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At the Vatican, Pope Francis finds himself facing increasingly virulent opposition. The conservative clan of the Curia – the “government” of the Holy See – criticizes him for a lax vision of Catholic doctrine, particularly with regard to the place given to homosexual couples and divorced people in the Church. Our correspondent in Rome, Natalia Mendoza, investigated in the corridors of the Vatican on this growing conflict between supporters of modernity and supporters of tradition.
After more than ten years of pontificate, Pope Francis finds himself in the midst of turmoil and facing a major challenge: maintaining the unity of the community of 1.3 billion Catholic faithful across the world. A complex task, while criticism from ultra-conservative circles is rife against Francis’ governance. He is criticized in particular for an overly lax doctrinal vision and a certain authoritarianism in the management of the Church.
Since the death of his predecessor Benedict XVI at the end of 2022, pressures on his pontificate have increased. And his unprecedented and controversial decision, last December 18, to authorize priests to bless homosexual unions, outside of liturgical rituals, continues to cause a stir. From now on, the galaxy of “anti-Pope Francis” seems more determined than ever to pursue one objective: to push Francis towards the exit.
For the moment, the 87-year-old Argentine Pope is resisting and showing that he has no intention of leaving his office, as long as his health allows him to continue leading the Catholic Church. But in the corridors of the Vatican, many are now speaking of an “end of reign atmosphere”.
Our Vatican correspondent Natalia Mendoza investigated behind the scenes of the smallest state in the world, on this Church torn between progressives and conservatives.
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