He has opened up the debate and invited Bishops, priests and lay people to respond. He challenges the traditionalist narrative observed during John Paul 11 era, the fruitful and non- fruitful interpretations of Vatican 11 during the Benedict era, to a position where Pope Francis supports an ecclesiology of ‘the people’, where the future of the Catholic Church will depend upon the infallibility of the faith expressed by the people, including lay people and ordained ministers. What is Pope Francis doing that is of importance.
He is:
- Reminding us of the importance of ‘the Church of the Poor’ (economically, sociologically, religiously)
- Laying this groundwork to deal with issues facing the Church in the modern era and understanding the concept of mercy
- Re-enculturating the Church and keeping Vatican 11 alive.
So what are the implications for all this – how do we keep the hope of Vatican 11 alive in our communities?
