The Wisdom of Francis

"The finger that points to the moon is not the moon." Also, "When the wise guru points to the moon, the idiot sees only the finger." (Oriental proverbs)

The hopeful, believing part of me was deeply moved by yesterday's pageantry of presenting a new pope to the Catholic world. Did the cardinals choose wisely? I think so, given their options. Positive signs for the future: (1) the first American and Hispanic pope, (2) his taking of the name Francis--an evocative, beloved name among Catholics everywhere, and (3) the pope's request that the People of God bless him, before he could bless them (and the humble bow, as he received that blessing). For me, the most symbolic moment of the day--one straight out of Hollywood--came, when a large white bird settled atop the pipe from which white smoke had just announced the election of a new pope. Do I hear Holy Spirit?

What spoiled the aftermath somewhat for me was the way a procession of Catholic spin doctors took over the day, attempting to lock Pope Francis in a doctrinal cage. The worst was an arch-conservative Opus Dei spokesman declaring that Catholic teaching on contraception, abortion, and gay marriage came directly from Jesus. Really? The most extreme and pessimistic comment I've seen from the other end of the spectrum described the conclave as a bunch of thugs in a room, deciding how to keep their criminal enterprise going. Ouch! But some truth there.

In last week's blog post, I said and still believe that our "ace in the hole" is the Holy Spirit. Cardinal Bergoglio (Pope Francis) adhered to the official line in opposing contraception and gay marriage in Argentina. So, do we cross these critical issues off the table and wait for Pope Francis II? Will this pope be strong and stubborn enough to enforce a zero-tolerance policy on clergy sex abuse throughout the world? Will he right the fiscal/moral ship within the walls of his spacious new Vatican home (where he'll never again cook his own meals or take public transportation to work). I'm willing to wait and see what the Holy Spirit has up her sleeve.

Meanwhile, the Catholic world goes on, with or without wise leadership at the top. The conscience of the whole People of God (affirmed by Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI in 1967) listens to God's voice and evolves toward greater inclusion and equality.

In choosing St. Francis of Assisi as his patron and now namesake, our new pope has set his bar of reform and conversion very high, indeed. I, for one, will be praying that our pope will be as bold as the little man from Assisi. Maybe one day he'll even strip to his skivvies in St. Peter's Square and declare a personal fast from abuse of power, exclusion, and inequality. And maybe he'll once again bow and beg our blessing, saying, "Don't be an idiot. I am not God, only the finger that points to God."  

Alfred J. Garrotto is the author of 

The Saint of Florenville: A Love Story

saintoflorenville.com 

alfredjgarrotto.com

(c) 2013 by Alfred J. Garrotto

The Wisdom of Resignation

"The Church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic; and sinful." Claretian Father Paulson V. Veliyannoor, CMF, PhD, in Bible Diary 2013, reflection  for February 26, 2013

I have not been a great admirer of Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger / Pope Benedict XVI. Throughout my adult life, he has represented many negative aspects of Catholic theology and practice. My image of the man shifted a few years ago, when I came across a passionate defense of individual conscience written by Joseph Ratzinger in 1967, after the close of the Second Vatican Council. In it he said:

“Over the Pope as expression of the binding claim of ecclesiastical authority, there stands one’s own conscience which must be obeyed before all else, even if necessary against the requirement of ecclesiastical authority. This emphasis on the individual, whose conscience confronts him with a supreme and ultimate tribunal, and one which in the last resort is beyond the claim of external social groups, even the official Church, also establishes a principle in opposition to increasing totalitarianism.”

To my knowledge, Ratzinger/Pope Benedict never altered or renounced that definitive statement. I and countless other conscientious Catholics have quoted him repeatedly and held him to ownership of that theological position.

Why Benedict has decided to do on February 28, 2013, what no pope for seven centuries has done, is open to speculation (and runaway imagination). Whether it be for health and stamina reasons, as he publicly claims, or because an intransigent Vatican bureaucracy led him to throw in the towel (or both), I do admire this pope for handing over the office to a new and (somewhat) younger leader. That's not easy for power-for-lifers to do.

We Catholics who must watch from the sidelines are witnessing the beginning of the end of an  irrelevant structure of church leadership and governance. That system has allowed an all-male, celibate, and elite class of senior citizens to lay spiritual and moral burdens on their fellow religionists that they themselves have never borne. Rather than lament the passing of this archaic and,  in many ways, unjust system, Catholics who hold fast to the core beliefs of our faith find in this evolution the movement of the Holy Spirit. The truth of the Good News of Christ resides in the entire people of God. It is in that Body of Christ on earth that we find hope in the present turmoil surrounding the election of Benedict XVI's successor.

The Holy Spirit has forever been the people of God's "ace in the hole" and source of sure hope; "she" is the antithesis of the Vatican power structure that repeatedly mars the Roman Catholic "brand." 

I hope for, but do not expect, a saintly revolutionary leader in the mold of John XXIII to arise from this conclave. What I pray for is a leader who will begin the process of inner conversion in Rome, one who will take seriously his title as "servant of the servants of God." 

Our Catholic Church, like all other Christian churches and all other-than-Christian faith traditions is burdened with the millstone of fallible human nature. We Catholics will never get this "church thing" completely right. What we pray for is that we just won't keep getting it so terribly wrong. Yes, we're going to mess up the mission of Christ; but let's do it less and less, and in a spirit of humility and ongoing repentance.

Come, O Holy Spirit! 

Alfred J. Garrotto is the author of 
|The Saint of Florenville: A Love Story

saintoflorenville.com 

alfredjgarrotto.com

(c) 2013 by Alfred J. Garrotto