The expression “I act in the name and on behalf of our Lord” belongs to Pope Francis: he uttered this phrase during an interview with Gian Marco Chiocci, director of the AdnKronos news agency, published on October 30, 2020, by Avvenire.
We are presenting again some excerpts from this interview, in which the Pope broadens his perspective to include the Church and the world; he discusses the problems afflicting the Church and the difficult situation caused by the pandemic.
“The Church,” the Pontiff recounts, “is and remains strong, but corruption is a profound problem whose roots go back centuries. At the beginning of my pontificate, I went to visit Benedict. As he handed over the reins, he gave me a large box: ‘Everything is in here,’ he said. ‘It contains the records of the most difficult situations. I got this far, I intervened in this situation, I removed these people, and now… it’s your turn.’ So, all I did was take up the baton from Pope Benedict; I continued his work.”
To explain why corruption is present in the history of the Church, Bergoglio said: “The Church has always been a ‘casta meretrix,’ a sinner. Let me put it more precisely: a part of it, because the overwhelming majority goes in the opposite direction and pursues the right path. However, it is undeniable that people of various kinds and standing, both members of the clergy and many lay false friends of the Church, have helped squander the movable and immovable assets not of the Vatican but of the faithful. What strikes me in the Gospel is when the Lord asks us to choose: either you follow God or you follow money. Jesus said it; it is impossible to pursue both.” The Pope then recalled his grandmother, who was not a theologian but “always told us children that the devil enters through our pockets. She was right.”
According to the Pope, to “root out the weed” of corruption, “there are no particular strategies; the approach is banal, simple: move forward and do not stop; we must take small but concrete steps. To achieve today’s results, we started with a meeting five years ago on how to update the judicial system. Then, with the first investigations, I had to remove positions and resistance; we began digging into the finances; we have new leadership at the IOR. In short, I had to change many things, and many more will change very soon.”
Faced with so many crises, the Pope admits that he is not afraid: “I fear no consequences for myself, I fear nothing; I act in the name and on behalf of our Lord. Am I reckless? Do I lack a little prudence? I wouldn’t know what to say; instinct and the Holy Spirit guide me, as does the love of my wonderful people who follow Jesus Christ. And then I pray, I pray a great deal.”
Finally, regarding the coronavirus and the prospect of new lockdowns, the Pope states: “I do not want to interfere in the Italian government’s political decisions, but I will tell you a story that saddened me: I heard about a bishop who said that, because of this pandemic, people have become ‘unaccustomed’ - that is exactly what he said - to going to church, and that they will never again kneel before a crucifix or receive the body of Christ. I say that if these ‘people,’ as the bishop calls them, came to church out of habit, then it is better for them to stay home. It is the Holy Spirit who calls people. Perhaps after this difficult trial, with these new challenges and the suffering entering people’s homes, the faithful will be more genuine, more authentic. Believe me, that is how it will be.”
The Pope carries out his mission as Pastor of the universal Church by praying a great deal and asking for prayers. In this way, he kindles lights of hope during such a dark period.
Let us support him with our prayers.
To learn about and explore the Pope’s views on many issues, visit the Editrice Shalom website, where you will find the Holy Father’s encyclicals, apostolic exhortations, and catecheses.
Pope Francis’s latest document is also available: Fratelli tutti. Encyclical letter on fraternity and social friendship; don’t miss it!
