It’s Tuesday, September drawing to a close, tempus fugit, and Leo XIV spends another of his weekly rests in Castelgandolfo, he’s already just another neighbor and his comings and goings have become routine.
On Sunday, during the jubilee celebration in St. Peter’s Square, a child’s voice broke the silence: «Pope, my blessing!». The one shouting was Sara Lia Monguí Rodríguez, a four-year-old Colombian girl, who with insistence and joy managed to approach Pope Leo XIV and receive his blessing. The Monguí Rodríguez family, residents of Puerto Colombia, Atlántico, traveled to Rome as part of their commitment to the Faith and Life Institute, a ministry that works with young Latinos in the United States and Latin America through the Catholic Youth Bible. They have accompanied groups of teenagers and catechists for years in the great jubilee celebrations, and this time they brought Sara.
And we move on to the background topics of the day. Leo XIV has just made his first important decision: appointing Archbishop Filippo Iannone as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. He is under enormous pressure, and many centers of power have strengthened and reinforced themselves in the last month of Pope Francis. His interview for his biography was not considered an effective response to the accusations of cover-up of abuses in Peru, despite the fact that the response to the accusations about his actions was precisely the basis of his decision to grant it. Leo XIV’s honeymoon with the media is coming to an end. The Vatican Appeals Process could reignite anti-Vatican media campaigns directed even at the Pope. Some signs of this have already emerged. For example, the debate is being reignited about Pope Francis’s letters that supposedly led Cardinal Becciu to decide not to participate in the Conclave. The use of said letters, in reality, represents an attack on Parolin, as well as indirect pressure on Leo XIV to initiate a change of government. The «trial of the century in the Vatican» is becoming a minor matter, with uncertain impact on the fate of the current pontificate and even on the historical evaluation of the previous one. Time will tell if this will have any effect on Leo XIV’s decisions.
The interview genre, with which we have been saturated in the pontificate of the late Pope Francis, does not suit the papacy well. We have already commented on the famous «for now,» today we have reactions to Pope Leo XIII’s comment that the Church must «change attitude before changing doctrine» which caused shock in Catholic circles. This wording implies tacit approval of activists like Father James Martin, who promote agendas contrary to Catholic moral teaching.
Pope Leo XIV with Crux Now hinted that he might «change the Church’s doctrine» on «marriage» between same-sex people and the ordination of women, stating that «we must change attitude before changing doctrine.» Martin SJ applauded the statement , and interpreted it as the faithful’s attitude toward those who identify as LGBT needing to change before doctrine can be changed. Murr recalls that the Church’s doctrine can never change, and Pope Leo probably avoided saying this to try to please a bit everyone on all sides of the Church, with the risk of angering everyone. Murr: «The Church’s teachings, doctrine, dogma and morals do not change. It’s very simple.» «Perhaps (Pope Leo) could have inserted the word ‘impossible.’ (And said doctrine is) ‘Impossible to change. Change your attitude to receive something that will never change…’, that would have been better.» «I think he’s trying to appease all sides, not just both, but anyone who sees. And this is what, in the long run, will get him into a lot of trouble, because no side is going to accept it.»
The “change” is not a Catholic doctrine, but rather a doctrine of social revolution that has sought to replace the Church and Christian civilization entirely. The fundamental question is: «Why are we asked to consider changing our social norms and, in fact, what we might call the norms of the Catholic Church, i.e., the teachings of Christ?» «That is because social progressives demand that all our norms and institutional beliefs change in accordance with the social revolution.»
«The widespread propaganda of homosexual and transsexual lifestyles is part of a political project to denormalize our entire civilization. If you are progressive, things must inevitably progress. … The slippery slope began with the normalization of so-called same-sex marriage, and now we have homosexuals and single transgender men who even buy babies on the free market.» «Sexual denormalization and the promotion of a hyper-eroticized lifestyle can be understood as a form of revenge against Christian norms and a form of revenge against the Christian civilization we inherited and which liberalism’s ambition is to destroy and replace entirely.»
Cardinal Blase Cupich plans to honor Senator Dick Durbin, a radically pro-abortion Democrat. Several prominent bishops, including Bishop Thomas Paprocki and Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, have denounced Cupich’s decision. Westen called the cardinal’s decision “senseless”: “You cannot honor those who are totally in agreement with abortion and LGBT issues and everything else against the Church.” Murr called the measure “atrocious” and emphasized that, ultimately, it is the result of our society having lost its moral compass. It’s so atrocious… It’s the worst thing we can do. We are killing ourselves, we are killing holy innocence… we have lost our moral compass and our conscience. This is the consequence of all this.» Wright highlighted that the modern Church is associating itself with the agendas of the United Nations and other globalist entities, thus undermining its own teachings: “It is important to note that the Church is effectively associating itself with this agenda by supporting these people, by promoting abortion and by promoting homosexuality. And it does so for civil rights, acceptance and welcome.”
