‘It must be understood that this sovereign of the Vatican City State had combated many enemies, the bureaucrats and the mafiosi being two of the worst. Will his successor sanctify and sustain this particular legacy?’
SAD to say, we are celebrating this centenary against the backdrop of a war, a third world war fought piecemeal.”
That was what the Bishop of Rome had told members of the International Federation of Catholic Universities visiting the Eternal City on 19 January 2024. He also counseled the Grand Chancellors, Rectors and other academic authorities: “Don’t let Catholic universities replace desire with functionalism or bureaucracy.” [https://www.osservatoreromano.va/en/news/2024-01/ing-004/functionalism-and-bureaucracy-must-not-replace-passion-for-truth.html]
Aha! WW3 is also being waged against the parasitical bureaucrats since “They are diseases and temptations which weaken our service to the Lord.” To wit: “It is the disease of the rich fool in the Gospel, who thought he would live forever, but also of those who turn into lords and masters, and think of themselves as above others and not at their service. It is often an effect of the pathology of power, from a superiority complex, from a narcissism which passionately gazes at its own image and does not see the image of God on the face of others, especially the weakest and those most in need.”
1. “Another disease is the “Martha complex”, excessive busy-ness.”
2. The “disease of mental and spiritual ‘petrification’…those who have a heart of stone… hide under a pile of papers, turning into paper pushers and not men of God”
3. The “disease of excessive planning and functionalism… trying to contain and direct the freedom of the Holy Spirit, which is always greater and more flexible than any human planning”
4. The “disease of poor coordination…they create discomfort and scandal.”
5. A “‘spiritual Alzheimer’s disease’… consists in losing the memory of our personal ‘salvation history’, our past history with the Lord…those who build walls and routines around themselves, and thus become more and more the slaves of idols carved by their own hands.”
6. The “disease of rivalry and vainglory…When appearances, the color of our clothes and our titles of honor become the primary object in life.”
7. The “disease of existential schizophrenia…those who live a double life, the fruit of that hypocrisy typical of the mediocre and of a progressive spiritual emptiness which no doctorates or academic titles can fill.”
8. The “disease of gossiping, grumbling and back-biting…a cold-blooded killer of the good name of our colleagues and confrères. It is the disease of cowardly persons.”
9. The “disease of idolizing superiors…They are victims of careerism and opportunism; they honor persons and not God.”
10. The “disease of indifference to others…When we learn something and then keep it to ourselves rather than sharing it in a helpful way with others.”
11. The “disease of a lugubrious face… How beneficial is a good dose of humor! We would do well to recite often the prayer of St. Thomas More.”
12. The “disease of hoarding. When an apostle tries to fill an existential void in his heart by accumulating material goods, not out of need but only in order to feel secure.”
13. The “disease of closed circles, where belonging to a clique becomes more powerful than belonging to the Body and, in some circumstances, to Christ himself…Self-destruction, ‘friendly fire’ from our fellow soldiers, is the most insidious danger. It is the evil which strikes from within.”
14. The “disease of worldly profit, of forms of self-exhibition. When an apostle turns his service into power, and his power into a commodity.” [https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2014/december/documents/papa-francesco_20141222_curia-romana.html]
This Pontifex Maximus repeated his admonitions in 2022: “Let me put it this way: they are ‘elegant demons’ — they enter smoothly, without our even being conscious of them. Only the daily practice of the examination of conscience can enable us to be aware of them.”
[https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2022/december/documents/20221222-curia-romana.html]
Again in 2024: “Tell the heads, because we want to solve all difficulties, and this is done through dialogue…’Mr. Manager, Cardinal, Pope, Father…Can you help me resolve them?’ And we will try to resolve the difficulties together.” [https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2024/december/documents/20241221-dipendenti-scv.html]
This Patriarch of the West, it is recalled, had also denounced syndicates of crime: “When adoration of money is substituted for adoration of the Lord, this pathway leads to sin, to personal interest and exploitation; when God, the Lord, is not adored, we become adorers of evil, like those who live by dishonesty and violence. Your land, so beautiful, knows the signs and consequences of this sin. This is ’ndrangheta: Adoration of evil and contempt for the common good. This evil must be fought, it must be cast out! One must say ‘no’ to it! The Church, which I know is so committed to raising awareness, must be ever more concerned that goodness prevail. Our kids demand it, our youth, in need of hope, demand it. Faith can help empower us to respond to these needs. Those who follow this evil path in life, such as members of the mafia, are not in communion with God: they are excommunicated!” [https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2014/documents/papa-francesco_20140621_cassano-omelia.html]
It must be understood that this sovereign of the Vatican City State had combated many enemies, the bureaucrats and the mafiosi being two of the worst. Will his successor sanctify and sustain this particular legacy?
