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The New Pope: Ratzinger Much Better Choice Than 'Liberation Theologians'

Luis Figueroa - 5/3/2005

What was the advice that Billy Elliot received from his mother? Be true to yourself. And I think that it is one of the best advices that a parent can give to a child, or a mater et magistra can give to its herd. It is in that sense that I find the election of Joseph Ratzinger, as head of the Catholic Church, a wise election. Wiser, lets say, than the possibility of having elected Oscar Rodriguez , from Honduras, or any other Latin American or African activist. One who may have been celebrated by the Comissão Pastoral da Terra in Brazil.

I mention those examples because I see the first one gravitating around the Theology of Liberation and the others fearsome of "orthodoxy in Catholicism". Obviously meaning that this orthodoxy is an obstacle for those who want to turn the Catholic church in a popular front, or a trench.

I describe myself as a Catholic of the atrium since I figured out the level of involvement that the Jesuits, the Maryknolls, the Misioneros del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, and other membrers of the low and high clergy had with the Guatemalan guerrilla during the 80s. And I want nothing to do with the organization that embraces the Oficina de los Derechos Humanos del Arzobispado de Guatemala , and Alvaro Ramazini, the bishop of San Marcos (also in Guatemala), mostly because of their involvement with the most antediluvian causes of the left. I, who am very marginal in the Church, think that to be true to itself, the Catholic Church should be ortodox. That is, true to its faith. Loyal to its dogmas, and to its traditional values.

I have, in front of me, a list that according to the Spanish daily El país, could satisfy the liberals within the Church "without compromising the faith". The list includes the possibility that the Pope could be elected by the bishops and the community; the abolition of celibacy and the cardinals; the possibility of female priests; and the recognition of the right to die freely in cases of incurable sickness; the possibility of divorce and of the use of contraceptives. Also the possibility for the theologians of liberation to be able to teach again.

I do believe that I own my life and in case of a painful and incurable sickness, that threatened the dignity of my life, I should be able to put an end to the suffering. I also believe that a marriage that lacks love and respect should have the possibility to be ended. I cannot care less if there are female priests, or not. And I think that the Catholic Church is hypocritical regarding the gay way of life.

But frankly, I cannot see a less misogynous, less homophobic and more true to itself Church, than the traditional Roman Church. Another one, a reformed and progress oriented Church, would be precisely that: another one. In fact, I am sure that the strength of the Catholic Church lies in being true to itself. It may be make it popular, but it makes it strong.

It is very common, in the media and in cocktail parties to measure the importance of religion in quantitative terms; that is counting the nominal number of members. Nevertheless, my hypothesis is that in the long run, the quality of the commitment of the members will be more important than its quantity.

That is Ratzinger´s task for the future. To keep the Catholic church within the canons imposed by its faith, its dogmas and its true values (even when they may become fundamentalist as the Taliban), or turn it to the signs of the times, the fads, and the moral laziness of its most political and lite members. That may cost some members to the Vatican; but those who stay loyal may become, if they really insist in that: "the salt of the earth".

In the memory of John Paul II, and in that of the priests who do not dishonor their ministries by becoming activists, or ayatolas, please be welcomed, Benedict XVI.