The book “El Pastor” by journalists Francesca Ambrogetti and Sergio Rubin, which will be published these days in Argentina, is the result of various conversations with the Pope regarding the Church’s most important and pressing questions. From politics to economics, from reforms in the Roman Curia to the threats of the “common house”. There is room also for some personal aspects, and with regard to an apostolic visit to Argentina, Pope Francis said that “it is unfair to say that I do not want to go.”
From the book “El Jesuita” that was published in 2010 to the book “El Pastor” the volume that will be published in Argentina. Francesca Ambrogeti, former head of ANSA in Argentina, and Sergio Rubin, from El Clarin newspaper, return to the character of Jorge Mario Bergoglio. In the first book, the two journalists collected the thoughts of the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Bergoglio. In this second, the approach relates to the teaching of Pope Francis: the challenges he faced in the ten years of his pontificate and future prospects such as “reviving the proclamation of the Gospel – as the supreme pontiff says – and reducing the centrality of the Vatican, prohibiting child sexual abuse… and fighting economic corruption.” He stresses that the management program with which he operates is to “implement what the Cardinals announced in the General Assemblies on the eve of the Conclave.”
Nineteen chapters in 346 pages divided into a preface bearing the signature of Pope Francis and in which he wrote, “I must acknowledge a special virtue in Francesca and Sergio, which is their perseverance.” The two journalists provide an analysis of the Holy Father’s Magisterium through periodic interviews conducted over a period of 10 years. Many topics were covered: issues relating to immigrants, the defense of life, the impact of the reforms of the Roman Curia, and sexual abuse of minors. On this point, Pope Francis stressed that his pontificate “will be judged to a large extent by how he confronts this scourge.” Hence marriage and the family, the threatened “common home”, “female genius”, and “positivism” in the Church. Regarding homosexuality, the Holy Father stressed that “those who have faced rejection from the Church, I would like to declare them to be persons of the Church.”
Politics is one of the central topics. “Yes, I do politics,” the Pope replies, “because everyone should do politics. And what is politics? A way of life for the city. What I do not do, and the Church should not do either, is partisan politics. But the Gospel has a political dimension, which is to change the social mentality persons, and even religious ones” so that they are directed towards the common good. Another strong theme is related to economics, and Pope Francis affirms that the beacon to be followed is the Church’s social doctrine, which is not a condemnation of capitalism, but rather a necessity, and therefore as Pope John Paul II pointed out, we must follow the “social market economy”. He adds today the economy prevails, and the affluent is less involved. So what we can all agree on is that the concentration of wealth and inequality has increased. And there are a lot of people dying of starvation.”
Then Pope Francis stopped talking regarding economic affairs in the Vatican, defending the good faith of the “vast majority” of the members of the Church, “but we cannot deny – as he asserts – that some clergy and many false lay friends of the Church have contributed to the untimely seizure of Movable and immovable property is not for the Vatican, but for the faithful. Referring to the story of the London properties, he confirmed that the “suspicious purchase” had been uncovered in the Vatican and said I was glad it meant the Vatican administration today had the resources to highlight the bad things going on inside. And on the relations between the state and the church, Pope Francis affirmed his defense of the secularity of the state and not of secularism, which, for example, does not allow religious images in public places.
With regard to Argentina, the pope stressed that “accusations of Peronism are common” and called on trade unions to defend workers’ dignity and rights. He also confirmed that his intention to travel to his home country “still exists,” and that “it is not fair to say that I do not want to go.” With regard to the agreement between the Holy See and China, the Holy Father affirmed that he knows the problems and pains, and showed his willingness to go to the Asian country, saying: “Tomorrow, if that is possible!”
In conclusion, the Pope admitted that he had lived through crises of faith, which he overcame with the help of God. “In any case, a faith that does not put us in crisis is a faith in crisis. Just as a faith that does not make us grow is a faith that must grow.” Concerning the Church of the future, the Holy Father explained that closeness is the key to everything. The Church is a mother, and I don’t know any “by correspondence” mothers. Mother gives affection, touches, kisses and love. Thus, when the Church is not close to her children because she is busy with a thousand things or communicates with them through documents, it is as if a mother communicates with her children with letters.
