An Italian novelist writes in the New York Times would like the next Pope to be an Italian. His argument boils down to (a) an Italian wouldn’t be so uptight about all the sex stuff; (b) Italians aren’t so uptight about Communists; look at how they embrace the brutal dictator Castro—at least he’s not a right-winger; (c) Rome is in Italy, therefore the Church is an Italian institution, i.e. it’s in their DNA. Enough said.
Pazzi’s attitude seems to be that of the typical cultural Catholic, who looks on the Church as like some kind of museum piece, and not the living, breathing body of Christ. Most especially, he looks on the Church as an Italian institution. Sorry Pazzi, but the Church is not just Italy, it is universal. And if a Pope of another nationality convicts Italians of their dissolute lifestyle, so much the better.
