Pope Francis Speaks about the Reform of the Roman Curia and the Resistance to it

[gilliam]

Pope Francis surprised Vatican officials yet again, when, in his closely watched pre-Christmas greeting, he spoke frankly about the reform of the Roman Curia and the “open,” “hidden” and “malevolent” types of resistance that he is encountering to it.

Addressing the cardinals and senior officials of the Roman Curia gathered in the Vatican’s Sala Clementina, Francis dedicated his speech to the ongoing reform of the Roman Curia which, he said, is being done at the request of the cardinals, per their discussions in the pre-conclave meetings in 2013. He listed the 12 criteria that are guiding this reform and the three “types of resistance” he is encountering. And, by way of response to those who allege that little has been achieved, he highlighted the significant progress already made.

This is the third consecutive year in which the Argentine pope has zoned in forcefully on a central aspect of the life of the Roman Curia, the papal civil service. In 2014, he identified 15 “diseases” or “illnesses” from which curial officials can suffer. In 2015 he offered the antidotes to these ailments by listing “a catalogue of the necessary virtues” that they need to cultivate.

This year Pope Francis framed his talk in terms of the spirituality of the incarnation. Describing Christmas as the feast of “the loving humility of God” that upends human logic, he recalled that “God chose to be born small, because he wished to be loved,” and by being small, fragile, weak, “no one would be ashamed of approaching him, no one would fear him.” Francis said this divine logic scuttles “the worldly logic, the logic of power, of command, the pharisaic, the chance or deterministic logic,” and made clear that this is the logic that should inform the life of everyone in Roman Curia and underpin its reform.

americamagazine.org/content/dispatches/pope-francis-speaks-about-reform-roman-curia-and-resistance-it

 

[Convert_in_99]

This will be interesting to see how it all turns out. I’m always ready for change, but not on fundamentals. Those must remain firm and steadfast or the house (in this case the Church) will collapse in the storm of life.

 

[Sy_Noe]

From the article: As for the “malevolent resistances,” Francis said these “sprout in distorted minds” and “present themselves when the devil inspires bad intentions (often in ‘lamb’s’ clothing’).” This form of resistance “hides behind justifying and, in many cases, accusatory words, takes refuge for self in traditions, in appearances, in formalities, in the known or in the wish to reduce everything to the personal without distinguishing between the act, the actor and the action.”

Is Pope Francis saying some of those who are resisting the reform are being inspired by the devil?

 

[CNA_News]

Vatican City, Dec 24, 2016 / 10:04 am (CNA).- If there’s anything Pope Francis’ recent 12-point plan for the reform of the Roman Curia shows, it’s that while his vision of a simple, less clerical body is clear, it’s contingent on one thing: conversion.

In a Dec. 22 speech to members of the Curia, the Pope, before outlining his guide to reform, stressed that “the reform will be effective only if it is carried out with men and women who are renewed and not simply new.”

Merely changing staff and structures is not enough, he said, calling for the “spiritual, human and professional renewal among the members of the Curia.”

Reform, he said, “is in no way implemented with a change of persons – something that certainly is happening and will continue to happen – but with a conversion in persons.”

“What we need also and above all is permanent conversion and purification. Without a change of mentality, efforts at practical improvement will be in vain.”

All this comes in the first part of a lengthy, in-depth speech Francis gave to the Curia offering what he said are the key principals that ought to guide ongoing reform efforts. He gives the speech annually, and this year his focus on conversion not only in the first part, but throughout the entire 7-page text, seems to lay the groundwork for what his 12-point guide should be built on.

After focusing on the birth of Jesus, the Pope went on to highlight 12 “guiding principles” at the heart of his vision for the ongoing Curial reform: individuality (personal conversion); pastoral concern (pastoral conversion); missionary spirit (Christocentrism); rationality; functionality; modernization; sobriety; subsidiarity; synodality; catholicity; professionalism and gradualism (discernment).

Conversion is a theme alluded to throughout the 12 points. In his first note on individuality, the Pope again reaffirmed “the importance of individual conversion, without which all structural change would prove useless.”

“The true soul of the reform are the men and women who are part of it and make it possible,” he said, explaining that personal and individual conversion eventually lead to and support conversion for the community as a whole. Though he also cautioned that while one person can bring “great good to the entire body,” they can also cause “great harm and lead to sickness” if personal sanctity isn’t a priority.

