The Vatican’s terse announcement on June 15 regarding the reassignment of Archbishop Georg Gänswein has been widely interpreted as a rebuff to the German prelate, but is there more to this than meets the eye?
Newsdesk (24/06/2023 11:30, Gaudium Press) The decision to send him back to his home diocese without a new assignment is seen as a significant move, making Gänswein one of the most famous unemployed Catholic bishops in the world. This decision is seen as Pope Francis asserting his authority, indicating that he is still in charge despite any disagreements.
Gänswein has been a lightning rod for controversy, particularly due to a tell-all book he published after the death of Pope Benedict XVI, his mentor. He has also given media interviews highlighting his disagreements with the Francis papacy. While some may see Francis’s decision as vindictive, others question the wisdom of not keeping Gänswein more closely tied to the pope’s authority by assigning him a role that would require discretion.
The implications of Gänswein’s return to Germany, particularly to the progressive internal Catholic culture in the country, are worth considering. Germany’s “synodal way” has challenged Vatican directives, including the blessing of same-sex unions. The German church has supported Pope Francis in various crucial moments, and the country’s prelates have played a significant role in shaping his synods on the family.
Gänswein’s return as the keeper of Pope Benedict XVI’s legacy at a time when the German church seems determined to undo that legacy raises interesting dynamics. The pope may not want a full-blown confrontation with Germany but may also be displeased with their independent approach. Sending Gänswein back without an official role could make him a formidable source of resistance to the prevailing liberal consensus within the German church.
It remains unclear whether this outcome is what Pope Francis intended or an ironic illustration of unintended consequences. We probably shouldn’t rule out that Francis indeed considered the implications of sending Gänswein back under these circumstances. Never forget that beneath his humble, simple exterior stirs the mind of an extremely crafty Jesuit politician, and so the prospect of both snubbing a perceived foe and creating a new speedbump in the German church at the same time may well have appealed.
Regardless of the pope’s intentions, Gänswein is likely to see his role as fostering his pope’s legacy and injecting an alternative voice into the German Catholic debates. The ongoing German synodal process will likely be more intriguing with Gänswein’s participation, and it will be associated with the fact that Pope Francis allowed him to return to Germany under these circumstances.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Crux Now
