The Pope is Quitting. Who will fill his shoes?
There is a job opening in Rome.
The pope has resigned—the first time in 600 years a pope has stepped down before being called on the carpet by his Boss.
Joseph Ratzinger’s legacy as pope has drawn many comments that are less than gracious. They reveal disillusion and anger at hierarchy for ignoring pain and wrongdoing in the parishes for decades.
Ignoring isn’t the right word. They didn’t ignore the problems. They protected themselves and their clergy brethren at the expense of the weak and powerless.
Every six comments or so a supporter will speak up for the pope or the church, but their reasoning is not getting much traction.
The response over all was “Who cares.”
We suspect a great many care. People are just tired of their care being used. They are being driven from the Church they love and want to keep loving.
A movie was made shortly after the death of Pope John Paul II. It is an Italian film, subtitled in English. It is a charming story of the naming of a papal successor. Fictitious to be sure, but fiction often serves a realistic purpose. It is called in English “We Have A Pope.” Now might be a good time to rent it and review it. The sequestered College of Cardinals might take two hours and watch it before they begin deliberating.
I saw it about six months ago in a local theater. I had never before been to a movie that brought such cross criticism from the audience as they left the theater — from some viewers anyway. They didn’t like the ending, which I won’t reveal here.
I thought the ending was hopeful and the movie leading up to the ending was delightful — and I’m not a fan of subtitled movies.
The church faces many serious questions. These questions don’t tend to be asked within the church for obvious reasons. But the questions are out there and the answers are buried in the discontent that is revealed in the reaction to the current news.
All these questions can be summed up in just one:
Do we need a pope?
Perhaps the job should remain open for a while to see what is actually needed from those who find themselves leading the faithful. The faithful who invest their time, offerings, passion and very salvation following the teachings of hierarchy deserve this reevaluation.
Here’s something to remember. One of the greatest bishops ever rose to the position without being a church member at all.
Perhaps it is time for the Roman Catholic Church to look outside the box for new leadership—before the box becomes a coffin.