However, the Pope’s repeated focus on conversion coupled with some harsh critiques of unhealthy curial attitudes in the past have rubbed some the wrong way.

In 2014 Francis held nothing back when he spoke to the Curia, outlining 15 spiritual “diseases” involving not only the tendency toward careerism and an attitude of superiority, but an uncurbed desire for wealth and power typical of a “hypocritical” double life that has forgotten the joy of serving God and others.

Then in 2015 he offered a “catalog of virtues” the curial officials ought to adopt in order for their service “to be more fruitful,” including humility, respect, honesty and sobriety. These, in many ways, were the remedy for illnesses outlined in the previous year’s grilling speech.

Francis himself told members of the Curia this year that the underlying reason for identifying these diseases and virtues is that “the ‘semper reformanda’ (always being reformed) must also become, in the case of the Curia, a permanent personal and structural process of conversion.”
Full article…

 

[Ruthmary]

From the article: As for the “malevolent resistances,” Francis said these “sprout in distorted minds” and “present themselves when the devil inspires bad intentions (often in ‘lamb’s’ clothing’).” This form of resistance “hides behind justifying and, in many cases, accusatory words, takes refuge for self in traditions, in appearances, in formalities, in the known or in the wish to reduce everything to the personal without distinguishing between the act, the actor and the action.”

Is Pope Francis saying some of those who are resisting the reform are being inspired by the devil?

Good question. And is any disagreement automatically characterized as resistance? Makes me nervous.

 

[gilliam]

The Roman Curia is the administrative arm of the Vatican state. IMHO Vatileaks and other news has shown there is need for reform there. There is going to be resistance to that reform from those who have benefited from the old system. I think that is what he was referring to.

 

[EIF5A]

The Roman Curia is the administrative arm of the Vatican state. IMHO Vatileaks and other news has shown there is need for reform there. There is going to be resistance to that reform from those who have benefited from the old system. I think that is what he was referring to.

What exactly are these benefits? Financial? Recognition from other people?

 

[gilliam]

What exactly are these benefits? Financial? Recognition from other people?

The benefits some found in the old system were mostly financial and power/position (which in some ways equates to financial, or at least standard of living.) It is just the old story of the king’s court corruption that you eventually see in most feudal societies. Periodically the head (king/pontiff) has to issue reforms or the courtiers become too corrupt and too powerful. I really think that is what we are seeing play out here. It doesn’t mean anyone is ‘evil’ necessarily, just that they gave in to human weakness and worldly temptations. The evil is in the worldly attractions, not in the people.

 

[Sacred_Heart_1]

Pope Francis surprised Vatican officials yet again, when, in his closely watched pre-Christmas greeting, he spoke frankly about the reform of the Roman Curia and the “open,” “hidden” and “malevolent” types of resistance that he is encountering to it.

Addressing the cardinals and senior officials of the Roman Curia gathered in the Vatican’s Sala Clementina, Francis dedicated his speech to the ongoing reform of the Roman Curia which, he said, is being done at the request of the cardinals, per their discussions in the pre-conclave meetings in 2013. He listed the 12 criteria that are guiding this reform and the three “types of resistance” he is encountering. And, by way of response to those who allege that little has been achieved, he highlighted the significant progress already made.

This is the third consecutive year in which the Argentine pope has zoned in forcefully on a central aspect of the life of the Roman Curia, the papal civil service. In 2014, he identified 15 “diseases” or “illnesses” from which curial officials can suffer. In 2015 he offered the antidotes to these ailments by listing “a catalogue of the necessary virtues” that they need to cultivate.

This year Pope Francis framed his talk in terms of the spirituality of the incarnation. Describing Christmas as the feast of “the loving humility of God” that upends human logic, he recalled that “God chose to be born small, because he wished to be loved,” and by being small, fragile, weak, “no one would be ashamed of approaching him, no one would fear him.” Francis said this divine logic scuttles “the worldly logic, the logic of power, of command, the pharisaic, the chance or deterministic logic,” and made clear that this is the logic that should inform the life of everyone in Roman Curia and underpin its reform.

americamagazine.org/content/dispatches/pope-francis-speaks-about-reform-roman-curia-and-resistance-it

The only thing I know is that the pious eat better than I do. They certainly dress better.