It all began with a book. On the papal plane to Africa, the French journalist Nicolas Senèze gave the Holy Father a copy of his latest work. There was nothing unusual about that. Vatican-accredited media personnel – or Vamps – often present the Pope with their new books when he greets them at the start of his foreign trips. But this particular present generated a major story. The Pope examined the cover of Comment L’Amérique veut changer de pape (“How America Wants to Change the Pope”) and said he was “honoured that the Americans attack me”. He then handed the book to an aide, commenting: “This is a bomb!”
The Pope had, perhaps unwittingly, given a major endorsement to a book which argues that wealthy US conservatives are seeking to thwart his reforms and ensure that his successor is more to their liking. No doubt Senèze, a veteran Vatican-watcher, makes his case carefully and skilfully. But in its crudest form the notion that rich Americans are plotting to oust Pope Francis sounds remarkably like a conspiracy theory. And in the past year or so, this idea appears to have taken hold of Francis’s inner circle and sympathetic journalists. Some have gone as far as publicly accusing US Catholic websites and television networks, and even bishops, of promoting schism.
So it was not surprising when, on the return flight from Africa, a New York Times reporter asked the Pope if he was “afraid of a schism in the American Church”. Pope Francis gave a 1,000-word answer that touched on the Monophysites, the First Vatican Council and Archbishop Lefebvre. The Times summarised his reply with the headline “Pope Francis: I pray there are no schisms”. CNN went for “Pope says he’s not afraid of a schism in the Catholic Church”. So within a week we had gone from the Pope making a polite comment about a book to discussing the prospect of an imminent split in the Church.
It’s worth noting, however, that Francis did not endorse a crucial aspect of the theory that has so gripped his advisers: that the US is the epicentre of resistance to his pontificate. “The criticisms are not only from Americans,” he said. “They are a little from everywhere, even in the Curia.” This is undoubtedly true. Indeed, in a column last weekend the Vaticanologist John Allen named 10 countries, aside from the US, that have “beefs” with Pope Francis: Chile, Germany, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Brazil, Nigeria, Poland, Italy, Argentina and, in first place, Vatican City. And yet, Allen noted, opinion polls show that “Francis remains probably the most beloved leader on the global stage today.”
All modern popes have faced this dichotomy. Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI encountered enthusiastic crowds almost everywhere they went. Yet they also faced pockets of fierce resistance in some parts of the global Church.
Is there anything different about the Franciscan pontificate? One difference is that Francis is arguably the first pope of the internet age; that is, he is the first pope to reign in an era when the internet is all-pervasive. As we have seen in politics, social media tend to amplify our tribal instincts, incentivising us to wage a non-stop war against those we perceive to be ideological rivals. Catholics aren’t immune to this tendency and so the Church – at least in its online expressions – has become increasingly tribalised.
Francis’s pugnacious rhetorical style may have unintentionally accelerated this process. Since his election, he has offered colourful descriptions of the kind of Catholics he disapproves of: “pickled pepper-faced Christians”, “museum mummies”, “little monsters”, etc. These are almost certainly not intended as mere insults, but rather as prompts for an examination of conscience. Nevertheless, they have caused anguish among some conservative-minded Catholics, who look to the papacy for support in the face of hostile secularism. Some have responded with savage attacks on Francis that undermine respect for the papacy, and of course have been promoting conspiracy theories of their own.
All in all, this is a painful time for the Church: divided within, attacked from without, stalked by a seemingly endless abuse crisis. This is not the moment to accuse others of schism, but rather to pray for unity and do everything within our power to strengthen communion among Catholics.
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic.
However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us.
We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching.
We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values. Please consider donating.