Anonymous Cardinal Slams Francis’ ‘Autocratic’ Reign

A Roman Catholic cardinal has written an anonymous essay that criticizes Pope Francis’ “autocratic” reign and suggests critical tasks for the next pope.

The document comes two years after the late Cardinal George Pell published an anonymous critique of Francis’ pontificate under the pseudonym “Demos.”

Francis, 87, has dealt with various health issues in recent years, according to the Catholic News Agency. On Wednesday, the pope said he still was suffering from a cold as he again limited his speaking at a weekly audience in St. Peter’s Square, letting an aide read his prepared text.

Using the pseudonym “Demos II,” the anonymous author wrote the article after getting input from other cardinals and bishops.

Demos II published his text, titled “The Vatican Tomorrow,” in six languages last week on the Daily Compass website.

“The concluding years of a pontificate, any pontificate, are a time to assess the condition of the Church in the present, and the needs of the Church and her faithful going forward,” Demos II wrote.

Demos II began his document by saying conditions in the Church “have not materially changed, much less improved” since Pell’s document.

“Its [the Church’s] shortcomings are equally obvious: an autocratic, at times seemingly vindictive, style of governance; a carelessness in matters of law; an intolerance for even respectful disagreement; and – most seriously – a pattern of ambiguity in matters of faith and morals causing confusion among the faithful,” Demos II wrote.

“Confusion breeds division and conflict. It undermines confidence in the Word of God. It weakens evangelical witness. And the result today is a Church more fractured than at any time in her recent history.”

The author says the main task of the next pope “must therefore be one of recovery and reestablishment of truths that have been slowly obscured or lost among many Christians.”

He then offered other suggestions:

1. Reasserting Vatican II’s understanding of the papacy’s proper role. “[H]e is not an autocrat. He cannot change Church doctrine, and he must not invent or alter the Church’s discipline arbitrarily. He governs the Church collegially with his brother bishops in local dioceses.”
2. The Church is not a autocracy or a democracy, it belongs to Jesus Christ. “We have no authority to refashion her teachings to fit more comfortably with the world.”
3. Doctrinal issues must be adhered to. The current pontificate’s “dismantling and repurposing of Rome’s John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family and the marginalizing of texts like ‘Veritatis Splendor’ suggest an elevation of ‘compassion’ and emotion at the expense of reason, justice, and truth.”
4. Respect for canon law and proper canonical procedure.
5. Understand that the Church, “as John XXIII so beautifully described her, is mater et magistra, the ‘mother and teacher’ of humanity, not its dutiful follower; the defender of man as the subject of history, not its object.”
6. A focus on the Church in Italy and throughout Europe, “the historic home of the faith.”
7. Understand that the College of Cardinals “exists to provide senior counsel” to the pope.

Demos II did credit Francis for his focus on concern for the poor and weak, as well as environmental issues.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.