The Final Call

Can words change history, destiny of Catholic Church?

By Brian E. Muhammad and Barrington Salmon Final Call Newspaper | Last updated: Sep 30, 2015 - 10:24:18 AM

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Pope Francis addresses the General Assembly during his visit to United Nations headquarters Sept. 25. Photo: UN Photo/Evan Schneider

WASHINGTON - Pope Francis, the leader 1.2 billion Catholics paid a six-day visit to the United States where he met with President Barack Obama at the White House, addressed a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill and spoke to world leaders at the U.N. headquarters in New York.

The U.S. trip was the first for the 78-year-old pontiff who is the first appointed pope from a non-European nation in Catholic Church history.

He is often described as the “people’s pope” and was received by thousands lining the streets of Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia. Pope Francis conducted several public masses, speaking to a reported 20,000 people at Madison Square Garden in New York and an estimated one million people in Philadelphia.

“He’s enjoying a remarkable response from the American public and part of it is his humility and his willingness to speak out on some controversial issues like a critique of capitalism, climate change, immigration and so forth,” said Dr. Lawrence Mamiya, professor emeritus in the Department of Religion and Africana Studies at Vassar College in New York.

In this way, “he has been more progressive” than past popes, who also visited America but were not as admired as Pope Francis, Dr. Mamiya added.

Observers for the most part applauded the pope for saying the right things; but question if his words will be followed by any significant shifts and policy reforms? The institution he leads has a problematic history with slavery, imperialism, exploitation and a controversial present that includes corruption and widespread sexual abuse by its clergy. On the abuse issue, Pope Francis is in charge as the U.S. church is reeling financially from lawsuits linked to charges of sexual abuses.

Pope Francis on sexual abuse

 A Sept. 22 Wall Street Journal article reported four dioceses are in active bankruptcy proceedings and attempting to settle claims of sexual abuse by their clergy—Milwaukee, Wis.; Gallup, N.M.; Stockton, Calif.; and Minnesota’s Twin Cities. “Filing for bankruptcy temporarily freezes all litigation, giving a diocese breathing room to continue serving its flock while it negotiates a plan to compensate, and potentially reconcile with, abuse victims,” the article said.

The sexual abuse scandal in the U.S. has cost the church nearly $3 billion between 2004 and 2014, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which set up a focus group to address the problem. While many big settlements have been reached outside of bankruptcy court, 12 dioceses have so far turned to Chapter 11 to broker deals, said the Wall Street Journal.

Speaking to Catholic bishops at the “World Meeting on Families” symposium in Philadelphia on the last day of his U.S. trip, Pope Francis spoke holding church leaders who abuse and who fail to protect children from sexual abuse accountable. The remarks came after an earlier meeting with three women and two men who were sexually abused as children.

According to the transcript of the 30 minute meeting with the victims at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Pope Francis characterized sexual abuse as a “betrayal” and “terrible violation of human dignity.” He expressed “deep sorrow” for those abused by the clergy and not believed after coming forward to expose it.

“I deeply regret that some bishops failed in their responsibility to protect children. It is very disturbing to know that in some cases bishops even were abusers. I pledge to you that we will follow the path of truth wherever it may lead,” he told the victims.

“From our perspective, he’s given lofty statements and apologies and he had a meeting with victims, but we don’t believe that makes children safer,” said Barbara Blaine, president and founder of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), the nation’s oldest and largest self-help organization for victims of clergy sexual abuse.

Ms. Blaine, a survivor of clergy sexual abuse, said SNAP was hoping for “strong action” from the pope such as opening clergy abuse files at the Vatican, turning files over to law enforcement and requiring church authorities worldwide do the same. “That will show that the pope is sincere in wanting to protect children.”

Francis the ‘rebel pope?’

When Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church in March 2013, he established many firsts: The first pope to take the name Francis, the first non-European, first Jesuit, and the first pope to come from the Americas.

Since taking the lead of his 1.2 billion flock, Pope Francis has refused to live in the lavish papal palace at the Vatican, opting instead, to reside in a modest two-bedroom apartment nearby. He cooks his own food and wears few of the adornments and embellishment that popes have worn for a century or more.

“I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security,” he said early in his tenure.

Washington, D.C. resident Blancita Porter described Pope Francis as “an obviously special being who is blessing and giving words of universal healing.” Ms. Porter, a lifelong and devout Catholic, said maturity brought a greater understanding and a deeper appreciation of her faith.

“As a part of growing up, most of us pull away from church,” she said with a laugh. “It’s a part of the rites of passage, discovery of sexuality, seeking to be independent. I came of age in the ‘60s. I drew away but never went to any other people. I didn’t go to a Protestant church.”

Ms. Porter said she received a ticket to see the pope from her parish priest.

“I was excited. I didn’t know what to expect,” said Ms. Porter, who retired in January this year as associate dean in Howard University’s School of Social Work. “I didn’t know the proximity the faithful would get to him but I wanted to get as close to him as possible. I knew the Secret Service and other agencies would be draconian. However, I felt blessed to have had the opportunity to see an obviously special being blessing people and giving words of universal healing.”

The pope’s visit took him to seminaries, homeless shelters and a prison in Philadelphia where he met inmates and their families individually and encouraged them to spend their time incarcerated getting their lives back together.

One frequent sentiment expressed by lapsed Catholics, and others who for any number of reasons walked away from the church, was an admiration for his compassion and actions few of his predecessors have exhibited.

