POPE LEO XIII is universally acknowledged to be the initiator of modern Catholic Social Teaching. In one of the articles I read anticipating what names the new Pope might choose the author speculated that if "Leo" was the name of choice it would be a way for him to indicate that was what he intended to focus on.
In other articles, most of which said that it was a very long shot that an American might be chosen, Robert Provost was said to be someone known to be dedicated to continuing the process of reform and change that Good Pope Francis, now Saint Francis Bergoglio began.
I said something of what I hoped the new Pope would do, including complete equality for Women in the Catholic Church. I also said that I didn't expect that to happen. I'm hoping that he will open up ordination to married Catholic men, John Paul II opened the door by allowing disaffected Anglican priests who are married to become Catholic priests. Who knows if even that partial reform will happen?
But that's only some of the less important change that needs to be made. His many years working in Peru will give him a lot better idea of that than I'll ever have.
I'm provisionally optimistic but that makes me nervous. I'd been afraid of them electing someone who I knew would be mediocre to bad, though I was pretty sure the real disasters put forward as likely candidates would never be elected by two thirds. I expect that the integralist-fascist nutters are going to be splitting. After this I think it's pretty unlikely that things will go back to JPII-Benedict XVI.
No comments:
Post a Comment