No doubts, about Pope Francis support for canonization of Cardinal Stepinac, says nuncio.
Pope Francis has no doubts about Croatian Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac and has nothing against the Croatian people. He proposed the establishment of a commission of experts from the Catholic and the Serbian Orthodox Churches with the intention of building a culture of dialogue and openness, said the Apostolic Nuncio in Croatia, Archbishop Alessandro D’Errico, reports Vecernji List on February 14, 2016.
Pope Francis is well informed about the reactions in Croatia to his proposal, said D’Errico commenting on speculation that the aim of the commission was an “ecumenical” or geopolitical strategy in order to build a “bridge” towards the Belgrade Patriarch Irinej and towards the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Kirill. These would be “political manoeuvres and games”, and it would be strange for the Pope to use them, said the Apostolic Nuncio. The Pope could immediately sign a decree on Stepinac’s canonization because “he has no doubts about Stepinac (…) and he made me understand it in a thousand ways”, said D’Errico who had a long conversation with the Pope about the issue.
However, he has chosen to avoid “tensions” between the two Churches and has proposed an expert group which can help “dispel the shadows” which existed between the two Churches and can promote “the path of reconciliation between the two nations”. “Tell it to everybody and keep repeating it: I have nothing against Cardinal Stepinac and I have nothing against the Croatian people”, quoted D’Errico the words of Pope Francis.
The Pope said he wanted an “open Church”, “a Church which talks”, an “ecumenical Church”, and that also applies to his decision “about the canonization of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac”, said the Archbishop. The intention of the joint commission is to implement the principle which the Pope advocates in his masses and activities, which is a “change of mentality” in a somewhat closed Church. “We feel the need to build a culture of dialogue and encounters”, quoted D’Errico the thoughts of Pope Francis.
The Commission should have three members from each Church, but it is possible that their numbers will be increased. The first meeting should be held in Rome, where the Commission will establish the program and the time frame of its activities.
