DOES THE POPE NEED ADVICE?

Does the pope need advice? Should he appoint advisors? Pope Francis has already answered those questions by appointing a group of eight cardinals as advisors – the PG8. It includes one from India – Oswald Gracias of Mumbai, who is also the President of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India (CBCI) and that of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC). The others include Sean O’Malley of Boston, USA, who reportedly sold off the cardinal’s mansion to raise funds, and others from Australia, Germany, Italy, Chile, Honduras and Congo.

I am not familiar with the dynamics of the Vatican, its Curia or papal congregations. Since I am not Dan Brown, I don’t see angels or demons in the Vatican. But now I do see a human being in the person of Pope Francis. I am intentionally emphasising his humanness, as distinct from a holy, spiritual, intellectual or dynamic one. A man who begins his papacy with “Good evening, eat well, have a good sleep” is intensely human, like the carpenter of Nazareth, who was rooted in his humanity. Several years ago I met an Italian Cistercian (cloistered) monk, who said that the primary requirements of a cloistered monk were a good appetite, good sleep and a capacity for manual labour! So being intensely human is actually divine. This is the mystery of the Incarnation, of Emmanuel – God with us.

Pope Francis, though a Jesuit, chose the name of Francis of Assisi. One of the PG8 is a Franciscan (Capuchin). Now the Superior General of the Franciscan Order has been made the head of the Congregation for Religious. There is a distinct Franciscan flavour to this papacy. St Francis of Assisi is credited with making the first Christmas Crib, with real animals in a stable. Are we then seeing a new nativity (re-birth) of the church? Are we going to see “poor shepherds” feeling welcome? Are we going to have wise men from the East (is Oswald Gracias one of them)? Will there be a bright star over Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Rome, Mumbai, Boston etc? Will we hear again that wondrous proclamation “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to men of goodwill”? Pope John XXIII (J23) heralded a new Pentecost in the church. Will Pope Francis herald a new Christmas? Does he want the church to go back to its roots, the way mystics like St Francis of Assisi and Teresa of Avila did?

The PG8 must be seen in this wider context. I see a distinct trend in Pope Francis, indicative of his vision for the church. Before that I will touch on two aspects that the media seems to have forgotten – the unexpected voluntary resignation of a sitting pope, and Pope Francis’ observation that the church is not an NGO. From these we must conclude that Christianity is of graver importance than the papacy, and the church is not just a charitable organisation.

In this light I see the PG8 as an extension of Pope Francis’ broader vision for the church. Nature wise he seems closer to J23, as expressed in the latter’s autobiography, “Journey of a Soul”. A humble and open person seeks advice, and therefore appoints advisors. So the importance of the PG8 is not so much in its composition as in the very act of its formation. Kings had courtiers (Akbar and Birbal), and democracies have a Cabinet or Council of Ministers. But of what use are such to a dictator or oligarch?

I see Pope Francis, not as a voice in the wilderness (a la John the Baptist), but as a voice of the voiceless; like Abp Desmond Tutu of South Africa. He has already expressed concern for conflict zones like Korea, Palestine and Nigeria. He has stressed the importance of women and washed their feet, including that of a Muslim. This is in stark contrast to Pope Benedict XVI’s insensitive remarks about the Prophet Mohammed. I see his road map (vision) unfolding along these lines:

• Restoration of the credibility of the church, which has taken a heavy beating in the West. He will do this through emphasis on core spiritual values, rather than rituals, a Latinised liturgy, pious devotions, pilgrimages etc.  
• A preferential option for the poor, both in body and spirit
• A drastic reduction in external pomp and show
• Enforcing ecclesiastical discipline against morally errant or deviant clergy
• An era of dialogue and ecumenism as envisaged by Vatican II
• Conciliation with growing Islamic fundamentalism; again taking a cue from St Francis of Assisi who engaged in dialogue with the Saracens while the rest of Christendom (popes included) were organising crusades to liberate the Holy Land from the Muslims
• He will not fall between the two stools (or schools of thought) – liberalism and conservatism. He will follow existentialism, actively seeking to do God’s will – “Speak Lord your servant is listening” (1 Sam 3:10), and “Be it done unto me according to your word” (Lk 1:38).

So what role will the PG8 have in this? Besides the above, they will be tasked with transforming a “Roman” church into a Catholic (universal) one. The PG8 will be expected to actively advise and assist in this radical or strategic makeover.

What of Indian Cardinal Oswald Gracias? I have no personal knowledge or interaction with the man. He has and still holds important offices in both India and Asia (he is probably the Asian rather than the Indian face in the PG8). He probably is a good guy, but I don’t know if he has the qualities of head and heart to qualify as a “Wise Man of the East”! On the other hand, India has a lot to contribute to the universal church – its deep spirituality, multi-ethnicity, secularism, pluralism, the co-existence of poverty and plenitude, and even a vibrant democracy and a robust economy. The Vatican Bank could take a leaf or two out of Indian banking institutions that withstood the debt crisis and the economic downturn in the West.

So who needs advice? Pope Francis certainly feels the need. Good for him, good for India, good for the universal church. I look forward to a new avatar (incarnation). Something good will emerge from this papacy, from the stable of Bethlehem. Since he has been cooking his own food, he may also give us a staple diet to make stable the barque of Peter. Felice Navidade.

April 2013