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Discussing Karol Woytila is not only opportune but emotionally charged, theologian Rene Camilleri answers some pertinent questions 
With the Pope's ailing body in mind, I meet Dun Rene Camilleri, a professor of dogmatic theology in his office on St Paul’s Day. On the eve of the interview, for the first time in his pontificate, the Pope did not bless the faithful on Ash Wednesday. How can one reconcile the deteriorating body of the Pope with the same body which circled the globe 27 times and which kissed the earth of more than a 100 countries in the last quarter of a century? How can this frail body run the Catholic Church with its one billion members?
I could not but start the interview with a very blunt question. Should the Pope resign for health reasons? “Judging from the Pope's strong character it is very difficult to imagine him resigning”. On the other hand the Constitution written by the Pope in 1996 contemplates the possibility of the Pope's resignation. But what would happen if the Pope loses his greatest gift, the ability to speak and communicate? Dun Rene believes that this eventuality has already been contemplated. “There are persistent rumours that the Pope has already prepared written instructions on what should happen in the case that he loses consciousness”. On the other hand Dun Rene can see the bright side of the Pope's condition. “Many of us can identify with the Pope now. Those of us with ageing parents with health problems can remember them as being full of life and energy. The Pope has been hospitalised seven times. There has never been an attempt to hide this from the faithful. The complete openness on the part of the Church on this matter is very positive.”
The Pope’ deteriorating health condition has increased speculation on who will succeed him. “People have been speculating on this for the past ten years” remarks Dun Rene. He refrains from mentioning the names of Pope John Paul II’ s possible successor. “Karol Woytila who was elected Pope at the relatively young age of 58. His successor will most likely be in his late sixties or early seventies upon his election. There is also a great possibility that the next Pope will be a transitory Pope. Electing an older pope will ensure a shorter papacy.” What kind of Pope would Dun Rene like as the leader of the Church? “Ideally he should reconcile differences between progressives and conservatives. Just as in politics differences between left and right have been superseded, differences between progressives and conservatives in the Church can also be superseded. The top priority of the next Pope should be that of reforming the Roman Curia which sometimes stifles local initiatives and the work of Bishops throughout the world”. Will the next Pope hail from Africa, Asia or Latin America? Dun Rene considers the election of a European Pope as the most likely possibility. “Of the 120 cardinals under the age of 80 who will vote, 69 are Europeans, 22 are from Latin America, 14 are North Americans, 12 are from Africa and 2 from Oceania. Of the 69 European cardinals 20 are Italians. This pits the balance in favour of a European Pope, possibly an Italian”. The current Pope has not ignored what will happen after his death. He has forbidden the use of mobile phones during the next conclave. “To avoid leaks, the new constitutions bans cardinals from using their mobile phones during the election. Cardinals will be committing a mortal sin if they use their mobile phones”, explains Dun Rene.
Dun Rene’s assessment on the Papacy is positive. “His determination, decisiveness and strong moral character make him unique. This Pope solidified the identity of the Church. After the end of Vatican Council II, the Church was lacerated by a conflict between conservatives and progressives on issues like contraception, divorce, abortion and dialogue with communist states. While the Western Church was preoccupied with these moral issues, behind the iron curtain the Church was preoccupied with fundamental values. Upon being elected John Paul II had two major concerns: religious liberty in Eastern Europe and putting an end to the uncertainties reigning in the Western Church. He was successful".
But did the Pope betray the values of Vatican Council II through his conservative stand on various issues? "No. I think John Paul II firmly believes in Vatican Council II", answered Dun Rene. But what about the Pope’s stand on a number of issues like women priests? “It is true that on this issue the Pope has taken a very hard-line stand, by turning the issue of the ordination of females into a doctrinal issue”. Will the Church ever rethink its position on this issue ? “Never say never. Many things have changed. But it will be difficult for John Paul II's successors to overturn John Paul II’s stand on that issue".
In some ways Pope John Paul’s conservatism can be attributed to his Polish nationality. “He was born in an atheistic culture. As a reaction he wanted to assert that Jesus Christ could be an authentic source of values in modern societies. He wanted to give the world certainty in times characterised by uncertainties”.
But how can Dun Rene, a professor of dogmatic theology explain the dogma of papal infallibility? “As a private person the Pope can make mistakes. Previous popes have made so many mistakes. In fact John Paul II has in various instances asked forgiveness for mistakes committed by his predecessors”. Dun Rene also quotes the German theologian Karl Raihner who argued that in inspite of his infallibility the Pope can commit sins if he acts alone and isolated from the rest of the Church. Ironically a very controversial Pope, beatified by Pope John Paul II, decreed the argument of infallibility.
