Now that the Pope has laid his proverbial cards on the table and it is evident what his character is like, we can rest. While I am always seeking to give him the benefit of the doubt, there does not appear to be much to have to figure out when he continues to respond in the ways that he has been doing. The condemnations for shepherds who do not tend to the sheep are pretty severe in Scripture (cf. Jer 23:1 and 10:21).
Truly, with no hesitation, I can say that I want the Pope to be innocent. I want these claims to be wrong. That is the desire inside of me because I seek after holiness and righteousness, and I do not want to see anyone fall into grave sin. I also, however, want there to have been no priests who broke their vows and committed fornication, or sexual abuse. Just because I want something to be true, does not make it true.
Francis' recent homily where he referred to those who want answers about whether he is guilty of grave sin as, "a pack of wild dogs", and said that the best response to them is "silence", makes him sound even more guilty than before. I am (still) trying to find ways that he might be innocent of these charges, but his behavior at this point is helping give more and more support to Vigano's statement. In the same homily, Pope Francis said he wants to avoid "scandal" and "division" yet his extremely un-pastoral behavior is going to cause more scandal and division than anything that those questioning him can ever do.
As the Pope, he is a public figure. He is supposed to be acting "in persona Christi" so that he can give an example to the faithful when they are hurting. What he is doing right now is not helping anyone except those who want to be "silent" (Francis' own word choice!) about sinful behavior and avoid accountability. In a time when the world is talking about how certain disobedient Bishops were silent about the sins of predators, "silence" is an extremely bad choice. Honesty, humility, and transparency are the only ways to show holiness.
If Francis' manner of handling these accusations were to be used by everyone (since he is supposed to be the example we follow), then every sexual predator in the world would be free to do whatever his vile heart desires, and no one would do anything about it. After all, according to Pope Francis' homily, the only answer to those who accuse you of sinful behavior is "silence". Is this really the example that Francis would encourage in others? Does our Pope really want to say that those who knew about McCarrick were right to be silent? Really!?
Those who are asking for answers may have bad attitudes and sinful motivations; I do not know all of them. Yet, the mere act of asking is not in itself wrong (and it is certainly not the sin against the Holy Spirit, as someone said). What is being asked for is to have Pope Francis behave as we expect a Pope to behave. There are certain pastoral behaviors that we can all expect from a good shepherd who is properly a "father" to his "children".
The following passage comes from the First Letter of St. Peter in the New Testament (5:1-5). It is the first Pope speaking to other Bishops and Priests and telling them how they should carry out their ministry:
"So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker in the glory that is to be revealed. Tend the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly, not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd is manifested you will obtain the unfading crown of glory. Likewise you that are younger be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for 'God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'"When Francis can learn this passage and live it out, then it will be hard to believe the accusations.
