One of the most influential theologians of the modern era is Fr Hans Kung.
He’s had his battles with the Vatican, especially Pope John Paul II.
In his early career he was a colleague and good friend of Joseph
Ratzinger, who later, as Cardinal Ratzinger, was responsible for
removing Hans Kung from teaching in Catholic Universities.
When Ratzinger became Pope Benedict, the two men tried to make up their differences but without much success.
Hans Kung is still a priest and theologian in good standing and as
an 85 year old academic has been reflecting on the changes Pope Francis
is attempting to bring about in Vatican’s structure.
Firstly, the name Francis is significant. St Francis of Assisi is
one of the most iconic saints in the Catholic Church. In the thirteenth
century he was a fun-loving and worldly child of a rich textile merchant
in Assisi. But at the age of 24 he gave up his family’s wealth to
preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the poor. No Pope in history has
chosen the name Francis.
According to Kung, Pope Francis is attempting to live simply in the
midst of wealth, in the same way as his patron saint did. Like Francis
he will need to speak the language of the people and emphasise his own
humanity. Kung concludes, he will be “a Pope who demonstrates he is a
man with his feet on the ground.”
“Kung quoting Church history, notes that during the life of Francis
of Assisi, his contemporary, Pope Innocent III, would not approve the
rule of the founder of the Franciscans. Innocent III “was a man of
worldly power, a born ruler, a distinguished theologian, a shrewd
lawyer, a clever speaker and a capable administrator,” according to
Kung.
He gave a new status to the Papacy – that of “absolute ruler, law
giver and judge of Christianity.”Kung sums up the situation brilliantly:
“Already in his time there were signs of decay which up until our own
time, have remained features of the Roman Curia system: Nepotism,
favouritism, acquisitiveness, corruption and dubious financial
dealings.”
Francis of Assisi wanted to challenge positions of privilege, great
wealth, and worldly power. He wanted the Gospel to be taken seriously
by all lay and clerical alike. According to Kung, the Franciscan ideal,
if it is to be taken seriously, must be “about poverty, humility and
simplicity.”
To follow the ideals of St Francis, the Pope will have to leave
aside pomp and circumstance and, in the spirit of Francis, have a
transparent Church whose leaders live frugally. The Church should
concern itself above all with the poor, the weak and the marginalised.
The Church based on worldly powers is a church which highlights
dogma, moralistic censor and legal hedging. The Church of Francis means
“a Church of good news, of joy, a theology based radically on Gospel
values, a Church that listens to people instead of indoctrinating them
from above, a Church that does not only teach but one that constantly
learns.”
Francis died on October the 3rd 1226 at the age of 44. He died as
poor as he had lived. In contrast Innocent III, for all his power and
status, died unexpectedly at the age of 56 in 1216.
He had been rejected by those within the system he himself
established. “This Pope who had known how to increase the power,
property and wealth of the Holy See, like no other before him, was found
dead deserted by all, naked and robbed by his own servants,” Kung
recalls.
The task ahead for Pope Francis is to re-organise the Roman Curia
which has brought such degradation to our beloved Church. Reform of the
structures of the Church will be widely supported.
To do so though, will mean reforms coming from the bottom up; they
will have to be implemented with or without the approval of the
hierarchy.
This generation has been given an era of grace to reform and to
turn back to Christ. The careerists have had their day. The Holy Spirit
will now regenerate a Church to be proud of.