Again, this is no small difference!Īparecida is the national Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, a Marian center which is very dear to Pope Bergoglio. Francis is here talking about people who found Mary and became missionaries for her. The Gospel is about a group of humble fishermen being called by Jesus to follow him and to tell others about Him. Notice, however, that we are talking about the recovery of a statue of Mary which has become a world-famous attraction for millions of people. This is the “interpretative key for the Church’s mission”: humility and mission. This not merely a matter of theological minutiae!Īccording to the Pope, the lesson of Aparedica has to do with the humility of the fishermen and their zeal to tell others about their discovery. The Gospel, though, is about God giving His Son to the world, but Francis here speaks of God offering his mother. In explaining the intent of his comment, the Pope went on to say that “in Aparecida God offered Brazil his own mother” and revealed “his own DNA”. There is something important to be found there something that helps in understanding what the Church is all about in terms of its mission. During the WYD week, in his speech to the Brazilian Bishops on July 27 th, Francis said that “Aparecida is the interpretative key for the Church’s mission”. Since 2011, it has become the greatest Marian pilgrimage destination in the world. Because of its importance we shall look at it more carefully in a future Vatican File.įor Francis, though, Aparecida is not only a foundational document, it is first and foremost a Marian shrine which was built to keep a statue of Mary that according to tradition was found in 1717 by a group of three fishermen. Aparecida accurately depicts the theological vision of the Pope.
It is a 165 page text that aptly defines Francis in terms of his theological language, pastoral emphases, and missionary agenda. In 2007 the Latin American Bishops met in Aparecida for their Fifth General Conference, where the then Cardinal Bergoglio was one of the main inspirers of the final document. From Trent, in the middle of the Italian Alps, we journey to Aparecida (Brazil), “on the other side of the world”, as Francis would put it. The WYD provided another important reference point that is at the heart of Francis’ program and therefore must be considered. While the outlook of the Papacy is showing signs of change, the doctrinal core of the Church of Rome has been confirmed without significant developments. In the foundational doctrine of salvation, Trent is still alive and well, perhaps in the friendlier tone of Pope Bergoglio, but it is there, untouched as ever. The attachment to Trent and the Counter-Reformation may seem remote if not alien to Francis (although we should never forget that he belongs to the Jesuit order), but the hard theological evidence says the contrary. the good news that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone. In this highly authoritative document he reiterates the doctrine of salvation by faith through sacraments and works, thus renewing the Catholic rejection of the Protestant Sola Fide, i.e. Few, however, have taken the time to deal with Francis’ theological vision that is inspiring his papacy.Īn initial step to embarking on such a task is reading his first encyclical Lumen Fidei (July 5 th, 2013), in which Francis (with Benedict XVI, who is the main drafter of the document), among other things, updates the theology of the Council of Trent. a blend of frugal manners, emphasis on mercy, and apparent approachability. Most people seem to admire the new “franciscan” style of the Papacy, i.e. The recent World Youth Day (WYD) in Brazil confirmed each of these attributes. Since his election Pope Francis has been impressing the public opinion with his extrovert attitudes, simple habits and charming language.
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