Pope Leo accepted the resignation last week of a Peruvian bishop affected by a scandal, which could be a sign of the Pope’s priorities for the country where he spent nearly three decades in ministry. Ciro Quispe López resigned as bishop of the Territorial Prelature of Juli at just 51 years old, following a one-year Vatican investigation into allegations of sexual and financial misconduct. Quispe had had sexual relations with more than six women, had misappropriated diocesan funds and had taken furniture from diocesan properties to furnish a barbecue at his own property in the city of Cuzco. Quispe vehemently denied the accusations , calling them a smear campaign initiated by “dark hands.” The Holy See announced an apostolic visitation led by Bishop Marco Antonio Cortez, bishop of Tacna and Moquegua, whose results have never been made public. The troubled Cardinal Carlos Castillo of Lima is one of Quispe’s most ardent defenders during the visitation, which seems to have delayed the decision. If Pope Leo accepted Quispe’s resignation against Castillo’s arguments, it could be an indication of what awaits Castillo, whose own archdiocese is surrounded by its own scandals in recent months.
Last month, multiple allegations of financial misconduct and cover-up of abuses in the Archdiocese of Lima were revealed , the Vatican ordered an investigation into the archdiocese, although it was not formally called an apostolic visitation. The then Bishop Robert Prevost voted against Castillo for the presidency of the episcopal conference, and Castillo openly criticized Prevost on more than one occasion at conference meetings. Castillo turned 75 in February and submitted his resignation to Pope Francis, who was gravely ill. Since then, he has repeatedly stated that the pope —without specifying whether he meant Francis or Leo— told him he would remain in office until he turned 80.
Some in the nunciature and Rome have raised the idea that the Pope accept Castillo’s resignation and appoint the Archbishop of Ayacucho, Salvador Piñero, 76 years old, as apostolic administrator, with the aim of appointing a new Archbishop of Lima by the end of 2025 or early 2026. The two main names being floated for the position are Msgr. Luis Alberto Barrera, Bishop of El Callao, and Msgr. Juan Carlos Vera, Bishop of the Military Ordinariate of Peru. According to various sources in the Archdiocese of Lima, Vera has already been contacted by the apostolic nunciature to discuss the possible appointment. There are those against: “He is widely perceived as weak and lacking character. But at this point, anyone would be better than Castillo.”
There are other vacancies in Peru. One that could have important implications is the Archdiocese of Piura, Archbishop José Antonio Eguren resigned in April 2024 amid accusations of scandal surrounding the now dissolved Sodalitium Christianae Vitae . The current apostolic administrator and auxiliary bishop of Lima, Monsignor Guillermo Elías, was widely considered the most likely successor to Eguren in Piura, a candidate of Castillo, There is a new favorite for the position: Monsignor Marco Antonio Cortez, bishop of Tacna and Moquegua, is the apostolic visitor to the Prelature of Juli following the scandals surrounding Quispe. Cortez is a member of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross and was ordained in Chiclayo in 1985, where a significant number of diocesan priests belong to the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross, including some of the Pope’s closest collaborators during his time as bishop in Chiclayo. In the early 2000s, many priests of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross were appointed bishops throughout the country. After the election of Pope Francis in 2013, these appointments practically ceased, as the pope favored bishops close to the Jesuits and with more progressive sympathies, like Castillo. If Cortez is appointed Archbishop of Piura, it could signal the beginning of a Leonine remodeling of the Peruvian episcopate.
The Italian Episcopal Conference announced today the publication of the Rite of Institution of Catechists , approved by the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments by confirmatory decree of February 2, 2024, intended for liturgical use ad experimentum for three years On the occasion of the Jubilee of Catechists , Pope Leo XIV received a copy of the official edition, used for the first time during the celebration, the digital version in PDF format is already available. The new Rite, in addition to establishing the stable dimension of this ministry, highlights the need for discernment on the part of bishops so that men and women of mature faith can be appointed catechists, with adequate biblical, theological and pastoral formation.
Catholics who say that Holy Communion should be received on the tongue have «a much stronger belief in the Real Presence,» just like those who appreciate the traditional Latin Mass. A recent academic study confirms what many conservative Catholics have said for decades: that traditional liturgical practices have a positive impact on faith, especially belief in the Real Presence of Our Lord. “Church leaders could promote belief in the Real Presence by encouraging embodied liturgical practices that convey reverence for the Eucharist.” “Current data support the reintroduction of reception on the tongue, the encouragement of the use of the consecration bell, and the authorization of the celebration of the traditional Latin Mass.” Dr. Natalie Lindemann published her findings in Catholic Social Science Review , an academic journal directed by the Society of Catholic Social Scientists (SCSS). Lindemann’s report comes a year after she published a similar article for the SCSS titled «Parish Practices Predict Belief in the Real Presence: Adoration, Genuflection, and the Traditional Latin Mass.» In that report , she concluded that «Catholics may be more likely to believe in the Real Presence if their parish offers Eucharistic Adoration, if parishioners see others genuflect frequently, and if consecration bells are rung during Mass.»
