The World's Parish Priest: Restoring the True Authority of the Church

Recent Vatican documents exposed that there were more than 400 priests defrocked under the pontificate of Benedict the XVI due to accusations regarding sexual abuse. While the tone of recent elect Pope Francis hasn't changed, as he encourages the Church to go out and proclaim the gospel among the most vulnerable, the Church again faces the dichotomy of having to justify itself for its lack of transparency while staying true to its authority. The problem seems to be that one correlates directly to the other. The more the Church lacks transparency the more it looses its authority.


Pope Francis however, seems to navigate the true meaning of authority and transparency. It is not through a mirage of moral perfection that he seems to reestablish moral authority and faith in the Church but by giving it a real human expression. It is by restoring the primacy on pastoral sensitivity rather than doctrinal righteousness that the human-face of the Church shines once again. The Church, after all composed by sinful members, is holy--but it is holy because it is sanctified by Christ alone.Pope Francis reminds us that the holiness of the Church does not come from its members but purely by the grace of Christ. He has not changed any teachings in the Church but has said enough in making them the primacy of our journey of faith. Instead of speaking of abortion or gay marriage let us speak of the overflowing grace of God's mercy that pours out to all humanity. By doing this precisely is that the Church reestablishes its authority because it places it in Jesus Himself through His grace and not in its teachings.


Pastoral primacy means nothing more than putting first the everlasting mercy of God. Another recent example of the Pope's approach on pastoral sensitivity is the issue of marriage annulments. While the Church's teachings are clear regarding the issue, the Pope has urged priests and bishops to act with a great deal of 'delicacy and humanity' when approaching these issues. The more sensitive the Church is, (the more human), the more it reflects God's unconditional love and mercy. In other words, not by imposing the teachings upon the faithful forcefully, but by reconciling the sinful to unconditional love of Christ.

The 'World's Parish Priest' as he is becoming to be recognized has made of his pontificate a radical embrace of pastoral primacy. From taking 'selfies' with young visitors in the Vatican, to kissing babies and embracing a disfigured man to sneaking out at night to hang out with homeless, Pope Francis has made it clear that it is this human face that brings back authority to the Church. Not by his own means and efforts, but simply by reminding the Church that it is the grace of God that comes first--not its righteousness and its teachings.

And so what happens when pastoral primacy is placed before doctrinal righteousness? Well, for one issues like having 400 priests defrocked don't scandalized but are seeing through the lens of mercy and hope. Issues like sex abuse in the Church don't have to be hidden and kept away from the faithful but rather approached through prayer and accountability because it shows us that we belong to a church of sinful members. What happens when a priest expends millions of dollars renovating his home in Germany? It reminds us once again that the grace of God's mercy should prevail. In the same way, it reminds us that we are to love our gay brothers and sisters before we are so anxious announcing what is right and wrong. It gives us an empathetic and compassionate heart with the single mother that seeks abortion through desperation and anguish, instead of being quick to expose what the Church teaches regarding the issue.

Here is where I add a personal note. This is the Church I love. This is the Church I find myself a part of. As a sinner and someone that always comes short I rely on the grace and mercy of God to save me and come to my rescue everyday of my life. I don't rely on my own understanding or any other teaching. I only rely on the mercy and love of God and I make of that my First Commandment: To love others as God loves me--unconditionally. Everything else is second. For this reason alone is that pastoral primacy comes first and as a consequence that the Church has true authority in what it proclaims.