Marco Politi

Die Beschlusse der Amazonas-Synode scheinen zu versanden, der emeritierte und der amtierende Papst werden gegeneinander ausgespielt, der Synodale Weg ist steinig: Das Ringen um die Zukunft der Kirche wird immer dramatischer, die Lage spitzt sich zu. Die Fronten sind verhartet und oft weiss man nicht mehr, wer gegen wen und wer wofur kampft. Mittendrin: Papst Franziskus. Bestsellerautor und Vatikan-Insider Marco Politi beschreibt in seinem neuen Buch, in welcher Situation sich der Pontifex tatsachlich befindet, enthullt dabei das Netz von Intrigen im Vatikan und entlarvt erbitterte Feinde wie den "italienischen Gegenpapst" aus den vordersten Reihen der Politik. Politi blickt dabei auch auf die deutsche Kirche, stellt den internationalen Kontext her, erklart uberraschende Hintergrunde und wichtige Zusammenhange. Fesselnd wie ein Thriller schildert der Vatikan-Kenner, was viele langst nicht mehr verstehen: Wie es so weit in der Kirche kommen konnte und was Papst Franziskus nun tun will. Er zeigt einen Papst, der angeschlagen ist, dessen Popularitatsverlust in Italien signifikant ist, der aber noch nicht aufgegeben hat. Weiterhin kampft er gegen Populismus, fur eine ethische Migrationspolitik und gegen korrupte Politiker. Und er weiss selbst, dass sich sehr bald sehr viel entscheidet. "Franziskus ist umzingelt. Der heimliche Burgerkrieg in der katholischen Kirche von heute ist etwas ganz anderes und sehr viel Aggressiveres als die theologischen Auseinandersetzungen und Dispute, die die Pontifikate Pauls VI., Johannes Pauls II. und Benedikts XVI. in den vergangenen 50 Jahren gepragt haben. Die Feinde wollen den Pontifex systematisch delegitimieren. Der Kampf um Rom geht unerbittlich weiter. Doch Franziskus ist ein zaher Kampfer." Marco Politi legt mit diesem Buch eine hochaktuelle Analyse der Zukunft der katholischen Kirche vor und zeigt, wie sehr Papst Franziskus im Kampf um seine Kirche im Stich gelassen wird. Von denen, die zwar seinen Reformkurs aufrichtig begrussen, sich aber lieber bequem zurucklehnen. Und von der Masse der Pralaten, die ihm gegenuber nur ein Lippenbekenntnis ablegen.

Marco Politi takes us deep inside the power struggle roiling the Roman Curia and the Catholic Church worldwide, beginning with Benedict XVI, the pope who famously resigned in 2013, and intensifying with the contested and unexpected election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Buenos Aires, now known as Pope Francis. Politi's account balances the perspectives of Pope Francis's supporters, Benedict's sympathizers, and those disappointed members of the Catholic laity who feel alienated by the institution's secrecy, financial corruption, and refusal to modernize. Politi dramatically recounts the sexual scandals that have rocked the church and the accusations of money laundering and other financial misdeeds swirling around the Vatican and the Italian Catholic establishment. Pope Francis has tried to shine a light on these crimes, but his work has been met with resistance from entrenched factions. Politi writes of the decline in church attendance and vocations to the priesthood throughout the world as the church continues to prohibit divorced and remarried Catholics from receiving the communion wafer. He visits European parishes where women now perform the functions of missing male priests-and where the remaining parishioners would welcome the admission of women to the priesthood, if the church would allow it. Pope Francis's emphasis on pastoral compassion for all who struggle with the burden of family life has also provoked the ire of traditionalists in the Roman Curia and elsewhere. He knows from personal experience what life is like for the poor in Buenos Aires and other metropolises of the globalized world, and highlights the contrast between the vital, vibrant faith of these parishioners and the disillusionment of European Catholics. Pope Francis and his supporters are locked in a battle with the defenders of the traditional hard line and with ecclesiastical corruption. In this conflict, the future of Catholicism is at stake-and it is far from certain Francis will succeed in saving the institution from decline.

Marco Politi takes us deep inside the power struggle roiling the Roman Curia and the Catholic Church worldwide, beginning with Benedict XVI, the pope who famously resigned in 2013, and intensifying with the contested and unexpected election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Buenos Aires, now known as Pope Francis. Politi's account balances the perspectives of Pope Francis's supporters, Benedict's sympathizers, and those disappointed members of the Catholic laity who feel alienated by the institution's secrecy, financial corruption, and refusal to modernize. Politi dramatically recounts the sexual scandals that have rocked the church and the accusations of money laundering and other financial misdeeds swirling around the Vatican and the Italian Catholic establishment. Pope Francis has tried to shine a light on these crimes, but his work has been met with resistance from entrenched factions. Politi writes of the decline in church attendance and vocations to the priesthood throughout the world as the church continues to prohibit divorced and remarried Catholics from receiving the communion wafer. He visits European parishes where women now perform the functions of missing male priests-and where the remaining parishioners would welcome the admission of women to the priesthood, if the church would allow it. Pope Francis's emphasis on pastoral compassion for all who struggle with the burden of family life has also provoked the ire of traditionalists in the Roman Curia and elsewhere. He knows from personal experience what life is like for the poor in Buenos Aires and other metropolises of the globalized world, and highlights the contrast between the vital, vibrant faith of these parishioners and the disillusionment of European Catholics. Pope Francis and his supporters are locked in a battle with the defenders of the traditional hard line and with ecclesiastical corruption. In this conflict, the future of Catholicism is at stake-and it is far from certain Francis will succeed in saving the institution from decline.