Category: Guest Authors

Who says the Catholic Church can’t change? By electing Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina, the conclave of Cardinals just made history.  The list of “firsts” is impressive:

-First Pope from the Americas;
-First non-European in 1,200 years;
-First Latin American pontiff;
-First to take the name Francis.

Most amazing, he’s the first non-Catholic pope.

He’s a Jesuit.

*****

Jokes aside, the selection of Bergoglio is an interesting choice. His accomplishments are significant, from modernizing the Argentinian Church to having the guts to clash with President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner on important issues.  Infinitely more attractive to the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, though, is how he conducts his daily life.

He is a genuinely humble man who serves God with the utmost seriousness — truly a testament to the Saint whose name he chose, Francis of Assisi, who renounced a life of privilege to serve the Lord.

Criticism of the Church is at an all-time high, and millions have left because of what they view is an inconsistent, and often hypocritical, message, especially regarding the sex scandals and cover-ups. So the selection of a leader who embodies a “practice what you preach” ethic could not have come at a better moment.

And anyone who believes that ethic is for show, think again. In his wildest dreams (prior to the resignation of Benedict), Bergoglio could never have imagined himself becoming pontiff. Popes rarely step down (only four in 2,000 years), and had Benedict served just another few years, Bergoglio would have been 80 — out of contention for the next papacy.

Which makes his humility all the more real, as his lifestyle clearly wasn’t a ploy to ingratiate himself with the College of Cardinals.  It was, and is, what he believes is right.

Until his election as pontiff, he cooked his own meals. He lived in a one-room apartment. More often than not, he walked or took public transportation. (Though, on this last point, we can give many American Cardinals a pass.  Could you imagine Your Eminence in Philadelphia taking the El or Broad Street Subway, or walking to his next meeting on Girard Avenue? It’s great to have God on your side, but honestly, a Glock .45 “on his side” would serve him better.)

Upon becoming Pope, Bergoglio clearly showed the world, at risk of alienating ultra-traditionalists, that the courage of his convictions still reigned supreme.

He didn’t don the typical red papal mozzetta vestments, but a plain white robe. He wasn’t laden with gold and jewels, but adorned a simple wooden Cross. He asked the throngs in St. Peter’s Square to pray for him. Rather than preaching in liturgical platitudes, he actually spoke to the flock. He eschewed the special chair on a raised platform, choosing to greet each Cardinal on the same level, showing he was still one of them.  Forsaking the Pope Car, he rode to the hotel on the bus with all the Cardinals, later invoking laughter as he toasted them: “May God forgive you!”

And upon checkout, he paid the hotel bill himself and carried his own luggage.

Not a bad start.

*****

While praying one day, St. Francis heard Christ speak to him: “Francis, repair my Church.”

In that regard, Pope Francis has his work cut out for him.  As one of “God’s Marines,” as the Jesuits are known, he will have to fight every day to repair a fractured Church. Modernize without compromise, apologize and sanitize, and organize and proselytize.

A herculean task, and one compounded by his age. He is 76. Put another way, he is 24 years short of the century mark.

Is such a consideration discriminatory? Age-ist?  Unfair?

Absolutely.  But also true. Like it or not, age, and appearance, matter.

Maybe 76 is the new 56. Maybe Pope Francis will be photographed fist-bumping a 10-year old. Maybe his charisma knows no bounds, allowing him to resonate with all generations, reinvigorating the faithful and inspiring the departed to return.

But it will take an extraordinary amount of energy and strength, attributes which clearly had left Pope Benedict. Will Pope Francis have the necessary stamina, and if so, for how long? Time will tell.

And let’s be clear about something. For this pope to be effective, he must be a globetrotter, racking up huge miles. And yes, that means regularly visiting that not-so-obscure country accounting for not just millions of Catholics and billions for Church coffers, but one that also happens to be the leader of the world. It’s called the United States, and papal visits every decade don’t, and won’t, cut it.  Benedict’s first — and last — visit was in 2008, three years after becoming Pope. Because of his frailty, more numerous trips didn’t occur, and that perfectly illustrates why age matters.

