It is time to reform the Roman Curia, insists Pope Francis. Photo: Reuters/Tony Gentile“...to block Italy’s reform”. This statement was made by the young Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in an interview in last Sunday’s Corriere della Sera. Renzi said: “It is clear that a large part of the ruling class is against us”, and among these forces he listed not only the conservative forces that want to halt his plans to reform the public administration. His opponents also include some political parties and trade unions.
Cheer up Signor presidente! You are not alone in this Roman predicament. So is dear Pope Francis! After all, Jesus foresaw that “a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household”. (Mt. 10:36)
Pope Francis has repeated quite frequently that the reform of the Roman Curia will not be easy. In his short speech to the new Council for the Economy (published only in Italian on the Vatican website!), he stated clearly that these changes will reflect the desire to put in place “the necessary reform of the Roman Curia”, so that it will better serve the Church and Peter’s mission.
This is a remarkable challenge, which requires loyalty and prudence… “the path will not be simple and requires courage and determination. A new mind-set of evangelical service should be established in the various administration of the Holy See”.
Besides saying that this council consists of eight cardinals and seven lay persons, more importantly the Pope stressed the lay members will carry the same weight as the cardinals: “I laici sono membri a pieno titolo del nuovo consiglio: non sono membri di seconda classe, no! Tutti sullo stesso piano.” (‘The lay people are full members of the new council: they are not second-class members, no! They are all on the same level.’) And his parting shot was: “Pray for me: I need much prayers”.
For anyone observing closely, the developing scenario is not new. It is common to any organisation that wants to bring about change, real change, not cosmetic adjustments. This can also be found in the local Church. Resistance from those in established key positions is to be expected.
In 1911, German sociologist Robert Michels developed a theory that in any democratic organisation (and even more in monarchic and totalitarian ones) an oligarchy (the ruling elite) inevitable develops “iron law” to serve “tactical and technical necessities” of organisation. He says: “It is organisation which gives birth to the dominion of the elected over the electors, of the mandataries over the mandators, of the delegates over the delegators. Who says organisation, says oligarchy.” It is ironic that Michels later migrated from Germany to join Mussolini’s Fascist Party, believing this was the next step towards modern society!
In the Church, we also read what Max Weber wrote about bureaucracy: “In (Richard) Baxter’s view, the care for external goods should only lie on the shoulders of the saint ‘like a light cloak, which can be thrown aside at any moment’. But fate decreed that the cloak should become an iron cage… the bringing in of calculation into the traditional brotherhood, displacing the old religious relationship.” Values are substituted by goal-oriented rationality.
When addressing the Roman Curia in December 2013, Pope Francis thanked those who worked with “care, diligence and creativity and effort to work together, both to listen to and challenge one another, and to bring out the best in all your different personalities and gifts, in a spirit of mutual respect”! Professionalism and service should be the two qualities of Church officials, and even more of superiors. To these he added what he referred to as conscientious objection to gossip!
When these qualities are missing “the structure of the Curia turns into a ponderous, bureaucratic customs house, constantly inspecting and questioning, hindering the working of the Holy Spirit and the growth of God’s people”.
As a result, Pope Francis made it clear, in the most charitable manner, that those who, for one reason or another, cannot carry on with their work, have a duty is to resign. Pope Benedict gave all of us a holy example.
Pope Francis stated clearly that “as priests and bishops, we know full well that we never really retire, but we do leave the office, and rightly so, not least to devote ourselves a little more fully to prayer and the care of souls, starting with our own!” He was repeating the enixe ragantur of Vatican II.
joe.inguanez@gmail.com
Fr Joe Inguanez, a sociologist is executive director of Discern.