The Plenary Assembly of the Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE) will be held in Fátima, Portugal, from October 7 to 10, with the theme: «How to be missionary disciples in a secularized Europe.» It will bring together the presidents of the Episcopal Conferences of European countries and on the last day, Friday October 10, will begin with Holy Mass in the Chapel of the Apparitions. The final working sessions focus on «Synod Perspectives and Implementation.»
It is an institution that will say very little to our readers: LUMSA surely doesn’t ring a bell. It is a university that nests in the extraterritorial zone of the Vatican, with degrees recognized in Italy and tax-free, typical Italian tangle. It doesn’t pay taxes, doesn’t pay rents for the thousands of square meters it occupies as property of the Holy See on Via della Conciliazione and in the Borgo. It is no small reality with almost eight thousand students and hundreds of professors. A place to place too many commitments from Curia superiors and the thousand obligations with Italian politics. Well, this Monday the Board of Directors of LUMSA University elected Cardinal Angelo De Donatis as its new president. They always look for someone who doesn’t cause much trouble, leaving the position is the nonagenarian Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, who has always been characterized by not seeing much, understanding less, and not bothering anyone.
On October 4 and 5, Rome will host missionaries from around the world celebrating their Jubilee. «Missionaries of hope among the peoples.» On Saturday morning October 4, Pope Leo XIV will inaugurate the Jubilee with an audience followed by a pilgrimage to the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica and in the afternoon international missionary rosary in St. Peter’s Square. The next day, Holy Mass, presided over by Pope Leo XIV and in the afternoon a call Popular Festival: «Migrants and Missionaries of Hope among the Peoples».
And we end with the Becciu process that is giving so much to talk about, not so much for the matter being judged in itself, but for its implications in Vatican justice. Last June, a book by the veteran Italian intellectual Alberto Vacca was published, whose title seemed to perfectly capture the sordid reality of the so-called «Trial of the Century» in the Vatican. «That ugly mess in the Becciu trial: A surreal case of unjust justice» . «Brutto pasticcio» seems more than appropriate, given that we are talking about a trial plagued by procedural irregularities, in which the chief prosecutor was accused of conspiring with two Italian laywomen, of dubious reputation, to manipulate the testimony of a key witness, and in which the presiding judge is being investigated in Sicily for alleged ties to the mafia. This is the trial that should have marked a before and after in Vatican justice under Pope Francis, in the name of greater transparency and accountability, but which, instead, has become synonymous with judicial farce.
In modern democratic societies, the hallmark of a truly legitimate judicial system is its independence. It must not be subject to the control of any external force, not even the political establishment of the State in which it operates. This is a principle with which Catholic Social Doctrine agrees; St. John Paul II, for example, stated in the year 2000 that the judicial power in a democratic State requires its own «autonomous and constitutionally protected function.» There is no such separation of powers in the Vatican, where the Pope is the supreme executive, legislative and judicial authority. As for Vatican judicial power, including the civil branch, the Pope appoints and dismisses judges, establishes procedural rules and has freedom to intervene in any case and at any time. In fact, Pope Francis made extensive use of this authority in the Becciu case. In such a system, modern expectations of due process can never be met, no matter how virtuous the individual actors may be. The problem of civil justice in the Vatican is not limited to a prosecutor or a particular trial. It is structural and based on a complete lack of separation of powers. Until this fundamental flaw is resolved, no civil trial conducted in the Vatican will be taken seriously by responsible jurists elsewhere, no matter how well it is conducted.
Solutions are proposed. The Pope could voluntarily renounce his authority over the Vatican civil judicial power, endowing it with autonomy and even granting it the power to annul executive acts if they violate civil law. This would imply no concession to the pontiff’s spiritual authority, since not even the broader notion of papal primacy has included jurisdiction over financial crimes. Another possibility is that the Pope exercise an option provided for in the 1929 Lateran Pacts, but never exercised, which allowed Italy to prosecute civil offenses committed on Vatican territory under Italian law, but applying Vatican law. This would completely remove the Vatican from the organization of civil trials, and if the Becciu case is any indication, perhaps that would be for the best. The separation of powers in the civil sphere, not the spiritual, will have to be addressed sooner or later.
«…they did not receive him because he intended to go to Jerusalem.»
Good reading.