When Benedict XVI was elected, I marvelled that he “wrote all his own stuff”. Pope Francis too, only he doesn’t seem to both to write it down: from what I have seen, he speaks “ex corde” – straight from the heart. If he has a text, he doesn’t just wander from it – he seems at times to abandon it all together.
He has the same tendency to wander – or rather abandon altogether – his minders’ plans for where he will go and what he will do. Here we have a snapshot of the EWTN coverage of the Pope greeting people after his mass at St Anne’s yesterday. Notice the sheer joy on the face of the nun! Notice too the sheer determination of the minder to drag her away from him. If I were her, I would have been bloody annoyed at being man-handled like that, torn away from my pastor. But she “went away rejoicing” (Acts 8:39).
Mind you, Matthew 19:13 also came to mind.
at least the good Nun was wearing her full uniform!
I can understand why the security guards are nervous.Pope Francis is unpredictable at this stage with his movements. Imagine what pressure they are under to protect him, and keep things ‘flowing’.
The ‘minder’ here is none other than Sig. Giani the head of Vatican security who is always with the pope wherever he goes in public. He is the one who controls the security around the pope and has done for years. But he is a tough figure. I have watched this man for years when the pope travels and is in Rome. The fact is he had total control when Bendict XVI was pope, shielding the fragile Ratzinger and never allowing anyone near him. The former pope was kept in a bubble.
One incredible moment occured in New York some years ago when the pope was there and as he walked along a pathway some Missionaries of Charity nuns (M Teresa) held their arms out to touch the pope and Giani just grabbed them and pushed them away in a very rough manner. I was totally shocked that nuns could be treated this way but have also seen Giani di it with priests as well who have tried to touch the pope.
Well, this is changing overnight. The mass at St Anna last Sunday was a gobsmacking event !!! After the MAss Papa Francesco waited outside to greet everyone who came out and the crowd seemed to grow. He kissed, hugged, touched them then moved on to the crowd around. He was like a rock star.
This is the new confident and tactile pope who wants to touch his flock and who want to touch him. This must be allowed as we have had a distant papact for the last 8 years.
Papa Francesco may be a gentle humble pastor but he is one who wants to touch his flock.
The Argentine President exclaimed yesterday is was the ‘first time she had been kissed by a pope’.
Expect the unexpected and Vatican security will have to get used to it. The pope will tell them what he wants to do and his priave outings into Rome this last week have shown he will do it his way.
Whose head will be for the block if the pope is harmed in one of his impulsive wanderings into the crowd? As for the red shoes, symbolic of the blood of Christ and the martyrs, let’s hope that the shoemaker’s business isn’t harmed too much.
I have to admit, I prefer the more self affacing style of Benedict. The garments he wore publicly were meant to show the connection between the pre and post concilliar Church.