Palace Intrigue: Who Writes Drafts for the Pope

 


Pope Francis seems to know his denomination has to change but wants the rate of change to be at a pace those in the pews can tolerate. Thus, we read the Pope decrees something kind of "liberal" followed by something considered "conservative." For example, he has decreed men and women who are same sex couples can be blessed but the wedding ceremony cannot be blessed. This was followed by a statement against trans. And so it goes on and on. Look for more of this during the rest of the Francis years. 

Navigating all this requires skill by the Pope. One would surmise it also requires collaborators to bounce off ideas and draft language to be considered. The Pope's enemies said one man is the chief collaborator of liberal ideas and wants this Cardinal gone. I'm referring to Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez whose nick name is "Tucho." 

The Pope did not recruit Fernandez until former Pope Benedict was dead. Only then did the Pope make what one U.S. professor and scholar of the Vatican has called, "The most significant appointment of his time as Pope." The appointment was to head a part of the Vatican bureaucracy called the "Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith." To appreciate the impact of Benedict's death the arrival of Fernandez remember only a few years ago Benedict condemned homosexuality during the annual "New Year's Eve Message." With arrival of Fernandez Pope Francis encourages blessing gay people who have married.

Fernandes and Francis are both from Argentina and knew each other when Francis was there. Apparently, they share a vision of the Catholic denomination that tries to change with the times. It does not take a rocket scientist to see the decline in Europe and North America and realize something has to change. 

With Fernades the Pope has a talented and forceful advocate for change in the denomination. Opponents, lost in the morass of anti-abortion and anti-gays, fumble and grouse while this duo maneuvers its way thought the thicket of opposition.

While I've not seen this discussed in the Catholic press, the on-going "synod" project seems like something Fernades and the Pope would have set up to inch change along. In the synod project, Bishops are to collect thoughts, complaints mostly, in listening sessions, summarize them and forward them to the next world-wide gathering of the denomination. It seems a reversal of the practice of people from the pews confessing to the local priest. In the synod project the clergy have to listen to those in the pews. It is bound to bring some changes to a moribund denomination.

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