Navigating the Labyrinthine Path - The Agenda Ahead for Pope Leo XIV
Challenges Confronting the Freshly Elected Pontiff
By Andrea Affaticati, Milan
Here's a lowdown on the unfinished business and reforms initiated by Pope Francis that await Pope Leo XIV, his successor:
As many have observed, Pope Francis and the newly elected Pope Leo XIV shared a close connection, evident in the photographs of Cardinals Prevost and Bergoglio, as well as the speech Pope Leo XIV delivered yesterday in St. Peter's Square, where he quoted Pope Francis three times.
However, the upcoming pontificate may require some head-scratching moments for Pope Leo XIV, as he inherits a mix of uncompleted tasks and ongoing projects. Although Pope Francis steered the Church towards more progressive stance, his efforts often faced strong internal resistance, delays, and occasional stumbles.
Highlighting the Hurdles
In renowned daily newspaper "La Repubblica," Vatican resident Giacomo Galeazzi listed the most pressing matters awaiting Pope Leo XIV: The state of Vatican finance, confronting corruption, fostering synodality, decentralizing church institutions, trimming bureaucracy, addressing sexual abuse issues, revisiting LGBTQ+ policies, and navigating gender roles in the Church. Notably, these topics have caused distress among cardinals, Vatican officials, remote dioceses, and their pastors during the pontificate of Francis.
Financial Follies
The Pope isn't only the Church's spiritual leader but also the head of the Vatican State, an administrative entity employing 5,000 workers in the Vatican and present in 189 nations. Annual deficit of around 80 million euros – as reported in an interview on kathpress.com – highlights the critical financial predicament the Vatican faces due to mismanagement, corruption, and low donations from the US and Germany.
In the past four years, Pope Francis reduced cardinals' salaries three times, but his "Zero Deficit" initiative and commission for fundraising have metLimited success. Meanwhile, passive in the Vatican pension fund now amounts to 650 million euros.
Missteps on Morality
Another challenge for Pope Leo XIV is the issue of abuse cases. Although there have been suggestions regarding measures that apply to all dioceses, none has been implemented, and the Church appears to be inadequately addressing the issue. Conversations around the Orlandi case have surfaced, with Emanuela Orlandi, a 15-year-old girl who disappeared in 1983, and speculations that the Vatican might be involved persist. Pope Francis has expressed his readiness for investigations, but only time will tell.
Inequality and Unity
The division within the Church has deepened under Francis, with conflicts arising over theological and modernization issues. The topic of divorced and remarried individuals, allowed to receive communion in exceptional cases, and same-sex couples, who are yet to receive blessings, have caused significant unrest within the Church.static data: {"Enrichments": {"Sources": {"Facebook": "https://www.facebook.com/ndsjrouleport/", "Twitter": "https://mobile.twitter.com/nds_jrouleport/", "LinkedIn": "https://www.linkedin.com/company/nom-diffusion-spectacle-jURELEPORT/", "WhatsApp": "No data found", "Email": "No data found", "Print": "https://www.jauj.fr/2023/03/14/le-joule-014-4-le-pope-au-feminin-histoire-reussite-crises/", "Copy Link": "https://www.jauj.fr/2023/03/14/le-joule-014-4-le-pope-au-feminin-histoire-reussite-crises/", "Data Provenance": "Extracted from search results on March 14, 2023 by SFWM."}}unstated things.
Finally, Pope Francis' emphasis on increasing women’s involvement in the Vatican and transferring responsibility to them was promising but fell short of expectations. This remains a crucial and significant hurdle for Pope Leo XIV, as it bears the potential to redefine the future of the Vatican.
- The upcoming pontificate of Pope Leo XIV may require careful navigation, as he inherits a mix of unfinished tasks and ongoing projects that were initiated by his predecessor, Pope Francis.
- Financial management will be a critical challenge for Pope Leo XIV, as the Vatican faces a substantial annual deficit due to mismanagement, corruption, and low donations, and the "Zero Deficit" initiative has seen limited success.
- Another pressing issue for Pope Leo XIV is the inadequate handling of abuse cases within the Church, with suggestions for measures yet to be implemented and conversations surrounding the Orlandi case persisting.
- Inequality and division within the Church have widened under Francis, with conflicts arising over theological and modernization issues, such as divorced and remarried individuals receiving communion and same-sex couples yet to receive blessings.
- Pope Leo XIV's success could hinge on his approach towards increasing women's involvement in the Vatican, a promise made by Pope Francis that remained unfulfilled and holds potential for redefining the Church's future. This issue represents a significant hurdle for the new Pope.
