SILENCE IS NOT ALWAYS A VIRTUE

During his homily at his first morning Mass at Santa Marta since the summer break, Pope Francis recommended “silence and prayer” when one is confronted “with people lacking good will, with people who only seek scandal, who seek only division, who seek only destruction, even within the family: silence, prayer.”

His remarks are being viewed as his first public response to the 11-page letter of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the former nuncio to the United States. 

If those opinions are correct, then Pope Francis is claiming by his silence that Archbishop Vigano is a villain, a man who lacks good faith seeking only scandal, divivision, destruction with the Body of Christ.

That is the remarkable judgment of the character and intent of the former Nuncio to the United States.

And if the Pope’s judgment is correct, that Archbishop Vigano is attempting to spearhead a conservative coup d’etat against his Pontificate, does he not owe it to the Petrine Office itself to defend the Church and denounce such an attempted coup?

Archbishop Vigano claims that there are likely documents in both the Nunciature and the Holy See which would substantiate his allegations.

If that is correct, those documents in and of themselves would be the key evidence which would either support or contradict the Archbishop’s claims.

Would it not be a relatively simple directive on Pope Francis’ part to release those documents to the secular press to whom he has so clearly entrusted the task of investigating the Archbishop’s allegations and then rendering their judgment as to their veracity?

Silence is a tricky virtue.

Seems to me that silence is what got the Church into the predicament in which in finds itself today.

Silence is not always a virtue.

What is the proverb:  All that is needed for vice to advance is for those of good faith and good will to remain silent.

The Pope’s silence in this particular situation is hurtful and is causing great consternation and distress to the Catholic faithful. 

The Holy Father needs to respond for the good of the Church.  

That will require the virtues of honesty, charity and decency which one would expect of the person who is the Vicar of Christ.