Francis and the desire of a horizontal Church

When taking a look at Ecclesiastical writings of diverse eras, our attention is called by the frequent affirmations of Pontiffs, Bishops and holy men lamenting the adversities that the Church was passing through in their days. The storms that the attacks of external and internal enemies raised against the ship of Saint Peter were constant during the two millenniums of the Church’s victorious navigation. This undeterred advance throughout all epochs may only be explained if we take into consideration that the Church is not a human institution, but rather divine. Born of the open side of Christ upon the cross and irrigated by his Blood, in its visible elements the Church should, therefore, seek the realization of the desires of its divine Founder in that which refers to its constitution, sanctity, mission and even its government.

At this time, when many question the form of government of the Church, one question seems essential to us, as essential as often forgotten: How did Jesus Christ conceive this Church that constitutes his own Mystical Body? In calling the Twelve and putting Saint Peter at their head, did he desire it to be hierarchical? Or rather, ‘horizontal’?

The answer is easily at hand for all in the numerous documents of the Magisterium, even when some seem to want to veil it…Click to read further…

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

One thought on “Francis and the desire of a horizontal Church

Comments are closed.