A consultative group of cardinals will meet with Pope Francis on 1 October. There is eagerness among the world's press for access to the meeting and clear expectations of radical shifts in church policy. Fr Thomas Rosica, from Canadian Salt and Light Television, and a splendid collaborator with the Vatican Press Office, hosed them down: 'It would be unwise to make large investments of funds and personnel to cover an event which is first and foremost a series of private meetings between cardinals and the Pope.'
Some clues about how Francis might approach such a unique consultation can be found in his interview with Fr Antonio Spadaro SJ for a group of international Jesuit magazines. The parts dealing with moral issues were widely reported by the world's press. For those who have taken the trouble to read the whole 12,000 words, there are some other surprising comments. Some have particular relevance, perhaps, to an incoming Australian Government with some of the cabinet well versed in Jesuit thinking and spirituality.
The spirituality of the Jesuit founder, St Ignatius of Loyola, speaks of discernment, finding one's way through life according to what one understands to be God's will. Francis admits his style of government as a Jesuit Provincial at the beginning 'had many faults'. He did not always do the necessary consultation and was perceived as authoritarian. Just as Australians are watching how a new federal government consults and discerns, so Catholics world-wide will wonder how the Pope's Jesuit formation will influence this consultation with the cardinals.
According to Pope Francis, 'uncertainty is in every true discernment'. Things are not always as they first appear. Wide and generous consultation with those most knowledgeable, usually those most affected, is essential. He rejects the approach of those who suggest that one should not consult too much — decide by yourself. Rather, it is through discussion that one arrives at the best decisions.
The story is sometimes told among those involved in corporate governance of the board that was wrestling with a difficult problem. One member suggested bringing in an expert. Another was resistant until he knew what the expert would say. Those in positions of power need to give permission to their advisers to tell the truth. The worst thing you can do when consulting is to listen only to voices that please. The worst thing one can do when asked to give an opinion is to tell