We’ve all had stressful job interviews. For some it’s the questions, for others it is the waiting. And every few years it’s the expectations of a billion people for you to lead them. It’s currently just over 30 days from when the Vatican says we will have a new Pope. I’m not Catholic but I still find the process interesting. And as a parent dealing with sexual abuse of a child, I see the Pope as having more potential to do something about the problem of child sexual abuse by priests than anyone else on the planet. So the question is will the next Pope live up to that potential?
As with any job interview, the decision isn’t left to the masses. Many people think because we vote for President that those millions of votes are what matters, but in reality it is this strange thing called the Electoral College. So in reality the voters that matter could fit in a typical gymnasium. The process with selecting a Pope is a much more secretive process known as Conclave. In either case it comes down to whether the needs and values of those voting are met by a particular candidate.
What is the church looking for?
So what will be Conclave be looking for in the new Pope? The Catholic Church , perhaps more than any other organization, has a history of protecting itself as an institution as a first priority. The current Pope has spent most of his tenure watching a series of lawsuits unfolding from decades of sexual abuse. Many say that this is the actual reason he is stepping down.
The problems of the church are two big and should be left to a younger man. I don’t know if this is actually true, but I would have liked to have heard that as reason. To be fair, I don’t think this is an unrealistic expectation for a Pope. They are supposed to be a spiritual leader, not the leader of a legal team. Be that as it may, such is the likely role for the next Pope. The question is will he focus on transparency and cleaning house, or will he be looking for a rug big enough to sweep all of this under. Again, a lot will depend on what the members of Conclave are looking for.
So much like our Electoral College, there is an expectation that members represent the views of those who sent them there. So if you are communicating with your local Bishop maybe you could suggest the following three things:
- The next Pope must make the Catholic Church once again a safe place for children
- The next Pontiff must find a way to let past sexual abuse by priests victims get closure
- The Pope must purge the church of abuser priests
Then maybe he can get back to the business of being Pope.
Let us know if we can help you dealing with your family’s sexual abuse situation. For ideas to get started please check out our book on what to do during the early days after disclosure.
