Personally, I hope Francis has the strength and stamina to realize his future hopes for the Church.
Though Francis gives off a warm, grandfatherly impression, there’s no doubt that he’s politically savvy. He is almost certainly working to reshape the College of Cardinals, the advisory body composed of the church’s most senior members—known as the “princes of the church”—that will, most importantly, be tasked with choosing the next pope. And he has shown himself willing to shake up the rules.
One of the most visible ways he has done that is by elevating cardinals from all over the globe in an effort that helps diversify the church outside of Europe. (He also has snubbed some expectant conservatives in favor of less senior but more loyal allies.) In nearly 10 years in the position, Francis has appointed a majority of cardinals, at least in terms of those who are permitted to vote for the next pope.
The day after Pell’s death, the Catholic world was shocked to discover that an anonymous memo—written last year under the pseudonym “Demos”—that blasted Francis’ papacy as a “disaster” and “catastrophe,” had actually been written by Pell. On the same day, the conservative magazine The Spectator published an article it claimed Pell had written. That article lambasted one of Francis’ central reform efforts as a “toxic nightmare.”
These revelations proved one thing: Before his death, the conservative Pell had been undercutting Pope Francis, all while he publicly worked to appear united with him.
Certainly, church conservatives, including the late Pell, have been lobbying hard to influence a future papal election. The second half of Pell’s anonymous memo, which circulated last year among the cardinals and attacked virtually every element of Francis’ leadership, was titled, “The Next Conclave”—a reference to the next time a new pope will be chosen.
As Gibson sees it, it’s not just Francis’ aging that has his enemies lashing out; it’s his success, too. “It’s growing desperation,” Gibson said. “The anti-Francis conservatives feel that the longer Francis goes on, the less chance they have of a restoration. So Gänswein and his tell-all, Pell, all these things going on—they’re signs of panic.”
The Key Decision for Pope Francis in His Standoff With Conservatives (msn.com)
Though Francis gives off a warm, grandfatherly impression, there’s no doubt that he’s politically savvy. He is almost certainly working to reshape the College of Cardinals, the advisory body composed of the church’s most senior members—known as the “princes of the church”—that will, most importantly, be tasked with choosing the next pope. And he has shown himself willing to shake up the rules.
One of the most visible ways he has done that is by elevating cardinals from all over the globe in an effort that helps diversify the church outside of Europe. (He also has snubbed some expectant conservatives in favor of less senior but more loyal allies.) In nearly 10 years in the position, Francis has appointed a majority of cardinals, at least in terms of those who are permitted to vote for the next pope.
The day after Pell’s death, the Catholic world was shocked to discover that an anonymous memo—written last year under the pseudonym “Demos”—that blasted Francis’ papacy as a “disaster” and “catastrophe,” had actually been written by Pell. On the same day, the conservative magazine The Spectator published an article it claimed Pell had written. That article lambasted one of Francis’ central reform efforts as a “toxic nightmare.”
These revelations proved one thing: Before his death, the conservative Pell had been undercutting Pope Francis, all while he publicly worked to appear united with him.
Certainly, church conservatives, including the late Pell, have been lobbying hard to influence a future papal election. The second half of Pell’s anonymous memo, which circulated last year among the cardinals and attacked virtually every element of Francis’ leadership, was titled, “The Next Conclave”—a reference to the next time a new pope will be chosen.
As Gibson sees it, it’s not just Francis’ aging that has his enemies lashing out; it’s his success, too. “It’s growing desperation,” Gibson said. “The anti-Francis conservatives feel that the longer Francis goes on, the less chance they have of a restoration. So Gänswein and his tell-all, Pell, all these things going on—they’re signs of panic.”
The Key Decision for Pope Francis in His Standoff With Conservatives (msn.com)