Both flock and clergy need to see their leader on a more frequent basis, but such a schedule takes a toll. And let’s not forget that the Pope is not just the leader of a religion, but a Head-of-State, as the Vatican is its own sovereign country.

Those who criticize the questioning of age are not dealing with reality. Age was a major issue with numerous presidential candidates, not just from a health standpoint, but also relatability. John McCain and Bob Dole both lost to younger, more charismatic opponents. And an old-looking, frail FDR could never have been elected in the age of television because he was wheelchair-bound, weakened by polio.

However, if anyone proved that age could be overcome, it was Ronald Reagan. Despite being on death’s door after the assassination attempt, the nation’s oldest-elected president nonetheless traveled the world, rebuilt a battered economy, and defeated communism, in the process freeing more people than any other person in history.

But Francis begins his papacy only one year younger than when Reagan left office. Age will become a factor, and we may be choosing another pope within a decade. Is this the new precedent? Is it a calculated move to ensure that massive media coverage of the Church continues? Is choosing a new leader every few years necessary to adapt with the times, hoping a fresh perspective will keep Catholics interested? Or will such a practice lead to a “been there, done that” tedium? Too soon to tell.

One thing is certain. Pope Francis can either be a great communicator by preaching worldwide, or he can stay in the Vatican and clean house, cutting its massive bureaucracy and reforming the Church from within. But he can’t do both.

Here’s hoping he appoints some kick-ass, take-no-prisoners lieutenants to do the latter, and resurrects the global force for good the Church was, prior to the scandals. And since he is 76, there’s no better time than the present.

*****

I am lucky enough to have stayed in Assisi, Italy. In between imbibing Umbrian wine with the locals, I traced the footsteps of Francis: where he performed his deeds, where he lived and often went hungry in the caves above town, and where he lies buried under the Basilica. It was impossible not to become immersed in his almost-too-amazing-to-be-true life.

Given that Jorge Bergoglio chose to emulate such a model human, the Cardinals may have, in fact, chosen wisely.

And since the rain that had been pouring on St. Peter’s Square just happened to stop the moment before Pope Francis was announced to the world, it seems The Big Guy agrees.

Chris Freind is an independent commentator who operates FreindlyFireZone.com . He can be reached at CF@FreindlyFireZone.com

 

