In the history of the Church, there have never been two Popes. It is impossible for there to be two Popes, because the figure of the pontiff is a symbol of the unity of the Church, therefore, there can only be one.
In this case, it is specifically Pope Francis, he is the Pope to whom Benedict XVI swore obedience and loyalty. This gesture by Pope Benedict of interrupting his pontificate truly became the revolutionary gesture of the century, as this had never happened, at least in this modality. Pope Benedict understood that the Church needed more energy than he could give. Therefore, he took the step and later the conclave appointed his successor. Therefore, the only Pope is Pope Francis.
Pope Benedict, in his private life, sometimes speaks out on some Church issues. He acts as a Bishop Emeritus who draws his observations and reflections from his wisdom and experience.
Denying the Pope is denying the intervention of the Spirit
The Pope is always faithful to Tradition, therefore, saying that Pope Francis is against Tradition is a Fake News. While he continues with the tradition, there is a need for a development, as the holy Cardinal Newman said, on the Doctrine. It is part of this development and movement because Tradition is not something fixed, static, fixed once and for all, but it is movement, it is dynamic. It refers to the past and also to the present and future. In this sense, effectively placing Pope Francis in opposition to Tradition or Pope Benedict to Pope Francis means there is no sense of Church.
Why? Because if we are truly believers, we know that the Pope is not us who chooses him, it is the Holy Spirit who chooses him. Therefore, denying that Pope Francis is legitimately the Bishop of Rome means denying the intervention of the Holy Spirit in the Church.
True, the Holy Spirit uses the conclave, men, etc. But if we want to be truly coherent with our Catholic faith, we must certainly think that the Holy Spirit is the transcendent subject of the Church’s Tradition. And, naturally, the community, the Pope and the magisterium are the immanent ones, those who, in history, make revelation visible and credible.
God does not need empty heads that are filled with various news from newspapers and television news, magazines, and the internet. Let us use our heads to make a serious discernment of the news we hear. That highly relevant news given by the media; all focused on imaginary aspects of problems, is not the real problem for the life of the Church.
Is there a future for Christianity?
Well, the serious problem is the future of Christianity in the West and beyond. This is what the Church cares about; That’s what the Magisterium cares about, that’s what theologians care about. Is there a future for Christianity? The problem is that of Jesus: “Will the son of man when he returns find faith on earth?”
Giving resonance to these, perhaps, different perspectives that become expressions of the different personalities, cultures, and training that the pontiffs received means not understanding the deep meaning of the problem.
Another real aspect is that the Popes have always been challenged. Pope Paul VI, Saint John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, especially in his Germany, and also others, anyone can notice that. Perhaps it is true that there is a strong opposition here from within, which wants to undermine the authority of the Bishop of Rome, and this is unacceptable, because the division would be the greatest wound that the Church could experience. In every age, heresies and schisms are the greatest sins. On the other hand, we have to go as far as keeping the Church united with Peter’s successor.
There are films and television series that talk about two Popes, let’s stop talking about two Popes. The Pope is unique; and it is not enough to just show the agreements you see, the greetings, as they are superficial. The important thing is that Pope Benedict always recognizes the authority of Pope Francis.
A cardinal cannot go against the Pope because the purple he wears means that: until the shedding of blood, he needs to be faithful to the Bishop of Rome. So that extract of purple, which represents the purple robe that Jesus wore in His Passion, I think reminds all of us of the need for unity.
Author: Giuseppe Lorizio | Theologian at the Lateran University of Rome