(LUXEMBOURG)
RTL [Luxembourg City, Luxembourg]
April 11, 2023
By RTL
Pietro Parolin is Secretary of State of the Holy See and second in command of the Catholic Church after Pope Francis. As a guest of RTL Télé during his visit to Luxembourg, he addressed various issues, including some of the most sensitive for the Catholic Church.
RTL Télé journalist Mariette Zenners took advantage of the visit of the Vatican’s No. 2 to Luxembourg (at the invitation of Prime Minister Xavier Bettel) to discuss the health of Pope Francis, who was hospitalised at the end of March for a respiratory infection, the role of religion in politics, the current crises within the Church, and Luxembourgish Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich’s chances of one day becoming Pope.
Pope Francis is ‘doing well’
Pietro Parolin confirmed that Pope Francis is “doing well,” adding that he saw him only recently and was able to work with him “as usual.”
Despite the fact that his work as secretary of state is frequently equated to that of a prime minister, Parolin emphasised that this is not entirely accurate. In his own words, the secretaries of state are members of a body that assists the Pope in the daily administration of the global church.
A Luxembourgish Pope?
In March, Luxembourg’s Archbishop and Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich was appointed to the Council of Cardinals. Parolin noted that it is a relatively new council, which was established by Pope Francis shortly after his election as leader of the Catholic church. It consists of a group of cardinals whose mission it is to assist in the administration of the church. The pope may refer any and all questions to this council for advice.
In light of Cardinal Hollerich’s promotion to this high-ranking council within the Catholic Church, many Luxembourg residents are wondering: Will there be a Luxembourgish Pope one day? When asked, Parolin laughed and said that this is “quite difficult to say.” He explained that, according to Catholic belief, the Pope is elected by the Holy Spirit, which acts through the cardinals. For this reason, he does not think that it is possible to make predictions. In any case, the Church hopes that Pope Francis will remain at the helm for many years to come.
‘People are still looking for some sort of spirituality’
The recent decline in traditional religious practices and the uptick in “alternative spiritual practices” is “of great concern” to the Catholic church. However, Parolin highlighted the fact that it seems clear that, despite leaving the Catholic church, people are still looking for some sort of spirituality. Parolin thinks that the crisis might be more “a crisis of the church as an institution.” This, he believes, is a good thing because it indicates that many people are still willing to “create a link with the sacred, the transcendent.” In fact, Parolin even believes it could be “a great opportunity” for the church.
-> STATEC: Religion continues to lose importance in Luxembourg
‘A real effort has been made’ to overcome scandals
The scandals that have rocked the church in recent decades have been tough to overcome, but Parolin nevertheless stressed that the church “has done a lot,” both in terms of sexual abuse and paedophilia scandals and financial scandals. He explained that Pope Francis has transformed the entire structure of the Vatican, creating “economic organs” and major supervision mechanisms. “But maybe people have little faith in these things,” Parolin acknowledged. Nevertheless, he reiterated that a real effort has been made.
When asked why the Catholic church is finding it so difficult to abandon celibacy or allow women to be ordained as priests, Parolin replied that “these are very difficult questions.” For him, “these questions go to the heart of the Church,” for example, regarding the ordination of women, there was a declaration by Pope John Paul II explicitly forbidding this practice. Nevertheless, Parolin pointed out that “new spaces” have opened up for women within the church as of recent.
Regarding recent allegations that Pope John Paul II himself covered up paedophilia scandals in Poland, Parolin stated that the Church shares the pain felt by “many people, millions of believers,” and supports all efforts initiated by the Catholic Church in Poland ” to fight this plague of abuse, to overcome this culture of concealment, and above all to show compassion and closeness to the victims.” Parolin stressed that a special commission will be in charge of conducting “a very objective investigation.”
What role should religion play in the world of today?
Parolin thinks religion can play “a very important role,” especially as “an inspiration.” He referred to a statement made by Pope Benedict XVI in one of his encyclicals: “Religion must not take the political question into its own hands.” Parolin stressed that “we are not politicians, […] but we can inspire.” In this context, Pope Francis has proposed several times to visit Kyiv and Moscow. Parolin confirmed that the Pope “would like to go,” but for the time being, the circumstances do not permit it. When the conditions come together in the right way, “I think he will do anything in his power to go.”
When asked if he personally believes in the possibility of peace in Ukraine, Parolin replied that “we have to believe in that,” adding that “the war must end.” However, he admited that “for the time being, I don’t see any prospects for peace.” But that must change, “because it can’t go on like this, it’s a tragedy that has to end.”
Pietro Parolin’s personal Easter wishes to Luxembourg’s residents
“I wish everyone peace, which is the totality of the conditions that allow men and women today to have positive relationships with themselves, with others, and with God.”