Many popes have been formally declared Saints, including many popes of the modern age, such as Popes John XXIII, Paul VI, and John Paul II — there were even cries of “Santo subito!” following the death of Pope Benedict XVI. But only 83 popes have been formally declared Saints, out of the 266 who have led the Catholic Church since it was established by Christ Jesus. Many of even the boldest, noblest, and most virtuous popes have yet to be canonized.
The cardinal electors heading into the imminent conclave cannot fix in their minds that Pope Francis was a Saint.
Pope Clement I, for example, served the Church well in the first century, exercising his apostolic authority in establishing the groundwork for later Church governance as well as resolving disputes amongst the faithful. Pope Leo XIII distinguished himself as a clear thinker and courageous leader, not only anticipating the advent of communism but, in Rerum Novarum, succinctly articulating the Catholic case against both communism and the immoral abuse of capitalism. Pope Pius XII led the Church through much of the tumultuous first half of the 20th century, including World War II, and insistently condemned the evils of the Nazi ideology and regime.
Following the death of Pope Francis, it is not surprising that some Catholics are praising his legacy and even some of his staunchest critics are making an effort to remember him for the good that he did. But it is crucial that Catholics not whitewash the late pope’s legacy. The good that he did may and should, of course, be remembered and appreciated — perhaps especially so in the midst of the damage done under Pope Francis’s rule — but the ill that he did must also be remembered. There are two chief reasons for this.
First, Catholics have a responsibility to pray for the pope and for the repose of his soul. Already, some within the ranks of the Catholic Church are forgetting this responsibility. Cardinal Giovanni Batista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, noted at Pope Francis’s requiem Mass yesterday that the late pontiff had always asked for prayers. However, he continued, “Dear Francis, we now ask you to pray for us. May you bless the Church, bless Rome, and bless the whole world from Heaven.”
The cardinal’s assertion that Pope Francis is already in Heaven veers dangerously close to the grave sin of presumption — there is a reason, after all, that the Catholic Church typically necessitates a certain length of time between an individual’s death and his canonization. But it also discourages others from praying for Pope Francis’s soul. What is the point of praying that he may be in Heaven if he is already there? This is one reason that it is necessary not to revise the unpleasant and even painful aspects of the Francis pontificate.
The late pope is in desperate need of our prayers and the damage that was done to Catholics and even to the Church itself over the course of his reign ought to be a frequent reminder to us to pray for him. I need not recite here the litany of ambiguities, scandals, and autocratic acts that caused such painful division in the heart of the Church, for that is not my purpose today.
(Incidentally, our very own Paul Kengor adroitly addressed Pope Francis’s mismanagement of the COVID-19 fiasco in his latest piece in Crisis Magazine.) We need not dwell only on the damage done by the late pontiff nor dismiss or disparage what good he did manage, but we must bear in mind that Pope Francis was responsible for much pain, anguish, hurt, division, and possibly even sin. That’s an awfully good reason to pray for his soul.
Second, the cardinal electors will soon shut themselves away in sequestered solitude in order to elect Pope Francis’s successor — and one of the chief responsibilities of the next pope will be to address and attempt to recover from the damage done by the Francis pontificate. It is therefore crucial that Catholics not recall the late pope’s reign as one of peace, viewed through a happy halcyon haze. No, we must be aware of and even bring to the next pope’s attention the wounds that have been opened up over the past twelve years in order that they may be, with God’s grace, healed.
The cardinal electors heading into the imminent conclave cannot fix in their minds that Pope Francis was a Saint and is surely in Heaven for his service to the Church and the faithful therein. They must carry, at least one final time, the cross which the Francis pontificate has been for many of us and lay it at the foot of Christ’s own cross. That cross must be firmly fixed in the cardinals’ minds as they debate, deliberate, and discern over the next successor of St. Peter, for the next man to wear the fisherman’s ring will have to contend with the hurt left behind by his predecessor.
For these reasons, for the good of Pope Francis’s soul, for the good of the Catholic Church, and for the good of the next pontiff, it is imperative that Catholics not gloss over the damage and decay of the past twelve years, but maintain a steady gaze upon the truth.
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