The day after Rome, Italy and the whole world celebrated the passage of Pope Francis in eternity, the reflections on the legacy left by the deceased pontiff take on an even greater value. And among those who, more many others, have the ability and the elements to be able to frame Francesco’s legacy there is certainly the archbishop Vincenzo Paglia. The president of the Pontifical Academy for Life (appointed by Bergoglio himself), as well as Great Cancell of the Pontifical Theological Institute “John Paul II” for the wedding and family sciences, has worked in very close contact with Francesco. And now he recalls the greatest teachings of the Argentine Pope. From themes related to life and great age, to the importance of encyclicals as a means of defining a global vision for humanity.
What inheritance or what greater teaching does Pope Francis leave us?
«Leave a love without limits as the heart of Christianity and yeast of a new humanism. In this horizon, his last encyclical “Dilexit Nos” must be understood. Obviously the others remain important, starting from the first, which is programmatic: “Veritatis Gaudium”. Pope Francis wants a joyful Christianity, precisely because he is full of love. And with the two encyclicals “Laudato yes” and “Brothers all” outlines the global vision that humanity needs today: a single house, that is, the planet, to which to take care of and a single family, that is, that of the peoples, of which to be all responsible. This is the mission that must qualify the Church of this time ».
Pope Francis has always had the theme of the great age at heart. How important was this specific attention?
“From the beginning Pope Francis has shown particular attention to the elderly making it clear that I am not a waste, but a resource for our companies. The Pope understood it before and better than others. And he wanted to dedicate an extraordinary cycle of catechesis to the spirituality of old age. Even the elderly, in turn, are urged to understand both their particular vocation and the dimension of the destination of our life. That is, the eternal ».
The pontiff has always underlined the importance of the relationship between the elderly and young people …
“Pope Francis wanted to establish the” day of grandparents “to underline the very particular bond that is between them and the grandchildren. Not only on an emotional level but above all on that of the transmission of knowledge, of traditions. The intergenerational link is essential for a solidarity development of human society “.
The Pope appointed him president of the Pontifical Academy for Life. What asked who did this role to?
“He wanted the academy to develop an attention to life in all its aspects. Not only the initial ones such as abortion and final ones such as euthanasia, but of the entire arc of life and in all its conditions. In this sense, he wanted to abandon the division between negotiable and non -negotiable principles. Life must always be defended. In this perspective he asked that scientists from other Christian confessions and other religions to expand the reflections and prospects to welcome as members of the Academy.
Pope Francis until the last preached peace, trying to be heard often in vain by the powerful of the earth. Many of these powerful same have paid homage to him at the funeral. Will the Pope’s lesson in this sense be implemented in the near future?
«Pope Francis has never ceased to insist on the urgency of peace among peoples. From the beginning he denounced the reality of a “third world war in small pieces”. And last Friday Holy Friday denounced that we are already making the world in pieces. Unfortunately it was not listened to. The wish we can do is that the presence of the powerful to the funeral commits them to mend at least some of these pieces ».
Why was Bergoglio also highly appreciated by those who do not believe?
«Because he preached and practiced a Christianity who looked at the world with the eyes of God, who wants to save everyone and not only the Catholics. How many times repeated that we must help everyone, everyone, and everyone felt loved by him ».
Do you think there is a true spiritual heir of Pope Francis?
«No pope is the photocopy of the other and each has its own specificity. And in this it helps the Church to proclaim the Gospel of all time but with the language proper to every era ».
What do you expect from the new pontiff?
«I am sure that the Pope who will be chosen cannot fail to take into account the prospects open by Francesco, precisely because they are evangelical perspectives. Obviously, there will be different accentuations, different priorities, new perspectives. But also a substantial continuity whose starting point is the Second Vatican Council, which was the true epochal turning point of the Church of the modern age “.
