Cardinal Ruini’s testament reveals ‘unease’ over the Francis pontificate

LifeSite News ^ | June 19, 2026 | Gaetano Masciullo

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Cardinal Ruini’s testament reveals ‘unease’ over the Francis pontificate

The late Italian cardinal praised Francis' ‘evangelizing zeal,’ but admitted his ‘struggle to understand’ policies he believed risked reopening ‘wounds’ left by Vatican II.

Cardinal Camillo Ruini expressed “unease” over the “direction” of the Catholic Church during the reign of Pope Francis, a newly published “spiritual testament” published after his death reveals.

On June 18, Italian blog Messa in Latino published the full text of Ruini’s testament, following his death the previous day at the age of 95. Within it, the cardinal expresses gratitude to God for all those who accompanied his formation and ministry – particularly Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI – while at the same time confessing that he experienced deep turmoil during the reign of Pope Francis.

“We publish, exclusively and in full, the Testament of Cardinal Camillo Ruini, obtained from our sources in the highest places,” the Italian blog announced. “All this in order to prevent it from being released in a cut or amended form – and once you read it, you will understand why.”

“When Pope Francis was elected, I rejoiced and, as far as I could, immediately became one of his supporters,” Ruini wrote. “Even today I rejoice and thank him for his extraordinary evangelizing zeal. Yet I must confess that I find myself in a state of unease – not for personal reasons, but because I struggle to understand certain directions that seem to reopen wounds barely healed after the [Second Vatican] Council. I humbly ask the Lord to convince me inwardly that the Church is His, and that He Himself cares for her beyond our human perspectives.”

Ruini signed his testament on June 3, 2016, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Our Lord. Up to that point, Francis had already published several controversial documents, including Evangelii Gaudium (November 24, 2013), Laudato Si’ (May 24, 2015), and Amoris Laetitia (March 19, 2016).

READ: Cardinal Camillo Ruini, close ally of Pope John Paul II, dies at 95

The testament also offers a detailed account of the late cardinal’s life, ministry, and personal reflections. Ruini, who served as president of the Italian Episcopal Conference from 1991 to 2007 and as vicar general for the Diocese of Rome from 1991 to 2008, wrote the text as a prayer of thanksgiving to God combined with an examination of conscience and a request for forgiveness. The document traces his life from childhood to his years of ecclesiastical leadership and concludes with reflections on old age, death, and the future of the Church.

The Testament repeatedly returns to themes of gratitude and repentance. Ruini thanked God for his family, his priestly vocation, his years of service as a priest and bishop, and the many collaborators, friends, and clergy who accompanied him throughout his life. He also acknowledged what he described as “serious shortcomings” in his own spiritual life, confessing difficulties in prayer, inadequacy in responding to God’s love, and what he called “the weakness” of his faith.

The cardinal devoted extensive attention to Pope John Paul II, with whom he worked for more than two decades beginning in 1984. He described the Polish pope as a “very special grace” in his life and recalled witnessing in him a “union in prayer,” apostolic activity, courage in faith, and “the capacity to love and forgive.” Ruini stated that he had “tried to follow his example,” but humbly admitted that he had often failed to imitate those aspects that would have corrected his own deficiencies.

Ruini thanked God for having allowed him to experience the Second Vatican Council and to help implement it in the Diocese of Reggio Emilia. At the same time, he expressed gratitude for having received “the clarity and strength to oppose the post-conciliar deviations."

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TOPICS: Catholic; General Discusssion; Theology
KEYWORDS: frankenchurch; ruini; synodalchurch; vcii

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