The secret civil war around Pope Francis: Who is following him?

The secret civil war around Pope Francis: Who is following him?

Bonn, Deutschland - A violent struggle for the successor of Pope Francis has already started. According to Vatican expert Marco Politi, the Catholic Church is in a deep crisis that has tightened itself in 2013 since the election of Francis. In an interview with katholisch.de, Politi describes the situation as a "civil war" within the church, especially between conservative forces and progressive reformers. The conservatives remain a strong power even after the Pope's death, despite their minority in the Cardinal College, as he notes. Their main concerns are to preserve the mandatory allocation and reject the blessing of homosexual couples, while at the same time they have to become more careful in their rhetoric compared to the upcoming conclave, since extremist slogans are not attached.

In his new book "The unfinished" Politi explains that the tensions in the church have arisen by the courageous reforms of Francis, which finally address the topics that have been postponed for long. Some of the revisions, such as the possibility of granting residents to communion, have led to aggressive reactions on the part of traditional forces. Politi emphasizes that the conservative elements are very well organized and have already collected 800,000 signatures against progressive initiative, in comparison the reform -like movement produces only a few voices. This dynamic underlines the difficulties for reform -oriented Catholics, which show little public commitment and mobilization, while the ultra -conservatives are relatively successful on social media.

crisis and reforms under Franziskus

The church suffers from a dramatic decline in membership and an increasing weakness in Europe, which also indicates a clear need for action for politici. The declining presence of priests and religious is an indication that many young people turn away from the church. Francis tried to break new ground with his reforms such as the promotion of female managers in the church and the opening of the discussion about the women's diaconate. However, this has caused both positive and negative reactions, and the resistance remains strong, as the linguistic fragmentation between the various bishops conferences shows.

In summary, Politi describes the current situation in the Catholic Church as unfinished and full of challenges, which are characterized by a fine balance between the conservative and reformer forces. The church stands on a crossroads, and it remains to be seen how it will shape the upcoming changes and the succession of Francis. Politi concludes with an urgent warning that the Pope is not almighty and the decision -makers in the church are facing major questions that have to be solved urgently to prevent the divisions from increasing.

How the struggle for the successor begins and The challenges for the Catholic Church .