Pope Francis, with the new cardinals, warns the Catholic Church against mediocrity

Vatican City • Pope Francis, accompanied by the church’s newest cardinals at Sunday Mass, warned against mediocrity, as well as seeking “godparents” to further one’s career.

Eleven of the 13 new cardinals sat near the central altar of St. Peter’s Basilica, where Francis had on Saturday awarded them the red hats symbolizing that they are now the so-called princes of the church.

Two of the new cardinals were unable to reach Rome due to travel complications from the pandemic. The newly minted cardinals who came to the Vatican wore protective masks and purple robes as the Church began the solemn liturgical season of Advent in the run-up to Christmas.

In his homily, Francis denounced what he called “a dangerous type of dream: it is the dream of mediocrity.” He added that Jesus “above all hates lukewarmness.”

Being elected to head Vatican departments or eventually becoming pope could in the future be any of these new cardinals. Cardinals often advise popes and elect the next pontiff by conferring among themselves and then meeting in a secret conclave to select one of their own to lead the Roman Catholic Church and its roughly 1.3 billion base faithful.

Francis has often warned against clericalism during his papacy, and he took up that theme in his homily on Sunday.

“If we are expected in heaven, why should we allow ourselves to be carried away by earthly concerns? Why should we be anxious for money, fame, success, all of which will fade away? “said the Pope.

Deviating from his prepared text, he added: “Why seek sponsors to promote one’s career?”

In one of the most shocking illustrations of the dangers of clericalism, earlier this month, an internal Vatican report concluded that bishops, cardinals and even popes over the course of decades dismissed or downplayed reports of sexual misconduct by a American ecclesiastic, Theodore McCarrick.

McCarrick had risen steadily through the ranks of the hierarchy, eventually occupying the prestigious post of Archbishop of Washington, DC McCarrick was stripped of his cardinal rank and removed from office in 2019 after an investigation substantiated the sexual abuse allegations against him.

While the internal investigation pointed to the roles of Francis and Benedict XVI, his predecessor in the papacy, in failing to stop McCarrick’s abuse of his position, much of the blame fell on John Paul II, the long-reigning pontiff. he quickly became a saint after his death in 2005. John Paul appointed McCarrick to the Washington post and named him cardinal despite commissioning an investigation that confirmed that the American prelate shared his bed with seminarians.

Among those Francis elevated to cardinal status on Saturday was the current Archbishop of Washington, Wilton Gregory, the first African-American cardinal.

Francis in his homily recommended charity as a way for the Church to remain in mission.

“Some people seem to think that being compassionate, helping and serving others is for losers,” Francis said, after denouncing the indifference.

“When the Church adores God and serves others, it does not live at night. However weak and weary she may be, she travels to the Lord ”.

Francis also prayed that God “wakes us up from the lethargy of mediocrity; wake us up from the darkness of indifference. “