Pope to Curia: ‘Grave scandals in
Church, but light stronger than darkness'
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| Pope Francis blesses members of the Roman Curia. (Vatican Media) |
In traditional Christmas greetings to the Roman Curia, Pope
Francis lists the grave scandals afflicting the Church but says she will emerge
from them purified and more beautiful.
By Devin Watkins
Pope Francis exchanged Christmas greetings with members of
the Roman Curia on Friday, taking the occasion to explore the joys and afflictions facing
the Catholic Church in this particular moment.
Church on path of renewal
“Christmas”, the Holy Father said, “fills us with joy and
makes us certain that no sin will ever be greater than God’s mercy”. He took
St. Paul’s words to the Romans (13:12) as his focus: “The night is far gone,
the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the
armour of light.”
The Pope warned that being Christian “does not mean acting
like an élite group who think they have God in their pocket”. He said the
Church always walks a path of penance and renewal and is “at once holy and
always in need of purification”.
Afflictions
Turning to the afflictions facing the Church, Pope Francis
said she “has been buffeted by strong winds and tempests” this year. Some
people, he said, have been disheartened by news reports and have abandoned the
Church. Others have attacked her out of fear or personal interest, while others
express “glee at seeing her hard hit.” But others, he said, remain faithful.
First, the Holy Father noted the afflictions immigrants
face, including poverty, violence, and brutality in their home countries, as
well as fear and prejudice in their host countries. Many other Christians face
persecution, he added, “yet they continue courageously to embrace death rather
than deny Christ.”
Abuse
Pope Francis then spoke at length about the “scourges of
abuse and infidelity”.
“The Church has for some time been firmly committed to
eliminating the evil of abuse, which cries for vengeance to the
Lord, to the God who is always mindful of the suffering experienced by many
minors because of clerics and consecrated persons: abuses of power and
conscience and sexual abuse.”
Abusers are more afraid of being found out than of “God or
His judgment”, he said. “The sins and crimes of consecrated persons are further
tainted by infidelity and shame; they disfigure the countenance of the Church
and undermine her credibility.”
Pope Francis emphatically said the Church “will spare no
effort to do all that is necessary to bring to justice whosoever has
committed such crimes.” He pointed to the February meeting of presidents of
Bishops’ Conferences on the protection of minors, saying “the Church will
restate her resolve to pursue unstintingly the path of purification.” The event
will seek to turn past mistakes into “opportunities for eliminating this
scourge” of sexual abuse.
The Pope said some people accuse the media of ignoring abuse
in wider society and of seeking to give the “false impression” that it only
affects the Catholic Church. For his part, Pope Francis offered his “heartfelt
thanks” to journalists “who were honest and objective and sought to unmask
these predators and to make their victims’ voices heard.”
“The greater scandal in this matter is that of cloaking the
truth,” he said.
The Holy Father appealed to members of the Roman Curia to
help the Church “in her difficult task of recognizing real from false cases,
accusations from slander, grievances from insinuations, gossip from
defamation.” He also begged those who abuse minors to convert and to hand
themselves “over to human justice, and prepare for divine justice.”
Infidelity
Another affliction Pope Francis listed is “the infidelity of
those who betray their vocation” and “hide behind good intentions in order to
stab their brothers and sisters in the back and to sow weeds, division, and
bewilderment.” He said they resemble Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus but did
not repent, as they find intellectual and spiritual excuses to continue on
their “path to perdition”.
All of us, said the Pope, have the duty to fight spiritual
corruption.
Joys
Pope Francis then turned to the many joys of the past year.
He praised the Synod of Bishops on young people, progress made to reform the
Curia, efforts towards clarity and transparency in the Vatican’s financial
affairs, and a new Decree on labour in the Vatican.
He also spoke approvingly of the 19 recently beatified
martyrs of Algeria, the many faithful added to the Church in Baptism, and the
witness of young people who dedicate their lives to service in the consecrated
life and priesthood.
Pope Francis made special mention of the Church’s many
ministers who “daily live their calling in fidelity, silence, holiness, and
self-denial.” Speaking especially of parish priests, the Holy Father said they
are ignored by the mass media, “but were it not for them, darkness would
reign.”
Finally, Pope Francis invited the members of the Roman Curia
to open their hearts to Jesus Christ, “the light of goodness that conquers
evil”.
“Christmas,” the Pope concluded, “gives us the certainty
that God’s light will continue to shine, despite our human misery” and that
“the Church will emerge from these tribulations all the more beautiful,
purified, and radiant.”
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