Argentinean Bishops: Francis More Important than Jesus Christ - by José Arturo Quarracino

In a recent interview Bishop Athanasius Schneider warned about the problem of papolatry in the Church, an attitude that exalts the figure of the bishop of Rome while ignoring Jesus Christ: "The focal point of the life of a Catholic believer must be Christ", not the Pope. "If not," said the Kazakh bishop, "we become victims of an unhealthy papacy-centrism."

The recent visit of Pope Francis to Chile showed, that papolatry is a problem in Argentina. When speaking to journalists about Francis’ journey to Chile, Bishop Oscar Vicente Ojea, president of the Argentine Bishops, exalted the figure and "message" of Francis, "One fears the Pope's leadership, and his ability to bring people together around his ideas and his figure," Ojea said on January 21 to the newspaper Página/12.

The striking thing is that Ojea did not make any reference to Jesus Christ, but only and exclusively to Francis and to his ideas. For him the ultimate point of reference in the Church is Bergoglio.

Monsignor Ojea became president of the Argentinean Bishops by Francis' personal decision.

Picture: Oscar Vicente Ojea, wikicommons, CC