VATICAN CITY
National Catholic Reporter
by John L. Allen Jr. | Mar. 19, 2013
Rome —
Just in case anybody missed the key line from his homily during Tuesday’s inaugural Mass, Pope Francis later made it his third tweet since taking office: “True power is service. The Pope must serve all people, especially the poor, the weak, the vulnerable.”
The line builds on a consistent theme since Francis’ election, memorably expressed during a meeting with journalists Saturday.
“How I would like a poor church for the poor,” Francis said. It’s a fitting sentiment for a pope who took his name from Francis of Assisi, a saint renowned for his love affair with Lady Poverty.
Now that the new pope has reached the end of his beginning, the focus will shift from style to substance, meaning the hard work of translating his promising start into the nuts and bolts of policy. With regard to fostering a “poor church for the poor,” Francis will face at least four challenges right out of the gate.
1. The myth and reality of Vatican wealth
Given the magnificence of St. Peter’s Basilica and the Apostolic Palace, the Vatican may seem a counterintuitive place to pursue the dream of a poor church. Some may expect the new pope to hold a fire sale in St. Peter’s Square — in a metaphorical sense following his namesake, Francis of Assisi, by stripping the place naked before starting anew.
Such a program is, in truth, easier to applaud than to accomplish.
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