His idea of “social justice” is based heavily on personal morality and personal charity. That’s fine with me - nothing about that “world order” that Turkson, Scherer and Sodano were talking about.
I think he’s a compromise choice, because the two sides knew they were too far apart to even bother dragging it out. The Italian Vatican II folks wanted either Scherer or Turkson, both mildly leftist and weak “social justice” types that they could control. Most of the BXVI crowd probably wanted Scola, initially, but after the business of a friend of his in the city government in Milan was raided for bidding irregularities yesterday, I think they probably backed off on his candidacy. (Scola had nothing to do with the business or its irregularities, but you know that the press would have been all over him.)
So the BXVI crowd probably moved on to Ranjith, but the liberals hated him too much. Several of the other possibilities (such as most of the Americans) were too young, because it was obvious that the electors didn’t want another 27 year papacy like that of JPII, who was elected when he was in his 50s. Bergoglio is almost 77, and even though he seems to be in good health, he’s obviously not going to have a 27 year reign.
That said, while he wouldn’t have been my first choice, I think even the name he picked has told us something about him and it’s certainly not bad. Remember, St Francis was told by the Lord to “Rebuild My Church.”
This posting drew better than the run of the mill comments many insightfull and knowledgeable. Some immediate changes I think may happen
I have a feeling that what Pope Francis I is going to do is appoint the author of the curia reforms its head, the first announced visit was to Rattzinger.
As the Eastern Ordinary for South America He may even celebrate mass using the eastern rite probably using St John’s rite. Perhaps at one of the joint feast days
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