“Elite psychology”: the Pope explains the origin of pedophilia in the Church

“Neither an individual nor an enlightened group can ever claim to be the totality of God’s people”

One of the main causes of the spread of scandals And pedophilia in the Church is linked to the so-called “elite psychology “: he said it Pope francesco in a letter to the Chilean bishops, after the scandal of sexual abuse in the dioceses of the South American country – amid clumsy attempts at cover-ups and cover-ups – led to the cancellation of the entire bishops’ conference.

In the volume “Letters of the Tribulation” (Still publisher), the Jesuit theologian Diego Fares, recently passed away, reports the letters from the Pope to the Church and the Chilean people wounded by scandalsand explains what Francis means by the expression: “elite psychology”.

The danger of “individuals” and “groups”

Fares writes: «To be an“ outgoing Church ”- says the Pope – is also to allow oneself to be helped and challenged” by the Spirit who blows where he wants. Thus, this new way of walking generates a new gaze.

And Francis adds: «Neither an individual nor an enlightened group can ever claim to be the totality of God’s people, much less believe themselves to be the authentic voice of its interpretation. In this sense we must be careful from what I allow myself to call “elite psychology”, which can appear in our way of dealing with issues ».

Popular pastoral care against clericalism

Far from this elitist psychology, the Pope shares what he has learned as a pastor: “I have learned to discover that popular pastoral care is one of the few spaces in which the people of God are free from the influence of that clericalism who always tries to control and stop God’s anointing on his people “.

The consequences of elite psychology

This is how elite or elitist psychology is fought concretely, which «ends up engendering dynamics of division, separation, “closed circles”. Which lead to narcissistic and authoritarian spiritualities where, instead of evangelizing, what counts is to feel special, different from others, thus highlighting how they do not really interest either Jesus Christ or others “.

The temptation to stay away from

To the Chilean Church, but more generally to every Church dramatically affected by scandalsThe Pope exhorts us to “beware of any type or form of messianism that claims to be the sole interpreter of God’s will. Many times we can fall into the temptation of an ecclesial experience of authority that claims to supplant the various instances of communion and participation, or worse still, to supplant the conscience of the faithful by forgetting the conciliar teaching (…).

Beware of false messiahs

«It is essential – the Pope continues – that an ecclesial dynamic be recovered capable of helping the disciples to discern God’s dream for their lives, without pretending to supplant them in this quest. In fact, false messianisms they would like to cancel that eloquent truth that it is the totality of the faithful who have the anointing of the Saint“.

“Symptoms of perversion in ecclesial substance”

The Pope concludes: “Messianisms, elitisms, clericalisms are all symptoms of perversion in the ecclesial substance; and the loss of a healthy conscience of knowing that we belong to the faithful holy People of God who precedes us and – thanks be to God – will succeed us is also synonymous with perversion. We never lose consciousness of that gift so sublime which is our baptism ”.