Is Francis’ signature motu proprio a product of the pope, or of circumstances?
Inside the coffin of Pope Francis is a document known as a rogito: a brief, biographical overview of a deceased pope’s life and the key events in his ecclesial ministry, held in a sealed metal tube.
The rogito of Pope Francis speaks in broad terms of his concern for the poor and marginalized, his commitment to ecumenical dialogue, and his missionary attitude. But it also speaks in more detailed terms of his canonical reforms, reminding us that Francis “toughened legislation regarding crimes committed by clerics against minors or vulnerable persons” — a reference to his 2019 apostolic letter Vos estis lux mundi (“You are the Light of the World”).
The rogito is simply a big-picture summary of a life and pontificate. This is just as well for those who compiled it; offering any more substantial commentary on how the norms of Vos estis cohere with Francis’ broader…
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