The Redeemed Pope
Non nobis Domine, non nobis; sed nomini Tuo da gloriam
For 600 years, the Catholic Church of Rome faced a period of relative lull, at least canonically. Papacy has had, since the Great Schism — also known as The Western Schism — , followed its lineage without great atribulations from its successors.
The last — or rather, the last but one — pope to resign was Gregory XII, in the 15th century, to put an end to the Papal Schism of 1378, in which two bishops claimed to be the pope and excommunicated each other, and it has lasted for almost 40 years, until Gregory, the Roman Pope, abdicated to the Saint Peter’s Throne simultaneously to Avignon’s Antipope Benedict XIII in the Council of Constance.
All the other popes to resign previously — from Saint Pointian, who resigned for he was exiled by the roman emperor; to Saint Celestine V, who resigned to protect the church from secular politicians influence — had the same intentionality: to avoid Church jeopardy.
This would not be different with the papal renounce we thrilled watched. After six centuries of direct, lifelong pope lineage, a pope would deliver his retirement — Benedict XVI. Prior to him, the whole Modern Era only had popes in charge until death.
In a calm, but resolute speech, in an evening of 2013, Benedict announced what would be a surprise even among cardinals:
“After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering […] For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.”
Nonetheless, Benedict XVI would be no exception to the rule: he served not only as a confessor, but as a sacrificial lamb, to expiate the peccancy within the Church — the sex-abuse scandals ecloding at the time. Albeit being responsible for none, Benedict, in an attempt to exorcise the unrighteousness done by priests and minor clerics from the holy walls of the church, punishing himself for such wrongdoing, resigned and wreaked havoc to the thesis that the pontificate would be overlooking the victims of sexual abuse to protect the body of the church and to falsely maintain the cohesion among catholicism itself.
Benedict had not the successor he wanted, but the successor he needed. Election favorites were Francis Arinze and even brazilian Odilo Scherer, yet not Bergoglio — although he was runner-up in the 2005 conclave, having asked their voters to vote for Ratzinger the next round. And his election, as some God’s sign to reestablish the order and the temperance in the Holy See, nevertheless with some more-than-needed reforms, has proven itself a success until today.
The most important qualification for any leader is not wanting to be one. (Plato)
Miserando atque eligendo
The formation of one cardinal is critical when referring to his tone of papacy after elected. Taking Benedict XVI for instance, as an european, holding a background with an emphasis on philosophy and theology, would make him an essentially theoretical pope — from his participation in Second Vatican Council to the elaboration of his ultimate Enciclica Deus Carita Est, Benedict, just as Saint John Paul II, his predecessor, addressed the Church intelectually, providing theological and philosophical basis for its liturgy and doctrine, as the most prominent Doctors of the Church had done throughout millennia.
Elseways, Bergoglio had a different “curriculum” from his forebear, so to speak. Having studied humanities (sociology, history, psychology, anthropology etc) in his youth at Santiago del Chile, and even being ordered as a jesuit — a socially-oriented order that pursuits evangelisation by cultural and social approach — , the future pope-to-be altered from the current one at the time, who was a Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, regular diocesan ordinate. Working eminently as priest in Argentina, apart from his cardinalate beginning in 2001, future Pope Francis lived most of his life as a little ant in the Catholic Communion, during the time Benedict was elaborating theological thesis documents for the sake of the Roman Doctrine.
This can also be seen at the different approach to the papacy from both popes. Having a richer theology from the academic side than Francis so far, who is more engaged in a form of social theology, whilst being less socially, secularly engaged, Benedict XVI played his role a big cathedratical pope, whereas Francis is out there, as a missionary, eminently jesuit, as his ordination made him, evangelising and reaching out people through faith.
Likewise, Francis Theology on capitalism, women, environment and refugees make of him an essentially social pope — which is the orientation shift the Church surgically needed after Benedict withdraw. Contrarily to what critics, even inside the church, insist on accusing Francis — a weak, world-given pope — , The Holy Father has exactly the tenacity a pope needed to undertake what a Church losing its believers needed: communication. Instead of sitting in Vatican only professing speeches and writing up documents — which is also necessary, but not the only need of the church — , His Holiness is out there, baptizing babies, performing in-flight marriages and visiting church social works across the world.
Both popes had flaws in their regress history, although none committed a heinous or intentional act of misconduct. Benedict — just like any male in military age — had to enlist himself in the Hitler Youth, even though having a brother executed at Aktion T4 years later; Francis, as well, in order to maximize his powers for protection of chased citizens during the argentinian military dictatorship, did not publicly opposed the regime, as Pius XII, The Venerable, 30 years before, did in the fascist Italy against the nazis, saving over 100,000 jews from the holocaust.
Domine, misere nobis
As of his election, Bergoglio would stand on his feet at the veredict, a non-protocol act. When he heard the results of the poll and decided to accept his election, he said “although I am a sinner, I accept”.
Still haunted for his priests Yorio and Jalics — whom he could not save in the Dirty War — , albeit he was not responsible for their kidnap nor torturing, which happened over an agent who joined the guerrilla, Francis sat on Saint Peter’s Chair with one mission: to reunite and reform the Catholic Church of Rome.
The same accusations Pius XII had against him, had Francis — as not “doing enough” to help those in need during radical times of violence. As if there were, inside righteousness, deeds more right than others.
See, in extreme times, such as war, famine, disease or totalitarianism, any normal human being can have his judgement impaired, even in the path of uprightness. In the 70s, Bergoglio had done his best to protect both civilians and members of his order — otherwise, he would have entered history as Christian von Wernich for instance, a well-known supporter of the regime. Instead, Francis decided to work undercovered, obtaining valuable information from the navy intelligence to deceit the regime, and tricking it into thinking he was an ally, giving him time to get rid of suspicious literature in seminaries and any other traits that could draw the military attention to him and the people he was trying to protect. For no cleric should take part in political sides of a war, but only protect and save the highest number of lives he cans. For this is what Bergoglio had done in his past life during the darkest era of Argentina.
And now I would like to give the blessing, but first I want to ask you a favor. Before the bishop blesses the people, I ask that you would pray to the Lord to bless me — the prayer of the people for their Bishop. Let us say this prayer — your prayer for me — in silence.
-Pope Francis, in his first speech as pontiff
His Holiness Francis, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the Vatican City State, Servant of the servants of God.
Yet a man. And a sinner, according to himself.
God, let Francis have a papacy embraced by thyself and full of the Holy Spirit, for although he is the representative of Christ on Earth, he is only a man, just like you, oh Lord Jesus, still God, and still human.
