Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss

I recently finished Absolute Monarchs by John Julius Norwich, as history of the papacy.  It was very enlightening, more so since I am a Catholic.  Mr. Norwich is very objective in his writing, so we learn about great popes, the corrupt popes, and the average popes. It was interesting that through the middle ages most popes were ordained priests after they were elected priests.  Many popes were more interested in enriching their families then to shepherding their flocks.  Nepotism was common place until the 20th century.  The Renaissance popes built grand monuments and palaces for themselves but also added to the Vatican library.  There were a few forward thinking popes but most were conservative afraid of losing control of the papal states and power and influence over the kings of Europe.  Some were pawns of the kings of Europe.

How have things changed in the 21st Century?  Not much. Our present pope was the head of the Inquisition, which is now called the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.  His duty was to ensure that the doctrines laid down by Rome were being enforced.  If they were not, the offenders were exiled to the hinterlands. The recent Vatican leaks show that there is still corruption in the Vatican. Cardinal Vigano had been making marked progress in his battle against corruption and cronyism as deputy governor in charge of financial reforms of Vatican City.  Last August, Vigano was suddenly appointed papal nuncio, or ambassador, to the United States. But Vigano felt that if he were moved out of Rome it would send the wrong signal—that anyone who fights the church’s corruption won’t get to do it for long.  He was moved anyway.

The more things change the more they stay the same.