Pope Francis’s main challenge I think is uniting the divisions within the Church.
To do that he must satisfy the multiple roles of his office. He must be the charasmatic pastor, down-to-earth, spiritually pure, and in touch with all people. However must also be a traditional-minded intellectual, able to encourage discussion but defend Church’s positions without dismissing criticism. It’s a tough job; Pope Emeritus Benedict struggled with the former role, especially, IMO.
From what I learn thus far, however, I think this pope will be able to do it.
Unfortunately, the reverse is going to be true. If the Pope takes a hard line with people who are in favor of abortion rights, traditional sexual teaching, and other social issues, it will cause more division than unite. On the one hand the Church needs to make all aware of it’s teachings, rules and laws. And don’t say that people are aware because it’s quite obvious by the posts on this and many threads that people are simply not knowledgeable of the Church’s teachings. But on the other hand, it will cause people to either 1) leave the Church, or 2) ignore Church teachings and go on with their lives like they have before. But it won’t unite people. It will pull the traditional people together and everyone else apart.
Rence, either I’m not sure that I understand you, or I’m not sure that you read Bezant correctly. I don’t see the phrase “hard line” in his post above. I see that Bezant is suggesting that the Pope will have many disparate and delicate roles to fill, which will require clarity of communication, tact, and charm (all).
You’re right, of course, about people “simply not being knowledgeable about Church teachings.” Catechesis will hopefully be a big order of business, and soon, and has for a long time been my single biggest concern. Without information about what the Church is (and is not), communication and cooperation are both stalled.
But I don’t see how the Pope gets around orthodoxy, even if many Catholics don’t want to hear it. Perhaps when they see that he is a man of charity and likes to be in touch with ordinary people (however he can carry that off now as Supreme Pontiff), they will also be persuaded, little by little, toward orthodoxy. (It did work for Jesus, by and large.
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My guess, Rence (and my hope), is that he will be good at delegating. I hope he will encourage – even “demand” – a pastoral, direct outreach by bishops everywhere, including but not limited to Latin America. (After his own role-modeling in that same region.) He will also take, hopefully, many trips to the Third World to make such personal contact, and (important to me!) meet with gov’t leaders and be the conscience of the many corrupt dictatorships in such regions which hoard the wealth/resources from those in dire poverty.
