A May 1 panel brought together Catholic thought leaders and commentators in national media on Pope Francis’ legacy and the future of the Church.
University Chaplain and Vice President of Ministry and Mission Father Aquinas Guilbeau, O.P., led the discussion, highlighting Pope Francis’ evangelical energy especially to those on society’s margins. The event, held in the Conway School of Nursing’s Rossi Auditorium, was co-sponsored by The Catholic University of America and the Catholic Information Center.
Joseph Capizzi, dean of the School of Theology and Religious Studies and professor of moral theology, explained that although Pope Francis was a groundbreaker, in many ways he also built upon the legacy of his predecessors in his teaching on the environment and human dignity.
“People forget that Benedict XVI was the ‘green pope,’” said Capizzi. “Francis picked up and amplified threads from Benedict XVI into his own teaching,” and similarly echoed St. John Paul II, who called for a more moral and just society where all of humanity are treated as “members of a family.” Capizzi expressed a simple hope for Francis' successor: “I want a good man. I want a holy man.”
The Catholic Project’s Stephen P. White, a nationally recognized expert on the intersection of politics, faith, and culture, explained that Pope Francis’ papacy was groundbreaking to “the degree to which informal action compared to formal magisterial acts” will be central to how he is remembered.
“His predecessors were intellectual giants whose legacy will be the words they wrote during their pontificate,” said White. “We now live in a world with unprecedented accessibility to the pope, which was both a conscious choice of Pope Francis and also the development of our technological abilities.” White said Francis’ successor will need to address a host of external and internal challenges to the Church.
Journalist Ashley McGuire with The Catholic Association, unaffiliated with the University, spoke about how she was reporting from St. Peter’s Square when Pope Francis made his first public appearance as leader of the Catholic Church. She explained this is a time to reflect on what this time of transition means in the life of the Church.
“There’s going to be a lot of talk about politics,” said McGuire, in reference to media commentary around the lead-up to the selection of the next pope. “But this is ultimately a deeply solemn spiritual moment. I can tell you as someone who was there in 2013 that you can feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.”
