Luis Ladaria, in Mallorca in 2019.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which until recently formed the aorta of the Vatican, announces changes in the control room. The organ, called La Suprema because of its extraordinary importance, also known throughout history as the ancient Holy Office, changes its guard and the Spanish Jesuit Luis Ladaria, cardinal and until today responsible for guarding the essence of the Catholic Church, is replaced by the Argentine Víctor Manuel Fernández, known as Tucho. The change had been anticipated due to the incumbent’s exceeding the retirement age, but as so often in Francis’ era, it caught many in the Holy See off guard who had not anticipated that someone so young and, shall we say, Francis is so young Above all, the more conservative wing.
Víctor Manuel Fernández is the current Archbishop of La Plata. His appointment is a direct consequence of the advanced age of his predecessor Luis Francisco Ladaria (79), who will retire in September after five years in office. Curiously, the most important thing now could also be the age of Fernández, 61, who was ordained archbishop himself in 2013 by Francisco, with whom he has a close friendship and with whom he holds positions attributed as the progressive wing of the Church. . He is also the first Argentine prelate from his circle that Jorge Mario Bergoglio wanted to bring to Rome for a position of great importance.
In a way, the appointment closes an era in the control tower of the theological teaching of Ratzinger’s legacy. After the German Gerhard Müller (who left the dicastery early and was deeply at odds with the pontiff) and Ladaria, whose contribution was as vague as it was invaluable (especially on the subject of abuses), there is a remarkable change of course. And the appointment is not insignificant for the future of the church. Despite recent organizational changes made by the Pope, where the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) is no longer the number 1 Dicastery, the ancient Holy Office remains one of the key sites to decode the identity of the current Catholic Church.
“As the new Prefect of the Department of Doctrine of the Faith, I entrust you with a task that I consider very valuable. Their central purpose is to protect the doctrine that springs from faith, to give a reason for our hope, but not as enemies who point out and condemn,” the pope said in a letter published this Saturday. In addition to Francisco’s comments, the congregation, which will now lead Fernández, who is expected to be made a cardinal by the Pope soon, has been tasked with overseeing child abuse investigations.
The old Palacio del Santo Oficio, the old command room where the Inquisition judged and punished the sins of heretics of all stripes – some of the torture devices and an old dungeon still survive – is where the CDF has its offices today. Hitherto this body was the most hierarchically important of the Holy See, so that in 1965 it became known as La Suprema and its prefect was the Pope himself. But the reform of the Curia carried out by Pope Francis, which put the new great ministry of evangelization at the forefront, and a slow process of restructuring, are currently putting it in a moment of particular change.
Tucho Fernández arrives in Rome just as the investigation into the abuse of minors by the clergy is gaining global attention and a definitive response from the Holy See is required. A moment when the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith must also decide whether to strengthen its character as a court or its theological aspect. Fernández’s plans and determination will be the key to understanding him.
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