move that is more cosmetic than anything else. Nothing prevents any Pope from consulting - as often as he wants - any bishop in the world on any subject when he wants to, without naming a super-group, that IMHO, will only exacerbate existing rivalries and tensions among the bishops of the world, especially when it comes to perceived 'leadership' of a region. If cardinals can be so callous as to treat the former Pontiff like a piece of discarded junk, imagine what they could do to each other.]
With this 'group' (the choice of this modest designation also indicates its contingency nature, leaves open its work method, and dilutes the dramatism of its formation), Pope Francis apparently intends to amplify the habitual radius of papal listening to the sensibilities and concerns of the various ecclesial communities in the world. It is a sign of 'collegiality' (as intended by Vatican II), but it goes beyond communion because the Pope always acts
in medio Ecclesiae (in the midst of the Church).
[??? What is the condition that goes beyond communion????]
Actually, Popes have always made use of various elements and ambiences for consultation and advice. The College of Cardinals itself is the most privileged, although its size in modern times has made it less functional for habitual contact. The Pope has freely chosen the members of the Group of 8, which clearly reflects his desire for universality and a clear preference for bishops active in the world's most strategic dioceses like Boston, Munich, Kinshasa, Bombay and Sydney.
[Do Pope Francis's appointments, in fact, reflect what he thinks of the strategic importance of the dioceses represented by his nominees? Is Boston more strategic than New York or Los Angeles; is Munich more strategic than Milan; is Kinshasa more strategic than Lagos; is Bombay more strategic than HongKong or Manila; and in Latin America, why was the bishop of the world's largest diocese in the world's largest Catholic country (Cardinal Odilo Scherer of Sao Paolo, Brazil (whom even Pope Francis's sister has said she had hoped would be elected Pope) not named to the Council? In Oceania, of course, Sydney appears to be the only choice. It appears the choices were more personality-based than location-based. Not to mention the snub to leading papabili in the 2013 Conclave like Cardinal Scola of Milan, Cardinal Erdo of Hungary, and Scherer himself? O'Malley was a late-blooming papabile, but one senses he was chosen over, say, Cardinal Dolan, for North America, because is happens to be a member of a religious order, and a Franciscan Capuchin at that.]
Named to be coordinator of the 8 is the Archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, well-known to Papa Bergoglio during all their years of workign together in CELAM (the coference of Latin American and Caribbena bishops). The only member of the Roman Curia named to the Group of 8 is Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, president of Vatican city state.
[He is the man chosen by Benedict XVI to succeed retiring Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo as President of the Vatican Governatorate, a position that Mons. Carlo Maria Vigano claimed had been promised to him by Cardinal Bertone [And if that is true, then Cardinal Bertone had no right to promise any such appointment any way, which is the sole prerogative of the Pope. But this digression is to call attention to the fact that some of the Anglophone commentators who unquestioningly bought Vigano's tall tale of being the only upright person in Benedict XVI's Curia had suggested that Pope Francis could best underscore his resolve to 'clean up the Curia' by naming Vigano his Secretary of State. Well, it appears the new Pope thinks very highly of the man appointed by Benedict XVI to the Governatorate over Vigano, to the point that the Italian media have speculated he may even name Bertello to be his Secretary of State! So it comes full circle!] Some have seen in Bertello's appointment a sign towards his becoming Secretary of state, which may take place before the summer.
The most concrete function that the Pope has given the Group of 8 is to study the overall lines for a reform of the Curia. He could have decided all that himself, but he has decided to call for a study that would establish needs and priorities.
In fact, the present structure of the Curia corresponds to a design that is more than half a century old, and experience with perceived obstacles as well as historical changes now demand a new design. Nothing dramatic or rupture-inducing, but to underscore that the Curia is an auxiliary organ that serves the Pope in the exercise of his ministry. Obviously, any changes will be decided by the Pope alone.
This move should not be seen as putting the Church on the path of some 'democratization' which would dismantle what she was meant to be, nor as the Pope giving up any authority conferred on him by being the Successor of Peter.
But we can say that Pope Francis is seeking, as did his predecessors, the most adequate way to exercise his ministry of confirming all baptized Christians in the faith, safeguarding the unity of the Church, and promoting the New Evangelization.
The creation of the Group of 8 is nonetheless significant, and one understands the expectation it has aroused as well as the hunger for more news about it [they won't be meeting until October!], but any feeling of vertigo (whether exultant or in fright) corresponds to fantasy, not reality.
The reality remains that of a Church that lives its faith, for the faith, and to communicate the faith. The structure is always in need of maintenance and repair in order to serve its purpose. No more, no less.
Maybe I'm being too paranoid, but it disturbs me that Mr. Restan failed to include in his column, not even a brief but separate message from the above commentary to greet Benedict XVI on his birthday.
P.S. Apart from Carl Olson in Catholic World Report and Father Z on his blog, I have not seen any other Anglophone acknowledgment of Benedict XVI's birthday. Not even from CNS, CNA, and Zenit. Or the usually conscientious Catholic Herald of the UK. At least, the Italian media were not that negligent (or uncaring)!
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 19/04/2013 03:46]