Beyond John Paul II

The Malta Independent 

 

Tony Blair has been UK`s Prime Minister for less than eight years, had to seek confirmation from the electorate after four years and can only continue in office beyond next month if the UK electorate nods approval for another parliamentary term.` In spite of leading over one of the most prosperous and peaceful terms in British post-war history Tony Blair can at best expect to be returned with a much reduced majority.

Karol Wojtila was elected Pope more than 26 years ago, never had to worry about seeking confirmation from those that elected him to continue in his job and only death last Saturday could terminate his mandate.

One might say that the comparison is faulty as the Pope leads a religious organisation that receives its mandate from the Almighty and has a final objective to conduct its faithful to a way of life that leads them to the prize of eternal happiness in whatever awaits them beyond this valley of tears, whilst mortals like Tony Blair get their mandate from lesser mortals who, unlike the Almighty, are prone to errors of judgement and switch of opinions.

Today we bury Pope John Paul II.` Much praise has been heaped on him to the extent that he has been hailed as John Paul the Great by strong Vatican sources who normally reserve such superlatives to someone unquestionably on the fast track to sainthood.

The greatness of John Paul II is contestable.` Anybody who stays for more than 26 years as head of an organisation spanning the globe and counting its members in billions, can claim greatness. If such person comes with the strength of character, charisma, intelligence, energy, communication skills and fortitude as Karol Wojtila than his greatness gets emphasized. If on top the papacy comes at a time when a social system embraced by half the world in the various forms of communism, starts crumbling internally under the weight of its inherent economic inefficiency and the pressures of disgruntled citizens against oppression of their civil liberties, disgruntlement well known and directly experienced by the Pope himself, than the Pope`s greatness can be equated in the minds of world opinion as making a significant contribution to accelerate the collapse of the communist system, restoring liberties to millions in Eastern Europe and beyond.

So there is broad agreement that Karol Wojtola was a great man, a great statesman, a great politician and a world leader with moral authority bigger than that of elected politicians whose stay in power is briefer and more transitory.

But when it comes to analysing whether John Paul II was a great Pope, opinions are not one-sided. A significant element of catholic opinion, especially those elements inspired by liberation theologies who wish to advance the spirit of the Vatican Council to continue to take the Church closer to its people, consider John Paul II`s` rigid conservatism as reducing the relevance of the Church in the ordinary life of its faithful.`

The argument has been made that John Paul II was good for the world, good for Christianity, good for other religions with whom the church re-established cordial relationships but very doubtful if he was good for his catholic flock.

To the oppressed in communist countries he could deliver fortitude and inspiration to unite and use their collective force to change the system to a democratic one built on capitalist principles.` He delivered what was neigh impossible for many other world leaders to deliver even though it was more within their competence than the Pope`s.

But to the poor who are dying of malnutrition and Aids, the Pope did not deliver what only he could deliver and what was well within his power to deliver i.e. more liberal teachings regarding procreation and the use of condoms.

The conservative elements within the Church argue that the Pope`s duty is to conserve the teaching of Christ the Lord and not to adjust principles to contemporary fashion. So they argue that it beyond the Pope`s remit to change the principles on which the Church has been founded and his duty is to guide the faithful to comply with the Church`s teachings rather than allow changes to suit the wishes of the faithful.

Probably in time if the world survives, our descendants will look back at such teachings the same way we now look at the Church`s mediaeval treatment of Galileo. But passing judgement in real time is difficult and the conflict between the liberal and conservatives within the Church will now erupt more forcefully than ever both in the process of selecting a successor Pope and beyond.` It is unlikely that the next Pope can command the same stature and character of Karol Wojtila who could silence dissent merely by his looks.

As the next Pope will be elected by a college of Cardinals who have almost all been appointed by John Paul II who was not known to promote dissenters, it is most unlikely that the Pope`s successor will be willing to depart substantially` from the conservative teachings promulgated under John Paul`s II tenure .` The liberal element with the Church can at best hope that the next Pope will be a short inter-regnum to allow a cooling off period before the liberal elements within the Church can gain sufficient influence in the corridors of the Vatican.

If the next Pope is elected by the college of Cardinals then the vast millions of Catholics who are detached from the Church because their life and social values cannot adhere to its teachings (and these include the vast majority of married couples who disregard the Church teachings regarding birth control) can only expect to continue living in a religious desert. If the Pope is chosen by the Holy Spirit there is better hope of getting a new Pope who is less of a politician but a better Church leader who hears the moans of his faithful and takes an objective fresh look in adapting the Christ principles to the relevance of their current way of life.

And if the next Pope is to use the moral authority of his position on the world stage let him be the defender of the poor, especially in the African continent, who are not partaking a fair share of the riches that God bestowed to his Earth.