Celebrity in the Church – the focus should be on God

Since the election of Pope Leo people have asked me what I think of the new pope. This is such a modern question. Before the invention of the camera no one knew what the pope looked like, but all Catholics knew they had to be in communion with Rome to be truly Catholic. The martyrs of the Reformation didn’t know what the pope looked like, was he saint or sinner, was he charismatic or boring, but they knew they had to remain faithful to him. The sacred office of the papacy, a cornerstone of our Church has endured from St Peter. Things are different, it would seem in our age of celebrity.

In our modern age, it is easy to become entranced by the outward persona of a pope (or indeed locally with priests)—whether it be their charisma, public speaking ability, or the media portrayal of their actions. However, we must be vigilant in guarding against the lure of celebrity status and instead focus on the profound spiritual and pastoral role that the papacy plays in Christ’s constitution of the Church and the sacred priesthood.

Pope Pius VII

I think the first celebrity pope was probably Pope Pius VII who was a prisoner of Napoleon in Paris in 1804. To show that he was not Napoleon’s puppet each afternoon he would go around Paris in his carriage and the people would gather to cheer him on. In this he very cleverly manoeuvred around Napoleon’s restrictions and showed that the papacy is no prisoner of any tin pot dictator.

At its heart, the papacy (indeed any ministry in the Church) is not a position of celebrity, but a divine mandate. It was Christ Himself who established Peter as the rock upon which He would build His Church. This appointment was not based on Peter’s popularity or his public persona, but on his faith and commitment to the Christ. The papacy is a reminder that leadership in the Church is rooted in service, humility, and fidelity to Christ’s mission.

Disunity

Christ knows that the devil loves to cause disunity and at times dresses it up as a good or more specifically as a better good or the best. But as Voltaire reminded us the perfect can be the enemy of the good. Trying to make something perfect can stop us from achieving the good. Christ left his church the institution of the papacy as the focus of our unity, not this or that persona but on the office of the papacy itself.

While a pope may possess qualities that attract attention and admiration, we must remember that these traits should never overshadow our call to communion with and fidelity to the papacy. As Catholics we stand with Peter. Not this Peter or that Peter, but with the Peter, this bishop of Rome, that Christ has chosen for his church today.

Furthermore, when we fixate on the celebrity of a particular pope, we risk fostering a culture of individualism within the Church which can lead to schism. The papacy is not about one person; it is an institution serving the larger body of Christ. Each pope, while unique, is part of a lineage that spans back to Peter. Our focus should be on this continuity, this living tradition of faith that nourishes us and connects us to the very foundation of the Church. Pope Leo is constantly asking us to focus on God, we should all listen to Peter and be united with him.

—

Toxic nationalism

Edith Cavell was a British nurse working in German-occupied Belgium during World War I. She treated wounded soldiers from both sides and helped about 200 Allied servicemen escape. German authorities arrested her, and she was executed by firing squad in 1915. Her death caused international outrage and made her a symbol of bravery and self-sacrifice. Her monument near Trafalgar Square in London bears her famous words: “Patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness for anyone.” Spoken shortly before her death, this quotation expresses her compassion, forgiveness, and belief that humanity should rise above national conflict. She challenges the various forms of nationalism that are witnessing at present. As Catholics we should be very weary that our religion is not used by populist political movements.