UNITED STATES
National Catholic Reporter
Thomas Reese | Apr. 10, 2015 Faith and Justice
In his pre-Christmas talk to the cardinals and bishops of the Vatican Curia, Pope Francis shocked his audience and the world by his scathing words on the failings of those working in the Vatican. He warned them against 15 separate “diseases” in their work and attitudes.
In this “examination of conscience,” among other sins, he spoke of “spiritual Alzheimer’s,” “existential schizophrenia” and the “terrorism of gossip.”
“They are diseases and temptations which weaken our service to the Lord,” he said.
“The list paints a picture of an institution full of gossip, backstabbing and lack of contact with the reality lived by most Catholics around the world,” Joshua J. McElwee wrote.
The pope argued that these sins were rooted in a feeling of indispensability that often stems from “the pathology of power, from a superiority complex.”
News stories of this talk naturally connected it with Pope Francis’ plans to reform the Curia, but the speech notwithstanding, little progress has been seen except in the area of financial reform.
After such a speech, one would have expected heads to roll, but they did not. Despite the rhetoric, curial cardinals are still treated like princes.
True, Cardinal Raymond Burke was sidelined to the Knights of Malta from being the head of the Apostolic Signatura, the church’s highest court. But no other curial cardinal was removed from his job in a way that looked like an embarrassing demotion. For example:
* Cardinal Mauro Piacenza went from being prefect of the Congregation for Clergy to being head of the Apostolic Penitentiary in 2013.
* Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, was transferred in 2014 to his home archdiocese of Valencia, Spain.
These cardinals can continue to serve the church with their heads held high.
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