Francis’ Method: “Impose Rather Than Propose”
Closing Up. Francis’ outgoing Church has become a Church that is closing-up, Andrea Gagliarducci writes on his blog. It closes itself in Francis’ lone decisions which often come suddenly and are also expressed in his often-perplexing public declarations. Gagliarducci observes that the famous Curia Reform is not finished, but the people at the top are changing, while Francis appoints commissions whose goal is to intimidate rather than to complete a real job.
I am the Church. Gagliarducci believes that Francis has embarked in a new direction. Instead of reforming the Curia, he is legislating with motu proprios, thus merging departments and administrations. More than sloppiness, it becomes part of a precise, modus operandi, which centres the whole institution and its functioning on Francis himself.
Preparing for Chaos. Francis is governing as if his term would never end. He has not sworn in the Camerlengo, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is supposed …More