The Letter Bomb

A March 2018 Pew Research project asked participants to explain in their own words the accomplishments of Pope Francis during his five years as pope, despite their personal opinions of him.  Nine percent said Francis set an example of humility and genuine Christian behavior.  Another nine percent said he has made the Church more accepting and open.  One person said, “He seems to get the idea across that all people are important and worthy of attention and rights.”  Eight percent mentioned Francis’ focus on the poor, while another 7 percent mentioned his attention toward the LGBT community.  Six percent liked the fact that he travels and makes himself available to people around the world.  Still another 5 percent think he has united the Catholic community through open dialogue.  One to four percent of the participants noted the pope’s concern about climate change, peacemaking, addressing sex abuse, welcoming the divorced and remarried, reforming the Vatican, and immigration. Fifty percent of Catholic Republicans say Francis is too liberal. One participant said that Pope Francis “gets too involved in things that don’t concern the Church,” while another said he is “more liberal than the popes before him.”  Eighty-four percent of U.S. Catholics gave Francis a favorable approval rating, and the majority (58 percent) believed he was making major changes that would benefit the Church and 94 percent saw him as compassionate.

What a difference a day can bring—or what a difference a letter can make!  Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano’s “testimony” (letter) published this past weekend accuses Vatican officials and in particular, Pope Francis, of longstanding knowledge of the sexual crimes of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.  Given the “temper” of the Church after the grand jury findings in Pennsylvania, the situation in Ireland and elsewhere with regard to sex abuse by clergy, that one letter created an explosion within an already toxic climate.  The fallout of that letter bomb may be radioactive for the Pontiff and the Church.

Pope Francis said he would not respond to the accusations, saying the “letter” (bomb) “speaks for itself.”  He told reporters on the way from Dublin to Rome that he would “not say one word” about the letter which suggests that Francis should resign.  Francis said everyone should read the document carefully and decide for themselves if it is credible.  I have been unable to find the text of the letter and have not read it.  HOWEVER—I have to wonder if this isn’t a ploy on the part of “the Church that does not want to change” against a pope, who “wants to change the Church,” and has already done so.

We shall see as the days go along.  What is really disturbing is how many Catholics have “bought into” the letter without even reading it.  It could be disinformation.  It could be “fake news.”  All I know, from listening to Pope  Francis for the past few years, is that he is a “clear and present danger” to the Church as it is!