Three extraordinary years of Francis’ pontificate

Mar 18, 2016

By Robert Mickens
Somehow it seems that Pope Francis has been leading the Roman Church for much longer.

That’s probably because he’s been so successful in bringing about such a major shift in attitude among so many Catholics in this relatively short period of time.

So it’s somewhat hard to believe that this Sunday, the first-ever Jesuit and New World Pope will be marking only the third anniversary of his pontificate.

He’ll do so in a way that should surprise no one — by having dinner with some of the homeless people who frequently scavenge for food and a place of rest in the area around the Vatican.

The only pope to ever take his name from the poor and beloved saint from Assisi has worked hard to change the mentality of his fellow Catholics, encouraging them — by word and example — to become “a poor Church for the poor.”

He’s also given witness to what it means to be a humble and merciful Church that walks with sinful humanity in respectful dialogue and as a fellow traveller on an uncertain journey, rather than one fixated on preaching moral absolutes and admonitions — mostly on the so-called “pelvic issues” — from the safe distance of its sanitized sanctuaries.

A breath of fresh air
Within the ecclesial community itself, Pope Francis has restored a sense of “normality” to what it means to be Church, mainly by putting aside the polarizing polemics over what constitutes the correct interpretation of the Second Vatican Council and by abandoning futile attempts to simulate Catholic life and worship of the pre-Vatican II period.

Despite fierce, even if covert, opposition within the Roman Curia, he has methodically set about reforming the Church’s central bureaucracy at the Vatican. Unfortunately, the changes have been few up to now, but Francis has vowed that he will not be deterred.

Even more importantly, he has also been carefully laying the foundation for what could be the most significant change to the Church’s governing structure in more than a millennium — the shift from a monarchical and centralized form of governance to a synodal and subsidiary model closer to the practice of the early Church.

The 79-year-old Pope, much like John XXIII did more than half a century ago, has brought sorely needed fresh air and much hope to the people in the Church and in the world. And for this, he has rightly won the admiration of Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

This is all very encouraging and good news.

But… yes, there often is a “but.” All the good things that Pope Francis has achieved up to now not only risk being overshadowed, but his entire pontificate could be significantly imperiled if he does not immediately start acting more decisively on at least two issues that deeply concern a significant segment of his flock — clergy sex abuse of minors and the role of women within the Church.

Pope Francis has the authority and the power to change this situation. He has been such an inspiring pope and can count on the support and prayers of so many Catholics who desperately want — and need — him to succeed in reforming and renewing their Church. But if he does not find a way to make women full citizens in this community, giving them an equal voice in all areas of Church decision-making and service, even those young people who are still interested in spiritual nourishment and belonging — both women and men — will continue to look elsewhere.

Year Four of the pontificate of Francis, Bishop of Rome, is about to begin. It is time he addresses these burning issues. --Global Pulse