As the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis' election nears, Richard Gaillardetz considers the contributions of this remarkable pontificate to the theology, structure, and exercise of ministry and authority.
Commentary:Antiquum Ministerium appears to move beyond a rigid laity-clergy binary to pursue a vision of the church built up by ordered ministries — some established by ordination, others by formal installation.
Commentary: As we approach the seventh anniversary of Benedict XVI's retirement from papal office, some ecclesiological difficulties have come to light. And there were hints of a problem right from the start.
Commentary: The upcoming pan-Amazonian synod's focus on climate change, the rights of indigenous and migrant peoples, and regional innovation will be a hallmark of Pope Francis' humble missionary vision for reform.
Commentary: The proposed Praedicate Evangelium is far more successful in offering an alternative framework than it is in providing a comprehensive program of specific reforms.
If the pope's actions surprise us, it is because, five decades out, there remains a substantial gap between the council's reformist agenda and its concrete realization in the church.
