Reflexões sobre o Conselho criado pelo Papa Francisco

O jornalista norte-americano John L. Allen Jr., responsável pela cobertura do Vaticano para a publicação online National Catholic Reporter, fez, em 14/04/2013, uma análise preliminar sobre o Conselho de 8 cardeais criado pelo Papa Francisco para aconselhá-lo no governo da Igreja universal e para estudar um projeto de revisão da Constituição Apostólica Pastor Bonus sobre a Cúria romana.

Escrevendo apenas 24 horas após a criação do Conselho, ele destaca, em seu texto, cinco pontos que considera importantes.

O artigo tem o título de Cinco pensamentos sobre o novo ‘G8’ do Papa – Five thoughts on the pope’s new ‘G8’.

Resumidamente, ele diz que:
1. Mais do que reformar a Cúria, a função primordial do grupo é aconselhar o Papa no governo da Igreja
2. Os escolhidos têm personalidades fortes e não são “vaquinhas de presépio” que vão dizer apenas o que o Papa quer ouvir
3. Na escolha dos cardeais há uma evidente ampliação da colegialidade na Igreja, pelo menos em três níveis. As Conferências Episcopais, por exemplo, podem estar recuperando sua importância na linha do Vaticano II
4. A Secretaria de Estado tem, assim, suas asas cortadas, ficando, como se previa, muito mais enfraquecida
5. E, finalmente, percebe-se uma inversão de papeis no “quem é quem” do Vaticano, com a importância que, a partir de agora, assumem cardeais como Maradiaga e O’Malley

Recomendo a leitura completa do artigo, do qual transcrevo apenas trechos. E, se entendi direito, penso que os conservadores já podem ficar preocupados com a orientação descentralizadora de alguns dos nomes do Conselho…

Diz John L. Allen Jr. (veja o texto em português aqui):

1. A Cabinet, not a blue-ribbon commission
In some early reporting, the mission of this body has been described as helping Francis to reform the Roman Curia. Yet reading Saturday’s announcement, that’s not what it says. The key line states that Francis has assembled this group “to advise him in the government of the universal church,” and only then “to study a plan for revising the Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia, Pastor Bonus.” In other words, curial reform is only the second task. The first is to advise the pope on decisions about the universal church, meaning there’s almost nothing that falls outside its purview…

2. Not ‘yes’ men
Looking at the list of eight cardinals Francis picked, they’re strong personalities rather than ‘yes’ men inclined simply to tell the pope what he wants to hear…

3. Collegial on multiple levels
The decision to assemble this group of advisers comes off as an act of collegiality, meaning shared authority, on at least three levels (…) First (…) this is a way of implementing the call for greater collegiality that goes all the way back to the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). Second, this group is clearly designed to be geographically representative, including at least one cardinal from each continent (…) Third (…) those picks were unlikely to have been accidents. They suggest a revitalization of the role of bishops’ conferences, both nationally and regionally…

4. Clipped wings for the Secretariat of State
Since the election of the new pope, there has been a steady drumbeat of speculation in Rome about whom Francis might pick as the next Secretary of State, with that choice usually styled as the key first test of how serious Francis may be about reform. In light of Saturday’s announcement, however, it now seems less critical who takes over from Bertone because the role of the Secretariat of State seems destined to be diminished under Francis. Rather than being the über-dicastery where all the important decisions about church governance are made, it may function more like a support staff to the pope and his body of eight advisers…

5. Role reversals for Rodriguez Maradiaga and O’Malley
There’s nothing like the election of a new pope to reshuffle the deck in the church in terms of who’s up and who’s down, and the choice of Francis clearly illustrates that principle for two of the cardinals named to this “G8”: Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras and O’Malley of Boston. Not so long ago, the consensus among church-watchers was that Rodriguez Maradiaga was basically dead in the water…