What happened?
Monday marked the fourth-year anniversary of Pope Francis’s election as the 266th pope.
The Pope kept a low profile, having recently returned from his Lenten retreat in Ariccia.
His only public message was on the photo-sharing network Instagram, where he has 3.6m followers. Francis posted a photo of himself praying on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica after his election, with the message: “Please continue to pray for me.”
What the media said
In the Spectator, Damian Thompson asked whether the Pope was facing rising opposition in Rome.
Thompson noted that the cardinals and bishops who once cheered on the Pope have gone very quiet. “The silence is ominous because it comes amid suspicion that influential cardinals are plotting against Francis,” he explained. Prelates were worried that “the integrity and authority of the papacy is at stake” and a schism, owing to doctrinal debates, might be on the horizon.
They should be backing Francis, said Joanna Moorhead in the Guardian. He has shown that Christianity is “not about a belief in dogma or tradition or priests or church services, thank God – it’s about a story that unites humankind with something outside of ourselves,” she wrote.
What the blogs said
In an article for Cruxnow.com, David Gibson dismissed reports of Vatican plots. “If you talk to senior churchmen … these reports are also dismissed as increasingly outlandish… Francis seems as popular as ever … and in the US polls show his approval rating among Catholics actually increased to near 90 per cent.”
Antoinette Palumbo of Salt + Light TV expressed her gratitude for the Pope. “Francis has renewed my faith in Catholicism and I pray that he will continue to lead us,” she wrote.
But at onepeterfive.com, Steve Skojec was pessimistic. “With cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops – and the fundamentals of Catholic belief the subject of contention – the Church as we know it is unlikely to survive in one piece,” he said.
The most overlooked story of the week
✣ Benedict resigned under ‘tremendous pressure’
What happened?
Pope Benedict xvi resigned due to “tremendous pressure” in 2013, an Italian archbishop has claimed. In an article for Rimini 2.0, Archbishop Luigi Negri said that the truth was currently shrouded in mystery, “but I am sure that those responsible will be found out.” He implied that the Obama administration might have been involved.
Why was it under-reported?
The story is not backed up by hard evidence, and could easily be dismissed as mere speculation. However, Archbishop Negri has a certain credibility. He is a friend of the Pope Emeritus, whom he views as a mentor; in 2012, Benedict entrusted Archbishop Negri with the archdiocese of Ferrara-Commachio. The archbishop, now retired, says he has visited Benedict “several times” since 2013.
The wider secular media were unlikely to pick up on the story, given that Benedict XVI has faded away from journalists’ attention.
What will happen next?
Given his quiet and modest disposition, it is unlikely that Benedict will ever speak out about his historic
decision. But Archbishop Negri said: “I am certain that the truth will emerge one day showing grave liability both inside and outside the Vatican.” In the meantime, Archbishop Negri has said, “on the basis of what has been published by WikiLeaks, some Catholic groups have asked President Trump to open a commission of inquiry to investigate whether the administration of Barack Obama exerted pressure on Benedict.”
✣The week ahead
Several bishops in America have given special permission for Catholics to eat meat today. It is St Patrick’s Day, traditionally celebrated with corned beef and cabbage. Most bishops advised their flock to do an extra act of charity or penance. Bishop Robert Morlino of Madison, Wisconsin has said Catholics should exercise “due moderation and temperance”.
Pope Francis will lead a penitential liturgy today at St Peter’s Basilica. Last year the Pope went to Confession himself before hearing Confessions (pictured). The liturgy has for three years kicked off the “24 Hours for the Lord” initiative.
The pontifical Commission on the Protection of Minors will meet in Rome from Monday until Sunday. The commission, set up by the Pope in 2014, suffered a blow when abuse survivor Marie Collins resigned earlier this month. It is expected that high on the agenda will be how the commission can involve and reach out to other abuse survivors.
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