Mickens Glimpses into Vatican Future

Robert Mickens

Robert Mickens, editor in chief of Global Pulse, is a Vatican observer who has been living in Rome since 1988. Watching Pope Francis, he likes what he sees and where he thinks the Vatican is going.

“When his fellow Cardinals elected Mario Bergoglio Bishop of Rome, they expected him to reform the institution of the Vatican,” Mickens says, “what they didn’t expect was that he would reform the papacy itself”. This was part of the message that Mickens shared with the APP Speaker Series on November 7, 2016.

“Francis creation of a Privy Council was the first step toward moving the papacy towards synodology. He lives simply and appoints shepherds, not cultural warriors,” said Mickens.

“Francis preaches a new evangelization of ‘attraction’ in the Joy of the Gospel. In searching for ‘essential faith, he is willing to see a vulnerable church. He is willing to change things, even beautiful things, if they are no longer useful. While some neo-traditionalists have been resisting, they are no longer a tail wagging the dog,” said Mickens.

Mickens November lecture previewed a briefing the Pope would give to Curia officials in his annual Christmas message. That message can be found at: http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/12/22/pope_lays_out_guiding_principles_of_roman_curia_reform/1280871.

In response to a question by Ken Lovasik, Mickens concluded by saying that the Pope has dodged the question of women priests for now, but he has opened a door for married priests, “if a Bishops’ Conference wants to bring it up”.

Since Mickens delivered the talk, National Catholic Reported has published an article that the Brazilian Bishops Conference may make just such a request. See:

https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/brazil-may-soon-have-married-priests-says-leonardo-boff

Stay tuned.