The Quiet Menace: Fixating on Francis, Missing the Point
“You didn’t like Peter in red shoes? Here is Peter in black. You didn’t
like Peter in brocade? Here is Peter looking kind of disheveled. You
didn’t like Peter being shy and standoffish? Here is Peter hopping down
to kiss the face of a deformed man whose existence makes you uncomfortable
— whose life you would deem of insufficient use and quality to be
sustained! We Catholics know well enough to be careful what we ask for;
you asked for this and you got it — now deal with it when this Peter upholds church teachings you will still hate
and resent, only by then you won’t be able to hide behind a contrived
“righteous indignation” on behalf of the poor; then you will have to
admit to the reality of all you hate. Then, you will have to look
inward, to the poverty within your own soul, and you will have to decide
who and what you will serve, stripped of all illusions, unprotected by
shabbily-erected narratives.”
The way Violi and Messori’s analysis goes, being pope has two basic components: agendo et loquendo — acting and teaching; and orando et patendo
— praying and suffering. They believe Benedict laid down the former but
never the latter, which explains his continuing residence in the
Vatican and his continuing use of papal vestments. In effect, they
believe he is continuing in some ways to function as pope, while leaving
the work of governance to his successor.
