For the first time in history, a reigning pope, Francis XVI, who is a retired pope together, this Thursday. He presided over Benedict’s funeral. lived in peace Vatican for almost 10 years. The unprecedented event intensified the historic divide between representatives of the conservative and progressive wing of the Catholic Church; debate about the identity of the millennial institution and your future is a discussion coming right now Church closes the unusual stage of coexistence of two potatoes and open one The new phase of the papacy of Jorge Bergoglio. According to some experts, Francisco will no longer feel more free to support the reform plan.
Benedict XVI’s own funeral, adapted to the fact that the deceased was a retired pope, has been the subject of tension between both groups. Criticism was first activated on social networks and related blogs. the most conservative wingwith criticism for the absence of most traditional rites during public ceremonies, especially to impeach Joseph Ratzinger ancient roman ritual. This is a reference to Francisco, who once again restrained the celebrations in 2021. latin traditional mass (or Tridentine rite by the Council of Trent), ‘motu proprio’ (papal document) through ‘Traditionis Custodes’.
The Argentine Pope thus changed what was done Joseph Ratzinger He prepared the ‘motu proprio Summorum Pontificum’ during his pontificate, reintroduced in 2007 the Permission to celebrate in Latin to avoid further breakage with traditionalist groups. Something Francisco doesn’t share who, with his last intervention, returned to gather the spirit of the resurrection. Second Vatican CouncilThat meeting the Church intended to meet in the sixties of the 20th century catching up with modernity. With this, Francis determined that the ancient rites would only be used a few times and only with special permission from the bishops or the Vatican itself.
The anger of Benedict’s ex-secretary
Georg Gänswein, who was Benedict’s former secretary and remained with Ratzinger until his death, decided to entrust his anger to the German Catholic newspaper. Dei Tages post. Considered a moderate conservative, Gänswein said in an interview published this week: Benedict He had lived through Francis’ reform”with pain in my heart”.
He argued that:intent (Ratzinger’s) was to help those who find a home in the old crowd find peace. to find religious peacealso to drive them away from Lefebvre,” said Gänswein, Brotherhood of Saint Pius X. It’s such a community not in union with Rome Since his founder was excommunicated in 1970 for rejection, Marcel Lefebvre, to archive the Tridentine rite. Benedict XVI tried to bring them closer to the Church, but the war with Francis was open and all-out.
Neglecting the ancient rite Among those wondering if it caused “heated controversy” during the funeral of Benedict XVI.A deliberate disdain for the legacy of Benedict XVI “To liberalize the traditional mass in Latin, with a clear ultra-conservative leaning,” Jules Gomes wrote on the Church Militant portal.
message on the right
This debate has come back to the present day. living complex moment Franciscocaught between Threats of division from the right led by US clergy, and growing discomfort of the more progressive wingunder the command of the clergy Germany. Moreover progressive catholics They began to insistently demand changes such as permission. order woman (or at least vote for them in important forums within the Church) and study it abolition of celibacy. Changes that are not in progress for the time being, despite the insistence of the German church.
The question is Francisco’sa very pragmatic Pope will decide in the end carry out some of these reforms In later years, Francisco shyly hinted that yes. He said this in a recent interview with the ‘ABC’ newspaper, which some analysts interpreted as follows. a right-directed message your church. He warned that he would not resign in the short term (confirmed this week by one of his confidants, the Jesuit Antonio Spadaro). female governor of a diastery (Vatican ministry) in two years.
This may not be the only innovation for the Church, which will be celebrated on March 13. Ten years with Argentine command. A priest, already 86 years old, who some analysts believe is now without Benedict XVI, will feel more comfortable pushing reforms that he did not dare to confirm with his more conservative, surviving predecessor.