The crack of the Vatican: Francisco vs. Benedict XVI for child abuse

That two popes coexist in the Church is not easy: there is only room for one. This Monday 15/4 marks six years since Benedict XVI He resigned his seat at the head of the Vatican and the expapa has just reappeared: Aloisius Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) criticized the way Francis approaches the problem of child abuse in the Church.

With those "marks"Critical, Ratzinger this shows the disadvantage of the coexistence of two descendants of San Pedro (which usually does not happen because the popes stay in place until death). In the last six years, there have been no problems because the emeritus has been sidelined, but now he has published his criticism and his voice has some authoritarian weight.

"The emeritus will always work in agreement and in dependence on the bishop, so that everyone understands that only the latter is responsible for the government. "he is read in the ministry of bishops (the pope is the bishop of Rome). However, in practice, it is not so easy: Benedict XVI he was as pope as Francisco.

In the text that he published, Emeritus criticizes progressive theology and writes that the spiritual collapse due to pedophilia began in '68. Through questions, this not only puts the issue of child abuse in the Church on the table, but also weakens Francisco's authority.

"The accusation is explicit: the pope emeritus intervenes with a text that can represent" a pastoral line and theologically parallel to that of the pope ", so that it lends itself to being instrumentalised as a weapon by the opponents of Francisco"they say in Vatican Insider.

In the Church there is therefore a gap between those who agree with the dad Francisco and their approach to the problem (based, for example, on abuses long before 1968) and those who believe that Benedict XVI are necessary and urgent to save the Varican. So the cardinal tweeted Robert Sarah: "We must thank the eminent pope for having the courage to speak. His badysis of the crisis in the Church is of fundamental importance"

A Ratzingerhowever, he is sufficiently criticized for wanting to insist on continuing in one way or another with his pontificate, "Taking for granted the thesis that the real pope would be German and not Argentinian", according to the Roman media. On the other hand, there are those who doubt the authenticity of the document: Gian Franco Svidercoschi, former vice-director "L'Osservatore Romano"Uncertainty "It's almost mandatory, linked to the precarious health conditions, not only physical, of Ratzinger". "He wanted to be called Father Benedict and not badume the title of emeritus, nor be dressed like a sweet man nor live in the Vatican, but then we forced him"but does not specify who he would act"someone & # 39; a"

Mbadimo Faggioli, historian of Christianity and theologian, defends Francisco: "The coexistence between the two popes is only possible if the emeritus knows how to remain invisible", he said in an interview to Vatican Insider. In addition, he argues that this type of situation must be regulated for future situations. "It is an inappropriate intervention on a very sensitive topic, that of badual abuse, on which the universal Church ", expressed on the text of Benedict XVI.

"In addition, the decision to publish the notes in the Catholic and non-Catholic media of the United States is part of the conservative and traditionalist apparatus that has always been a propaganda against Pope Francis's doubts: there a coup d'etat (part n of Benoît, but others) to try to weaken Bergoglio? "said the theologian, raising a concern shared by several Vatican referents.