Why I Care Less than the Media who will be Pope

Last updated on: March 12, 2013 at 4:19 pm by Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble

Why I Care Less than the Media who will be Pope 2013-03-12T16:19:00-04:00 Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble

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The process to elect the new pope has the media buzzing about the normal issues: celibacy in the priesthood, women’s ordination, contraception. In other words, the media is discussing every issue that is problematic to urbane, enlightened folks and declares to the world that the Church needs to update with the times.

Meanwhile back in the dinosaur age, the process to elect the pope is not affected by media buzz (gasp). I think this subconsciously is the source of some of the media’s ire directed at the Church. Because, after all, the media has gotten used to influencing everything.

Underlying most media coverage of the papabiles seems to be a hope that someone who will make progressive changes in the Church will be next to sit on the Chair of Peter. Many people seem to be thinking, “What are the odds that the next pope could be someone with half a brain who sees that women’s ordination is the obvious next best step?”

It struck me as I noticed this keen interest on the part of the media concerning the next pope that as a Catholic women living in a convent on her way to making vows, I think I am actually less interested than everyone else is in who will be the next pope.

Why?

Because I don’t see any future sea changes in Catholic doctrine. In fact, it may shock you to hear this but, unlike the New York Times, as a Catholic I don’t believe that doctrine changes, (develop maybe, change no.) Who would have thunk it? A Church that is supposed to protect and communicate Truth, not create it?

Craziness.

Cardinal Dolan put it pretty succinctly in a recent blog post regarding common media bloopers in regards to the Church:

A second common misperception is that a new Pope can “change doctrine.” That, of course, is impossible. Catholicism is a revealed religion, meaning we believe that God has told us about Himself and about the meaning of life, primarily by sending us His Son as the “Word made flesh.”

To preserve this truth, to “pass on” the faith to our children, is at the very essence of the Church, and the “job description” of the Pope. He cannot change the deposit of faith …

In other words, the how of our teaching can change; the what of it cannot.

So, I am pretty excited to find out who will walk out on the balcony (this week?), but frankly I am not as excited as the media. Despite what some might think, the pope is not like the future president or CEO of the Catholic Church. He is the successor of Peter, the guardian of the keys.

So, along with Cardinal Dolan, I am not looking for massive changes in Church teaching, progressive or otherwise. True, the Holy Spirit is all about renewal, growth and conversion – but thankfully he only takes advice from the Father and the Son.

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