Thank God for small miracles. Or, in this case, huge ones.
The decision of Pope Benedict XVI to step down — the first resignation in 600 years and only the fourth in history — has given the Catholic Church an unprecedented opportunity to save itself. And since the eleventh hour is upon the Church, the Pope’s action could not have come at a better time.
Whether the conclave of Cardinals takes advantage of this blessing or blows it all to hell remains to be seen.
As one of the Catholic faithful, I desperately want to believe it will choose the right path.
I want to believe the Church, without hesitation, will do whatever is necessary to rebuild the greatest, most benevolent institution the world has ever known.
I want to believe the Church will admit and address, head-on, that its hard times — the scandal, corruption and genuflecting at the wrong altar (that of political correctness) — are sins of its own making.
I want to believe the Church has finally learned to practice what it preaches, that humbleness will replace arrogance, and that it fully appreciates the value of not just forgiveness, but asking to be forgiven.
I want to believe that the new Pope will inherently understand that, in order for the Church to survive, it must adapt — not in ways that undermine the pillars of its divine theology, but by approaching its critical “earthly” issues with an honest, fresh perspective.
I want to believe that the Church will strive to better understand the value of perhaps the most powerful tool in the 21st century: public relations.
And I want to believe that the Catholic Church, once and for all, will cease being a paper tiger, resurrecting its once mighty political power.
But at the risk of sounding like Thomas, I have my doubts.
Given its recent history, the Church does not exactly inspire confidence that it has learned from its mistakes and gained the wisdom (and will) to embark on the path to growth. A gambling man would wager on the next Pope being Business-As-Usual, radiating the status quo and reluctant to make waves.
That would be a good bet, but it would be a losing hand for the Church, relegating it to a house of cards.
*****
So what should the Cardinals do to ensure the survivability of the Church?
1.  For starters, choose the right-looking leader. Honorable as he may be, Pope Benedict makes John McCain look downright boyish, so picking another frail, gray-haired/white-haired/no-haired Pontiff is a surefire way to completely lose the middle-aged-and-younger generations. Like it or not, appearance matters. And that is infallible.
Proof? FDR could have never won in the television age because America would not elect a man in a wheelchair. JFK’s youth and good looks gave him a substantial advantage over Nixon in the debates. Bob Dole versus Bill Clinton? Not even divine intervention could have helped Dole in that matchup. And since the death of European Christianity has largely occurred under older pontiffs, maybe it’s time to go younger.
However, choosing a pope on ethnic appearance would be a huge mistake. Sure, a black pope helps bolster Africa (the new battleground in the vicious Christian-Muslim wars), as a Latino does for Central and South America.  But that vision is short-sighted, as it wouldn’t actually address, let alone solve, the Church’s problems.
2. Select an articulate, charismatic pontiff who, in both perception and reality, can effectively communicate that he is in touch with the true heart and soul of the Church — the rank-and-file. The new pope cannot afford to be aloof or insulated, since these are the very qualities that contributed so mightily to the Church’s decline. How bad has it become? One in ten Americans is an ex-Catholic, and the 30 million who have left the Church, if counted as their own religious group, would be the third-largest denomination in the country. Vocations are a fraction of what they once were, and the obvious stigma associated with entering the seminary keeps even more away. And the stark reality is that, within a decade, Catholic education will be largely gone, leaving churches that much emptier.
3. Ensure the new pope apologizes in an unprecedented upfront, straightforward manner, not just for the scandals but the cover-ups. And that apology should extend down to every parish. Countless Catholics are still waiting for a genuine apology, and many parents feel that they are being put through the ringer because of priests’ sins. Praying in mass for the pedophile clergy, and those who covered up their salacious activities, is one thing. But the many priests who still view the scandals as overblown makes the sin mortal, as the continuing Catholic exodus and dwindling coffers attest.
4. Start talking about the positive aspects of the Church, restoring the credibility that has been shattered by years of sex scandals, shredded documents and cover-ups. The Roman Catholic Church is the largest provider of social services in the entire world (second in America behind only the U.S. government) and administers the world’s largest nonpublic school system, yet most people are unaware of those phenomenal achievements — a massive failure in public relations. It’s time to tell that magnificent story and educate the world — again — on what it really means to be Catholic. Unequivocally, pride in Catholic identity leads to fuller schools.
5. Flex political muscle. From keeping its schools open (which saves billions in taxpayer money) to fighting government healthcare insurance mandates for abortion and birth control, success in the public arena only occurs when muscle is flexed It’s time for Catholics to take their rightful place at the political table, as all other religions do (despite having far fewer members). But that means playing hardball, unabashedly making its issues front and center in primary and general elections. The power of a newly awakened tiger — one that has shed its paper skin — would be an unmatched political force. But that power will only exist if people once again believe in their Church.
6. Allow priests to marry.  And yes, consider allowing women to enter the priesthood.  This would ease the resentment felt by many women towards a Church that treats them like second-class citizens. Even more important, women and married priests are the only measures that can ensure the Church’s survival. We can play with the numbers, pretending that seminary vocations are up, but the stark reality is that if nothing changes, there soon won’t be a Catholic Church in the traditional sense. The cock has been crowing a lot more than three times — more like 30 years — and yet the denials from Church leaders continue. The clock is ticking.
An all-male, celibate clergy has its origins in human, not divine, history. Forget Dan Brown theories as to whether Jesus was actually married. Priests were married (and possibly even a Pope or two), and were for centuries, with some historians placing that practice at over 1,000 years. While it was abolished for “religious” reasons, the real impetus was rooted in property rights. But since God invented annuities and life insurance in the 20th century, that problem has been solved. Married clergy certainly seems to be working in the other religions (who don’t have nearly the old age and pedophile problems), so the Church needs to get with the times.
*****
Keep the faith but fight the corruption.  That should be the ultimate factor in choosing the next pope.  It doesn’t get any simpler, or more poignant, than that.
If such a leader can preach a positive message, modernize without compromise, and wield a political sledgehammer, then prayers for a reinvigorated flock will be answered, keeping Christ’s Church alive far into the future.

Chris Freind’s work can be found at FreindlyFire.Com

 

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