Vatican Commentator on anniversary: Pope Francis has irrevocably changed the papacy

Vatican News Agency ^ | March 13, 2014

[NYer]

(Vatican Radio) Thursday marks the first anniversary of the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina as Pope Francis. He is the first ever Pope from Latin America or as he himself jokingly remarked coming almost from “the end of the world.” The new Pope is also the first Jesuit Pope and the first to take the name of Francis. Over the past year, Pope Francis has won admiration and support far and wide thanks to his warmth and his obvious empathy with the poor and marginalized and he was named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year in 2013.

One of the world’s best-known commentators and authors on the Papacy is John Allen who is Associate Editor of the Boston Globe newspaper specializing in the Vatican and the Catholic Church. Susy Hodges spoke to him about the Pope's first year.

Listen to the first words spoken by Pope Francis after his election and the full interview with John Allen:

Asked what he believes is the most significant aspect of Pope Francis’ first year in office, Allen says he believes “the most significant point is that he’s accomplished far more than most of us could have reasonably expected … both in terms of style and in terms of sustenance.” “He’s invigorated the Church at the grass roots level” but as Allen goes on to point out, Pope Francis has also notched up some more concrete achievements. He says these include the Pope’s “deep structural reforms such as his most recent decision to create a new Secretariat for the Economy in the Vatican to impose fiscal discipline.”

But could there be too many unrealistic expectations surrounding Pope Francis and what reforms he is planning? Allen agrees that in some quarters there are “over-heated” and unrealistic expectations, especially concerning doctrinal issues. “If there is an expectation that Pope Francis will radically change the doctrine of the Catholic Church, it is destined to be disappointed.”

Allen goes on to say that in his view “the fundamental change” that is occurring during Francis’ papacy is that he’s reviving “the pastoral instinct.” “I think the cornerstone of that is that this is the Pope of mercy, a Pope who profoundly believes that mercy is the most important message that the world needs to hear from the Catholic Church at this time.”

As for the most surprising aspect of Pope Francis’ papacy, Allen says that for him as a long-time Vatican correspondent, it’s “the media’s love affair with this Pope.” He describes the “Pope’s “ability to win over the hearts and minds of the media business as nothing short of astonishing.”

Asked whether he believes Pope Francis has irrevocably changed the papacy, Allen is in no doubt about that, due to “many of the structural reforms” the Pope is promoting that are “intended to make the exercise of the papacy more collegial… to make the Vatican more transparent and accountable…. and to promote a new style of leadership.” Because so many of these reforms are already “institutionalized”, Allen believes Pope Francis “has fundamentally altered the way the powers of the papacy are exercised, not the content of that power, but the way it is exercised.”

[NYer]

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The biggest move, however, came last month when Francis created a new job, the Secretariat for the Economy, and handed hard-nosed Australian Cardinal George Pell full authority over the Holy See's business, administrative and personnel matters.

The goal, according to a Vatican statement, is "a more formal commitment to adopting accounting standards and generally accepted financial management and reporting practices, as well as enhanced internal controls, transparency and governance."

Read More: Not Just Talk: Pope Francis Cleans Up Finances in First Year

[pgkdan]

Vatican Commentator on anniversary: Pope Francis has irrevocably changed the papacy

No kidding and it's for the worse. But who am I to judge. Just welcome the new Catholic diversity!

[fwdude]

A very good homosexual friend, not activist, but very "out," is just tickled pink (pun intended) by Francis's shenanigans, what he has said, and what people "think" he has said.

That tells me a lot. You can know a lot about a person by the people who admire him.

[Talisker]

Catholicism is not a democracy.

Funny how easily so many “staunch” Catholics forget that.

Obedience means obedience.

[piusv]

Oh, we ain’t seen anything yet.

[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

Pope Francis is my favorite Pope since John Paul the second! I just hope he starts kissing holy objects from other religions soon and gets caught on camera doing it, that way I can post them in debates with Papists next to the ones we already got from Paul.

This is the Pope who keeps giving me such beautiful gifts!

[OpusatFR]

One “irrevocable” year in the life of 2000+ year old institution is a great example of journalistic overreach.

[PapaBear3625]

One “irrevocable” year in the life of 2000+ year old institution is a great example of journalistic overreach.

NOTHING is “irrevocable”. The next Pope can walk in, cancel everything Pope Francis did, toss all the Vatican II changes in the trash, and reinstate the Latin Mass.

[nanetteclaret]

From your lips to God’s ears!

[piusv]

Amen.

[NYer]

This is the Pope who keeps giving me such beautiful gifts!

I agree!! Following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.

Pope Francis embraces man with tumors.

Pope Francis greets man with no face.

Pope Francis with quadriplegic.

Jesus with Bartimaeus the Blind Man

Jesus heals the Hemorrhaging woman.

Jesus heals the paralyzed man.

At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.
Mat 9:36

I can excuse Puny's ignorance, for he knows not what he does. As for the catholics, your distrust for Pope France reflects disbelief in the words of Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18).

[piusv]

Bzzzt. Wrong answer.

[Salvation]

**Allen goes on to say that in his view “the fundamental change” that is occurring during Francis’ papacy is that he’s reviving “the pastoral instinct.” “I think the cornerstone of that is that this is the Pope of mercy, a Pope who profoundly believes that mercy is the most important message that the world needs to hear from the Catholic Church at this time.” **

What’s to worry about here?

[Iscool]

I can excuse Puny's ignorance, for he knows not what he does. As for the catholics, your distrust for Pope France reflects disbelief in the words of Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18).

Those poor people have been given a false sense of hope...Francis can't do a thing for any of them...Jesus healed those people...Your pope can't do anything...To equate the two is disgusting...

[ebb tide]

I can excuse Puny's ignorance, for he knows not what he does.

But can you excuse Francis' ignorance, for he knows what he does? Or, does he?

"The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! 'Father, the atheists?' Even the atheists. Everyone!" (5/22/13)

"Proselytism is solemn nonsense, it makes no sense." (10/1/13)

[piusv]

Just two of the many goodies we have experienced in just one year!

Almost makes one wish for a Medici.

[BlatherNaut]

The Pope has the whole planet buzzing about the latest thing he has said or done—all of it broadcast worldwide nearly every day with the assistance of a public relations team headed by PR “wizard” Greg Burke, a former Fox News and Time magazine correspondent and a member of Opus Dei.

http://remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/articles/item/364-the-francis-effect-a-gathering-storm

Obviously the central theme of the PR campaign is "mercy". Try looking beyond the hype to the complete agenda.

[piusv]

As if the Church didn’t teach mercy before Francis. Please.

[BlatherNaut]

As if the Church didn’t teach mercy before Francis.

Has he spoken out yet about the Belgian child euthanasia law?