A recent interview in La Civiltà Cattolica, an Italian Jesuit publication, illustrates his perspective. He said it’s necessary to broaden religious dialogue and move beyond discussions and debates concentrating primarily on issues like homosexuality and abortion. He advocates changes that will make the church more inclusive and which also will allow for greater influence on issues of global import.

The pope’s reformist tendencies and actions have been called a breath of fresh air and his nuanced interpretations and his expression of personal views contrary to the church’s doctrinal positions has caused consternation amongst conservatives in the church and elated progressives and others seeking change.

Pope Francis mediated between President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro, leading to normalizing of relations between both countries after more than 50 years of hostilities.

He has also articulated his concern about capitalist greed, the abuse of economic and political power, the deleterious effects of globalism, wars, and conflicts across the globe and environmental abuses that endanger this and successive generations. He speaks often on immigration and the need for those in power to be compassionate towards those forces to leave their native lands in search of a better life.

Ms. Porter said she loves that Pope Francis embraces diversity and the non-traditional.

“Francis talks the talk, walks the walk. He’s talking to the universal church,” she said. “He refuses to be seduced by the power of the Catholic Church. When he says pray for me, he means it. His dangers are real.”

“He said he was going after the Establishment and the Mafia. He’s done more to upset the status quo. He has a tolerance for same-sex and gender issues and he’s forgiven women for having abortions,” she said.

Ms. Porter said unlike his predecessor Pope Benedict, Pope Francis is changing the notion of religious liberty and freedom. “The way he became pope, it was unprecedented for a pope to resign. Had Benedict not done this, we would not have had Francis. The conservatives in the Vatican are beside themselves. They are openly against him. I was ecstatic about him.”

“I don’t expect him to be pope for long, but the power of his punch will be heard for generations,” she added.

Pope comes to revive the church?

Many see Pope Francis’ outward humility and egalitarian positions as contradictions to a past imperialistic role of the church when Bible-toting missionaries served as advance persons for gun-toting colonialists. Analysts who follow global faith trends observe, in distinction from Europe and the U.S. where Catholic conversions are on a decline, Africa and Latin America—where Pope Francis is from—have become a missionary’s marketplace. Evangelical and Pentecostals denominations of Christianity are growing in comparison to Catholicism, said Dr. Gerald Horne, a University of Houston history professor.

The pope’s message to the U.S. church, he said, was not about building walls, but “breaking them down” by imploring clergy and lay people alike get out of the church and serve communities.

That call is also what makes his personal life important, observed Dr. Mamiya in a previous interview with The Final Call. 

The simplicity of how Pope Francis lives is a “symbolic demonstration” to minister to the marginalized, which is a message to a church that has historically served the interests of the wealthy elites, he said. 

There were three power blocs that dominated Latin America for centuries—the military, wealthy land owners and the Catholic Church, Dr. Mamiya observed. It was parts of a triangle that supported one another, he said. “The church blessed the wealthy and blessed the military and in turn the wealthy and military supported the church.”

Who is the pope?

It’s a “mixed bag” of contradictions and credibility issues with the church, said Dr. Horne. “The Roman Catholic Church was deeply implicated in slavery and the African slave trade,” he told The Final Call. The pope must be understood not only as a religious figure, but a political figure.

“Here you have the leader of a religion that is also the leader of a state. The United States sends diplomats and ambassadors to the Vatican and the Vatican issues passports” and has a permanent representative to the U.N., Dr. Horne pointed out.

“At a time when there is a global movement developing that calls for the full recognition of African life—a movement most visibly in America with the #Black Lives Matter initiative, and globally with the call from the United Nations for nations to commit a decade of emphasis on the issues facing people of African descent—for the pope to come here and fail to apologize for its leading role in characterizing African-Black life as valueless, is unacceptable,” said  Kamm Howard, midwest region chair of N’COBRA—the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America.

The “Reparations Enforcers” pointed out that the church ordered the destruction of African nations, the genocide of native people and the enslavement of Africans and their descendants. It fostered “racial hatred and racial structuring of the world that has Africans and African descendants on the bottom of humanity,” and benefitted from crimes against humanity, they said. “The Roman Catholic Church is the wealthiest corporation/institution in the world and the largest land owner in the world,” added N’COBRA.

The group wants Black Catholics and American Catholics to join in a call for an apology, church recognition of its role in the oppression of Blacks worldwide, reparations and use of church influence to support the International Decade of People of African Descent 2015-2024, declared by the United Nations.

The pope drew criticism during his trip from Native Americans for proffering sainthood on Father Junipero Serra, who destroyed the lives and culture of the indigenous people in California as a leader of the Carmel Mission in California. Days after the deceleration the mission was doused in paint and gravesites were damaged. “Saint of Genocide” was reportedly sprayed on one headstone. Father Serra, lauded for bringing Catholicism to California, helped lead the destruction of indigenous people, said native groups.

The Honorable Elijah Muhammad, patriarch of the Nation of Islam wrote in his illuminating book, “Message to the Black Man in America,” “The Pope takes his place as the head of the Christian church, while the church at the same time claims Jesus Christ to be its head. But in reality, they recognize the Pope (Father) as being their head.

“Of course, this is more true because Jesus was not the head of any church. The church was organized by the Romans, according to history, and not by Jesus. And the truth of this is that it (the church) does not have any Divine power for anyone. If the Christians were not backed by the White man’s money, guns, power and bombs, the church would have no power at all. Here many are deceived by the millions in bowing to the head of the church—the Pope of Rome.”

His visit “certainly has sparked some interest; whether that will develop into people joining the Catholic Church or renewing their membership … remains to be seen,” said Dr. Mamiya.