‘Praedicate Evangelium’ Poses Problems, Some Church Analysts Warn

The National Catholic Register ^ | 4/6/22 | Ed Pentin

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Critics of Pope Francis’ new curial reform document say some of the reforms threaten to revolutionize the Church’s understanding of the hierarchical power of governance.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis’ recently announced reform of the Roman Curia introduces some sweeping changes aimed at aiding the Church’s mission of evangelization, but critics have warned that some key reforms show a poor understanding of theology, canon law and ecclesiology that threaten to undermine the Church’s authority.

On March 19, the Solemnity of St. Joseph and the ninth anniversary of Pope Francis’ inauguration as pope, the Vatican published Praedicate Evangelium (Preach the Gospel), his apostolic constitution on the Roman Curia.

Nine years in the making, the document forms a major part of the mandate the College of Cardinals gave Francis at his election to reform the Church and replaces Pastor Bonus (The Good Shepherd), Pope St. John Paul II’s legislation on curial reform promulgated in 1988 and later modified by Benedict XVI and Francis.

Much of the pressure to reform the Roman Curia derived from recent financial and bureaucratic scandals, in particular the 2012 “Vatileaks” scandal in which confidential Vatican documents exposing internal corruption, jealousies and infighting, and struggles to implement greater financial transparency were leaked to the press.

Among the innovations of Praedicate Evangelium, so far only published in Italian and which comes into force on June 5, the Solemnity of Pentecost, is that the main Vatican departments, currently known as congregations and pontifical councils, will become “dicasteries.” With the exceptions of the Dicastery for Bishops and the Dicastery for the Clergy, these dicasteries may be headed by an appropriately suited baptized lay Catholic.

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The Pope is putting into practice an aspect of Liberation Theology that did great damage to the Church in the 20th Century. In Latin America, Liberation Theology was brought by Spanish Jesuits who, the saying went after their revolutionary theology was rejected in Europe, were always the last ‘to get the word.’ In the Southern Cone they supported the creation of ‘comunidades de base’, or base communities which in effect was a counterpoise to the Church heirarchy. Now, finally, the Jesuits have their man in Rome, and the resurgence of the comunidad de base was inevitable. By mid-century the Catholic Church will split once again. Who the next Martin Luther will be is up for grabs.

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Ping

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To insist they can do so on the basis of a papal mandate would “undermine much of the teaching of the Second Vatican Council,” Father Pietrzyk said, as it destroys the link between episcopal consecration and the sacred offices of the bishop, to teach, sanctify and govern, and makes the pope “the source of all authority.”

Like Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez, the Dictator Pope assumes more and more control.