Pope Leo and a truly ‘synodal’ Church
We really could use a truly synodal Church, where the focus is not on the pope in all things, but on the lived faith in Christ crucified
And just like that we have a new pope.
In one of the shortest conclaves of modern times, the assembled cardinals decided quickly and decisively. Putting to rest the notion that an American could not be elected pope, they chose the man they thought best suited to the office regardless of his national origin.
This only underscores, yet again, that the modern papacy has evolved from an exclusively Italian and Eurocentric focus into a truly universal one where the bishop of Rome truly is the pastor for the entire global Church.
The past four popes have been a Pole, a German, and Argentinian, and now an American with dual citizenship as a Peruvian. Who could have seen that coming in early 1978?
Much has already been written about Pope Leo XIV, almost all of it positive, even though as yet there is very little to go on save a few early homilies and speeches.
His career has now been summarized and analyzed by many pundits, anxious to find clues as to how he might rule in the future through an examination of his past.
The focus, as is to be expected from the journalistic guild, has been on finding evidence on how he might rule on hot button issues like homosexuality, women’s ordination, communion for the divorced and civilly remarried, and the ongoing process of synodality.
Those are, of course, important issues and time will tell how it all plays out. I lean to the so-called “conservative” side theologically – however one wishes to characterize a “Communio” theologian such as myself – and therefore my hope is that he clarifies what Pope Francis muddied, especially in the domain of moral theology, and reaffirms the Church’s traditional moral teachings.
And, so far, I am encouraged by what I see and I will also admit that my initial gut reaction is that I like this new pope very much. He seems to be a highly intelligent, serious, and prayerful man, possessed of a deep Catholic sensibility, and exudes a real warmth of humanity.
But in reality it is simply too early to really know in what direction he will take the Church. Episcopal and curial appointments will give us our clearest signal since, indeed, “personnel is policy.”
All that said, what I truly hope for is a pope who writes little, issues very few motu proprios, and eschews an “activist papacy” that engages in all manner of new “creative initiatives.”
Because from where I sit the Church right now does not need more papal inventiveness and interventions, but less.
In this regard, and despite my many public criticisms of the synodal process under Francis, we really could use a truly synodal Church, where the focus is not centered upon the pope in all things Catholic, but on the lived faith in Christ crucified as this is made concrete in the eucharistic sacrifice of the local church, in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy in our homes and neighborhoods, and in the piety of popular devotions beloved by millions.