Francis forms his grand design

From the editor's desk

The Tablet

From the editor's desk > Francis forms his grand design

Francis forms his grand design 

12 October 2016 Pope Francis will preside over a consistory next month at which 17 new red hats will be presented to their chosen recipients, 13 of whom are eligible to take part in papal elections. Their selection is a highly political act in the present state of the Catholic Church – an assertion of leadership that makes it more likely that Francis’ successor would continue his policies rather than reverse them, as many of his more conservative critics would wish. These appointments also shift the centre of gravity of the Catholic Church further away from Europe towards the South.

Particularly welcome is the rare appointment as cardinal of a serving nuncio, Archbishop Mario Zenari, who represents the Holy See in war-torn Syria. It is a clear sign that regardless of whoever else has given up in despair over that conflict, Pope Francis is not one of them. It is a pastor’s message of solidarity not just to Syrian Christians who have suffered so much, but to all the millions of victims of this devastating multi-sided civil war. Indeed the pastoral theme runs through this list, men close to their people rather than church bureaucrats or canon lawyers who know the rules but not the “smell of the sheep”.

The list also contains some implicit rebukes to church leaders who have failed to follow Francis’ lead on pastoral matters. That seems to be why a number of prominent United States dioceses which are used to having a cardinal archbishop at their head, have again been overlooked. The outstanding North American name on the list is that of Blase Cupich of Chicago, who has refused to engage in the so-called culture wars that have preoccupied many other US bishops.

Even more notable is the promotion and dramatic rehabilitation of Joseph Tobin of Indianapolis. As a senior Vatican official he had quarrelled publicly with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith over a heavy-handed inquiry it had sponsored into women’s religious orders, who were virtually accused of flirting with feminism and heresy. He was removed from his post. By naming Tobin as a cardinal Pope Francis has made it quite clear what he thinks of that affair.

Equally pointed is the appointment as cardinal of a second Venezuelan archbishop, Baltazar Porras Cardozo of Mérida, alongside Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino of Caracas who publicly opposed Pope Francis and accused him of watering down Catholic doctrine.

Many of the other red hats go to archbishops away from the usual Catholic world of Europe and the Americas, and give local Churches their own cardinal for the first time. So the Church Universal becomes more global and so more Catholic. It has seemed in the past that many senior Catholic appointments in Asia and Africa reflected a rather conservative view of the faith. But the more pastoral he is, the more a cardinal understands (taking his understanding with him when he goes to Rome) what the problems are of ordinary people, and how yesterday’s answers may not help them. This brings the Vatican and the Pope closer to the people, which is all part of his grand design.