Pope Francis was disruptive. Now, the next pope must clean up the 'mess'

If there is any one thing that can be agreed upon by all parties about Pope Francis s pontificate it is that it was disruptive and ambiguous on several levels Numerous will rush to make an assessment of his legacy but this is premature if not injurious After all we are still assessing past pontificates never mind the broader legacy of Vatican II and their implications for the life of the Church As the first pope from the Americas though of Italian immigrant parentage his voting was historic While improbable it is not entirely inconceivable the next conclave could end in the first African pope since ancient times especially considering the Church s dynamic enhancement on the continent If you go to greater part Catholic parishes these days you are likely to see a priest from Africa or even India celebrating Mass The French missionary priests to Africa who were once known as the White Fathers may soon be revived but in reverse with the Black Fathers evangelizing the West It is perhaps best to first consider the role of the Petrine ministry in its historical context Despite the widespread and immediate attention given papal homilies allocutions documents and international visits it is helpful to remember that until lately Catholics rarely heard from the pope directly The idea of a hierarchy has of module been part of the Church s self-understanding going back to the Apostles but largest part of the actual governance has been carried out and implemented by local bishops and only when clearly needed by higher levels of ecclesial authority Authentic synodality is more normatively seen at the local parish-level engagement and through subsidiarity where demands are met by those closest to them The contemporary micromanagement of the Church at times right down to parish bulletins is largely a phenomenon enabled by modern tool the ease of movement and instant communication POPE FRANCIS DEAD AT VATICAN SAYSPope Francis spoke frequently and emphatically about the technological paradigm warning against a worldview that reduces human dignity to technical problem-solving and manipulative engineering He also worked alongside figures like the late Cardinal George Pell to restructuring Vatican finances though admittedly with inconclusive results His condemnation of Western ideological colonization particularly regarding gender ideology was strong However unlike his predecessor John Paul II Francis was far less forceful in his statements against the widespread persecution of Christians in China Cuba Nicaragua and in the Middle East His own declarations such as in Fiducia Supplicans which permitted the spontaneous blessing of same-sex couples were seen by particular as highly problematic both theologically contradicting established moral teaching but also culturally particularly in Africa where church leaders viewed them as akin to the cultural imperialism they experience from chosen international NGOs Pope Francis s off-the-cuff remarks often mid-flight sometimes referred to as the Airplane Magisterium have caused confusion and often necessitated clarification from the Vatican While his approach to the setting has earned him the moniker The Green Pope in practice he pretty much aligned with the teachings of John Paul II and Benedict XVI particularly on population and life issues In fact to the surprise of particular who have only superficially followed his pontificate his stance on abortion was uncompromising calling it homicidal and even likening it to hiring a hitman even if he suggested it ought not be the constant focus The diplomatic rapprochement with China largely brokered by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin encompasses a vision for a closer relationship and eventual bilateral relations His relationship with a nation of more than one billion Chinese among whom million are estimated to be Catholics both clandestine and legal has produced a provisional agreement as controversial as it is secretive Cardinal Parolin's procedures largely follows the Cold War-era strategy of Ostpolitik of Cardinal Agostino Casaroli his predecessor whose tepid approach to the persecutions in the Soviet bloc did not come to an end until the more confrontational pontificate of John Paul II who replaced Casaroli a year into his pontificate At the inception of his papacy Francis's call to make a mess in the Church led to debates divisions and polarization Perhaps surfacing these differences was a good thing But it is attainable and likely this may cause the cardinal electors in the upcoming conclave to select a more stabilizing figure Of unit even Bergoglio was seen by particular at the beginning to be a kinder and gentler Ratzinger Francis laudably condemned ideological colonization and the commodification of the human person while also recognizing the role of entrepreneurs in economic enhancement These kinds of statements have been however eclipsed by his more strident and un-nuanced critiques of capitalism too often failing to distinguish between free markets grounded in virtue and the corrupt crony capitalism he witnessed in his native Argentina In terms of preserving the continuity of the Church s moral teaching perhaps the most of theologically deficient contribution of his legacy is to be determined in his encyclical Amoris Laetitia particularly where in a single cautious footnote he laid the ground for the possibility Catholics in irregular marriages i e couples in marriages outside the Church s teaching on marriage could receive Communion in certain circumstances CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONLikewise Pope Francis's updating of the Catechism's teaching on capital punishment to now being inadmissible has stirred an ongoing debate on whether the death penalty is intrinsically evil putting it on the same level as abortion This too requirements clarification Several people in current times see the Catholic Church as largely anachronistic closed and harsh not at all empathetic to the real-life problems people face Pope Francis seemed bent on deconstructing that perception by presenting a merciful open and maternal face of the Church He might say that it is not enough to teach people what the Catechism says we must inspire them to live it In this way as the ministry of any priest he must negotiate the tension between coming in effect upon the woman caught in the very act of adultery protecting her from the stones of condemnation and yet also finding a way to lovingly credibly and truthfully tell her to sin no more As the Church prepares for its next chapter the lessons of Pope Francis's papacy will undoubtedly shape its future trajectory His legacy remains a work in progress a testament to the evolving nature of the papal role in the modern world And it is against this backdrop that the next pope or a future one will seek to clarify the myriad ambiguities and unclear messaging on moral and doctrinal matters that have defined the last years This is imperative not only to maintain the credibility of the Petrine Office but for the wellbeing of the universal Church CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM FR ROBERT SIRICO