Pope was in conflict with conservative Catholics in his Archdiocese

What was Bergoglio's conflict with the Instituto El Verbo Encarnado? That group was born in San Rafael, Mendoza, founded by Father Carlos Miguel Buela, who had come from Buenos Aires. It's a terribly right-wing order that, however, has a lot of priestly vocations (Cathcon- everything is very right wing to the very progressive Catholic who wrote this) -- everywhere, the right-wingers usually have many, many vocations. But this group is so far right that it had confrontations with almost all of the Argentine bishops, to the point that the full Bishops Conference went to see John Paul II to ask him to act on this Institute. But an Argentine layman, the former ambassador to the Holy See during the Carlos Menem administration who had a lot of contacts in the Roman Curia, and the [Vatican] Secretary of State, Angelo Sodano, not only ignored the bishops' request, but in San Rafael a bishop was appointed who was a friend of the Instituto, priestly ordinations from this group were authorized in Buenos Aires, which were performed by Aguer, and José Luis Mollaghan, the only one who hadn't condemned the group, was named archbishop of Rosario. In the Bishops Conference, Bishop Estanislao Karlic and Bishop Guillermo Rodríguez Melgarejo, who was secretary of the Conference, had to resign. I don't think those of El Verbo Encarnado are celebrating Bergoglio's appointment. 






 Source (link broken 2022)

Cathcon- if this is how the Pope dealt with a mainstream conservative group, one can guess what he thinks of traditional Catholics.

 This is a video of their apostolate

The full article also touches the relationship with Archbishop Aguer, cited also today on CathCon. Monsignor Aguer is an exemplary bishop who never feels inhibited in criticising the secularising errors of the modern world.

  Many videos here, unfortunately all, as far as I can see, in Spanish.

Of even more concern, is the Pope's attitude to power- full article here on the Pope of Surprises.

This has been noted about him. Bergoglio prefers for himself the simple title of “Bishop of Rome,” and is silent about his power as head of the universal Church, in spite of the fact that this power has been confirmed very forcefully by Vatican Council II.

His autobiography states:
"When a pope or a teacher must say 'I am in charge here,' or 'I am the superior here,' it is because he has already lost authority and is seeking to attribute it to himself with words. Saying that one has the staff of command implies that one no longer has it. Having the staff of command does not mean giving orders and imposing, but serving.”

That is, it seems that Bergoglio does not want to proclaim but to exercise his supreme power as successor of Peter.

Cathcon- what he says is that he does not want to exercise it either. He has no hope of reforming the Curia on this basis.

In effect, in the discourses and homilies from the beginning of his pontificate, Bergoglio has so far avoided touching upon the questions that see the Church most set against worldly powers.

In the discourse to the diplomatic corps he remained silent about the threats to religious freedom, just as in his other statements he has avoided any reference to the critical areas of birth, death, the family.
But in his autobiographical interview, Bergoglio recalls that Benedict XVI also decided to remain silent on one occasion (Cathcon- just one occasion):

"When Benedict XVI went to Spain in 2006, everyone thought that he would criticize the government of Rodriguez Zapatero because of its divergences with the Catholic Church on various issues. Someone even asked him if he had addressed the issue of homosexual marriage with the Spanish authorities. But the pope said no, he had only spoken about positive things and the rest would come later. He wanted to suggest that first of all one must emphasize the positive things, those that unite us, and not the negative ones that serve only to divide. The priority must be given to the encounter among persons, to making the journey together. In this way, afterward it will be easier to tackle the differences."

Cathcon- a pastor leads, he does not encounter (whatever that may mean) the flock.  He strangely was not conflict averse when taking on the Instituto El Verbo Encarnado.

The Pope is, in the words of the job title used since the reign of Pope St Gregory the Great

Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Patriarch of the West (Cathcon- a title laid aside by Pope Benedict XVI- an action attracting critical comment from the Moscow Patriarchate, as this is a title they are entirely at ease with, unlike the claim to be Vicar of Christ). Primate of Italy, Servant of the Servants of God; Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City.

His calling is as prophet, priest and monarch.

Comments

Supertradmum said…
Does a New World Pope understand monarchy and hierarchy? Could there be a problem with the American, both North and South, experience which would cause a misunderstanding of the role of the Pope in the world?

The European popes had an understanding of hierarchy in their blood...

Just wondering...
Woody said…
Supertradmum's point is well taken, as always, but I would also ask, is not the protection and employment of the legitimate powers and distinctions of a particular office a part of the duty of state of the person holding that office? And may it not also be a part of the exercise of the virtue of order to act according to the hierarchical status that one has been entrusted with? So, for example, parents do not go out dancing with the friends of their children, and employers do not bare their souls to their employees (or should not).