Pius IX was just one of the record number of people beatified by the present Pope. This Pope has been accused of running a factory of saints. Pope John Paul II has so far beatified 1,340 people and canonised another 480. “In the last 25 years, this Pope has made more saints than all the Popes who ruled during the past 300 years put together”, observes Dun Rene. But Dun Rene considers this as a positive aspect of the Papacy. “Before the advent of John Paul II saints were chosen among the religious orders and hailed from European countries. Pope John Paul II democratised the concept of sainthood. He canonised and beatified people from all walks of life”. But why did John Paul II beatify an ultra-conservative 19 century Pope like Pius IX who is remembered for confining Jews to the ghetto and condoning the abduction and conversion of a young Jewish child. “Most likely this was a political decision taken to keep a balance between conservatives and progressives. In fact the present Pope beatified Pius IX on the very same day that he beatified John XXIII, the Pope who had convened Vatican Council II. Most likely Pope John Paul II only wanted to beatify John Paul XXIII but in order to block conservative opposition to this decision, he also beatified the Pope who had convened Vatican Council I”. Vatican Council I was the council which decreed the dogma of Papal infallibility.
The Pope has often been criticised for being a sort of pop star. Dun Rene defends the present Pope for reaching out to the masses. “One cannot blame him for understanding the mass media. The Pope has great charisma. The Pope was never superficial. The Pope was even criticised by some cardinals for spending his holidays skiing and for building a swimming pool in Castel Gandolfo. The Pope was in fact being himself, an energetic person with a great charisma. For me the Pope was just being himself”.
According to Dun Rene the most striking image which characterises this Papacy was the Papal visit in Nicaragua in 1983. During this visit John Paul II scolded Ernesto Cardinal, a Catholic priest who served as Minister of Culture in the Sandinista government. Had Ernesto Cardinal crossed the limits separating Church and politics by supporting a left wing revolution against a corrupt dictatorship? “The Pope himself was very outspoken in politics. Yet one has to understand that a Pope who had grown up in atheistic communist society which disregarded basic human values”. This could explain the Pope’s uneasy relationship with liberation theology. Another image that has left a deep impact on Dun Rene’s mind was the Pope’s meeting with Fidel Castro. “The Pope was often advised by those in powerful positions not to visit certain countries. The Pope’s visit to Cuba gave a dose of courage to Cuban people just as his visit in Poland in 1978 was a source of encouragement for the Poles”. Dun Rene attributes an indirect role to the present Pope in the events leading to the fall of communism in 1989. “I would not say that the Pope ignored the injustices characterising capitalism. But one has to consider that the Pope had a first hand experience of Communism in Poland and this conditioned the Papacy”.
For Dun Rene the greatest casualty of the Papacy was Latin America. “Before the advent of John Paul II Latin American Catholicism was vibrant. Towering figures like Archbishop Helder Camara dominated the Church”. What happened to liberation theology? “US politics had a lot to do with the decline of Liberation Theology and this has left room for the rise of fundamentalist sects”. How come fundamentalism is on the rise in a world, which was becoming even more secularised? “In Western societies like the USA we are now talking of a desecularisation of society. Religion has played an enormous role in the re election of George W Bush. Fundamentalism is not confined to Islamic societies. One even finds Catholic and Christian fundamentalisms.”
But is Malta becoming a more secular society? “Malta has missed an important stage in the evolution of other Western democracies, Malta is still not a secular country”. Talking of secularisation, would he consider the introduction of divorce a defeat for the Maltese Church? Dun Rene’s answer is a categorical “No.” Although Dun Rene disagrees with divorce he considers the lack of debate on marital breakdowns a misfortune. Dun Rene also agrees with Father Peter Serracino Inglott stand in favour of the introduction of IVF in public hospitals. “Father Peter is only saying that what is already offered in private hospitals should be offered without charge in public hospital”.
Dun Rene has always said the right things at the right time on the local political scene. Dun Rene admits that he is becoming increasingly cynical on the state of Maltese politics. He defines himself as a floating voter. Dun Rene does not mince his words. “I am tired of voting for the lesser evil. There is a growing feeling of uneasiness in the country. I am disappointed that a social pact was not signed. But how can we expect a social pact to be signed in a situation where people are attacking each other constantly? Political polarisation is offending our intelligence”. He mentions the cancellation of local elections in Zejtun and Marsa as an example of the complete “disregard for the people’s intelligence”. Dun Rene squarely blames NET and Super 1 for perpetuating this state of affairs.
I leave Dun Rene’s office convinced that Dun Rene remains the voice of reason among progressive clergymen in Malta.
He might not shock to impress, but his words remain pregnant with meaning.
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