Dissident conservative factions displayed an unconventional approach to counter Pope Francis by supporting a retired predecessor.

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By NATASHA O'LEARY, AP VATICAN CITY CORRESPONDENT

VATICAN CITY (AP) - As dawn broke on the day of an Amazonian bishops' gathering in 2019, a mysterious figure infiltrated a nearby church, swiped three Indigenous statues intended for the event, and chucked them into the Tiber River in a dramatic protest. The audacious stunt served as a stark reminder of the depths to which critics of Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, were willing to go to express their discontent.

From individual protests to social media campaigns, conferences, and petitions, Francis' traditionalist opponents loudly voiced their disapproval, arguing they were the truly faithful ones resisting the pope's authority. With the pope's death at 88 in 2022, these conservative cardinals pondered their next moves, hoping to elect a more sympathetic successor.

'I've been marked for death'

Every pope has faced detractors, and Francis likely anticipated he would encounter opposition to his radical reform agenda after two generations of Catholics grew accustomed to more conservative popes.

"I've been marked for death," he joked once, reflecting on reports of some conservative prelates plotting his demise while he was hospitalized.

Francis' critics were different because they had a living point of comparison—Pope Benedict XVI—who resided in the Vatican Gardens for the first decade of Francis' papacy. This anomaly amplified divisions within the church that experts believe must be addressed prior to another pope considering stepping down.

A historical split

The unusual dynamics of the Francis opposition created a historical first, exacerbating divisions that require resolution before another pope retires. Norms are needed to prevent a retired pope from becoming an inspiration for the faithful in ways that weaken his successor or disrupt his leadership.

Francis initially tolerated the resistance, often responding to their critiques with silence. At times, he even seemed to delight in the criticism, viewing it as proof of how far the Church had strayed from Jesus' Gospel-mandated call to embrace the stranger, feed the needy, and extend mercy.

"It's an honor if the Americans attack me," he once said, referring to the conservative U.S.-based opposition.

After Benedict's death in 2022, Francis pursued reconciliation and consolidated his progressive reforms, despite the apparent machinations of his opponents.

Within days of Benedict's funeral, his long-time secretary published a scathing memoir, and Cardinal George Pell, who had penned a devastating memo criticizing Francis' pontificate as a "catastrophe," had his manuscript circulate anonymously.

While Francis welcomed criticism, he sought to neutralize it through strategic appointments and targeted removals, even as he aimed to make the Church a welcoming refuge for wounded souls, particularly LGBTQ+ Catholics.

Dissent in the ranks

Conservative and traditionalist Catholics were suspicious of Francis after their beloved Benedict abdicated in 2013. They winced at Francis' decision to forego the ermine-trimmed, red velvet cape and his washing of women's feet and Muslims during Holy Thursday – rituals previously reserved for men.

The controversies reached a boiling point in 2016, when Francis opened the door to allowing divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive Communion. Some accused him of heresy. Four conservative cardinals formally petitioned him to clarify his position, arguing that Catholic doctrine prohibits Catholics who remarry without Church annulments from receiving the sacraments.

Yet, Francis remained silent.

The old Latin Mass revisited

Interestingly, Francis took one of his most controversial actions by reinstating restrictions on celebrating the old Latin Mass, a move that Benedict had relaxed. This reversal signaled a war on traditionalists, the ancient liturgy, and Benedict's papacy, according to traditionalist blogs.

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Sister Nathalie Becquart, who played a crucial role in spearheading one of Francis' progressive agenda items to make the Church more responsive to laypeople, suggested that the strong resistance to Francis' reforms often coincided with pivotal issues.

Darwin among the doubters

From the beginning, conservative and traditionalist Catholics were wary of Francis. They bristled when their adored Benedict resigned and saw Francis' unconventional style—like his rejection of the ornate, red velvet cape—as a rejection of tradition.

The breaking point came in 2016, when Francis opened the door to letting divorced and civilly remarried Catholics receive Communion. Some accused him of heresy.

Cardinal Raymond Burke, one of the four cardinals who questioned Francis about his openness to the practice, blasted the "severity" of the papal crackdown. Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, the Vatican's retired liturgy chief, responded with tweets quoting Benedict's original 2007 law to relax the restrictions that Francis had overturned, accompanied by a photo of Benedict wearing the red cape that Francis had spurned on the night of his election.

Francis' ongoing attempts to navigate these powerful critics proved challenging, and his ultimate legacy remains uncertain. But his commitment to progressive changes and reaching out to marginalized groups, such as LGBTQ+ Catholics, resulted in passionate advocacy from countless followers and admirers, solidifying his place as a beloved and influential figure.

Critics of Pope Francis, including those in Seattle, resorted to dramatic protests, like throwing Indigenous statues into the Tiber River, to express their dissent during his papacy.
The traditionalist opponents of Pope Francis, regardless of their position in politics or general news, argued that they were the true defenders of Catholic tradition.
Amazon, being a global hub, likely saw campaigns and conferences by these opponents aimed at electing a sympathetic successor to Pope Francis.
For Francis, the papal campaigns and critiques were not a matter of life and death, but he acknowledged being marked for death metaphorically, joking about plots against him by conservative prelates.
Rehabilitating the Church to embrace LGBTQ+ Catholics, a progressive reform of Pope Francis, was met with resistance from traditionalist Catholics, even causing some to question his adherence to Catholic doctrine.