Pope Leo XIV makes whole pieces of the “Bergoglio system” tremble in a short time ago. He changed direction on delicate dossiers (Vatican processes, Casarini case, Chinese theme and others) putting excellent names in difficulty. And the first at risk is the head of the CEI
“The popes pass, the curia remains.” On May 24, the IPSE Dixit of Leone XIV shaken the Vatican. He marks the renunciation of Robert Francis Prevost’s legacy of Jorge Mario Bergoglio who was and first Augustinian monk, then missionary finally the selector of the bishops. “It is valid in every particular church, for the Curie Vescovili,” said the Pope, “and also applies to the Curia of the Bishop of Rome. The Curia is the institution that houses and transmits the historical memory of a Church, of the Ministry of its Bishops “.
If Francesco was the autocratic, unpredictable, authoritarian papa-re in the manner, Leone XIV is the man of collegiality.
Those who have enjoyed the privileges that Bergoglio has dispensed to his magical circle today is displaced and tries to reposition themselves. It is difficult, however, that Prevost leaves room for the soloists who have built their careers with migrants, which allows escapes forward to the “ambassadors” of the Church to be released towards only the South of the world, which compresses the secular apostolate as Bergoglio did by declaring war on CL, to the company of the works, under monastic orders.
Many forget a detail: Robert Francis Prevost was ten years old when the Second Vatican Council ended. The fractures that for 60 years have encouraged the unity of the Church for 60 years. He lived the post council first as a “missionary” in Peru and then, for 12 years, as a prior of the Augustinians, and developed the sense of community and collegiality as a profession of faith.
Leo XIV thus makes some pieces of the Italian Church tremble. There are open spinous issues: Vatican processes. Not so much or not only the one that sees implicated – it is the first time in history – the already condemned at first instance for embezzlement, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu (the appeal is fixed for the end of September; they are emerging uncomfortable details that could induce the Pope to close everything with an indulgence to prevent a true scandal from a true scandal, as much as another who directly calls the president of the CEI, the Cardinal and Archbishop of Bologna. Matteo Maria Zuppi.
He, considered a papabile, who was the alter ego di Francesco on the issues of migrants and in foreign policy since he was leading, inconclusive, in Ukraine, with two other Bergoglian red caps – the cardinals Kevin Farrell, plenipotentiary on the accounts, and Augustus Paolo Lojudice Metropolitan of Siena – is the judge of Cassation of the Vatican and is struggling with a spiny story.
The former directors of Ior Paolo Cipriani and Massimo Tulli were sentenced for bad management: they confiscated the pension on the pressure of Bergoglio who was very careful to the money. It cannot be done: even a fifth of the annuity allowance is also confiscated for Vatican justice. But Zuppi, in total obedience to the Pope, confirmed the sentence. Now there will be the European Court to rule: a Vatican sentence for violation of the rights would not be welcome.
Zuppi brings another process morally behind: he will begin in Ragusa in October against Luca Casarini and others of his NGO Pro Migrants accused of aiding and abetting illegal immigration with the aggravating circumstance of having a profit. Matteo Maria Zuppi is the first sponsor of Casarini, it was he who brought him to Bergoglio and it will be difficult to keep up with this figure that has become cumbersome. Hence the maneuvers of coverage towards Prevost by Andrea Riccardi, the deus ex machina of the Community of Sant’Egidio, who made – during the conclave – the devil to four to promote his “creature”, the Roman cardinal by birth and Bolognese of the chair, in successor of Pietro. He went very badly and today he has to find a way to get back into the game. But Leone XIV made it clear that he trusts the Curia and whoever suffered under the heel of Francesco is now taking up his spaces.
Zuppi still has two years in front in the guide of the CEI, but the Fronda internal to the Italian bishops (the next president could be Gian Carlo Perego, bishop of Ferrara, a sort of “clone” of Prevost), tired of the excess immigrationists is reinforcing themselves.
The line dictated – albeit indirectly – the great essay of Italian Catholicism: the UltraNenovantentenne Cardinal Camillo Ruini. “It is time to return the Church to the Catholics,” he said, “in the center there is Christ, not the Pope”. Bergoglio had put aside his being vicar of Christ: the prerogative did not appear in the Catholic annual five years ago. Instead in the motto of Leone XIV Cristo is the engine. On these differences, the Think Tank of Villa Nazareth must be measured (also formed Giuseppe Conte) the “Court” of Cardinal Achille Silvestrini “Father” putative of the current Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Villa Nazareth was the laboratory of Cattocomunismo, the place of the world elaboration of the Church, the thought of the opening to Islam and Bergoglio translated it into shipwrecked relations with the Orthodox and above all with the Jews and the opening towards China.
When Romano Prodi as president of the EU opened the doors to the communist dictatorship of Beijing, he had it comforted by Villa Nazareth and Parolin walked on the path of the negotiation that led to the first agreement on the appointment of the Chinese bishops in 2018. They are all practical that Leo XIV has taken up in hand by changing them, in a few days, radically of mark. On May 19, a week before the official abstinization, Prevost in the meeting with the other confessions at the Rabbinato d’Italia said: “It is time to build bridges”. And then he added: “because of the Jewish roots of Christianity, all Christians have a particular relationship with Judaism”. Citing our aeate – one of the key documents of Vatican II who led John Paul II to the very close dialogue with the Jews – Leo XIV has returned the Curia to interreligious dialogue. Moreover, inspired by Sant’Agostino, the pontiff’s motto is “in the one unum”, we are one in the only Christ and on this base here is the bridge to the Orthodox Kirill III of Russia including.
Therefore we expect in the state secretariat some radical, even if not spectacular: it is no longer the time of Francesco, just consider that the dialogue with JD Vance – the American vice -president – Leone XIV recommended him to Cardinal Paul Richard Gallagher, who has the institutional position of secretary for relations with the states, but which certainly has risen to the hierarchies.
Signals of reorganization in the Curia, how signs arrive in the prevost relationship with the secular apostolate. Those who have to carve out is certainly Davide Prosperi that Francesco has imposed on the head of communion and liberation in 2021 after having “fired” the heir of Don Giussani, Julián Carrón. Bergoglio did it out claiming that there can be no life for life, but then in 2025 he reconfirmed – just before abandoning earthly life – Prosperi. The theme is now: what role will the congregations of the laity play? A question that also concerns the opus dei. It is known that good blood and Bergoglio certainly has never been denied between Jesuits and Opus.
The Spaniard Fernando Ocáriz Braña has put at the head of the company, imposing that the prelate that the guide can never become bishop. The Opus Dei was instead a pillar of Karol Wojtyla’s pontificate, with Prevost aspires to a new role. And the same applies to the SMOM (sovereign order of Malta) on which Bergoglio had a heavy hand.
The Knights of Malta are another of the chapters of the rehabilitation of the enlarged Curia that everyone expects from Leone XIV.
But as you know, one of the greatest investigation land of Sant’Agostino was time. To measure the prevost revolution, you need to have cognition that exists the present of the past, the present of the present and the present of the future. A Trinity that resolves in the “Uno Unoum”. In Curia they know what it means.
