The Pope resumed his usual schedule of audiences this Thursday, after having attended the Gemelli hospital, very close to the Vatican, the day before to undergo check-ups for his
persistent flu
without fever, especially a CT (Computerized Axial Tomography) that could detect problems in the lungs.
But while he recovers from his health problems, the clash with ultra-conservatives within the Catholic Church is rekindled.
Until now there was no information about the pontiff's health, and on Thursday morning Francis received
a very harsh anonymous attack
that came from the traditionalist sectors of the Church.
The document was
widely disseminated in global networks of the Catholic extreme right
.
In Italy it was reproduced by “The New Everyday Compass”.
The document defines "the seven priorities of the next conclave" (which elects the Pope's successor), which must serve "to repair the confusion and crisis created by this pontificate."
The Italian agency ANSA notes that “the text was apparently written by a cardinal,” but
its author chooses anonymity
“because frankness is not welcome and its consequences can be unpleasant,” it writes.
The Pope was at the Gemelli hospital in Rome on Wednesday for a medical check-up.
Photo: EFE
Accusations
The main accusation points to the Pope of maintaining an “autocratic, sometimes apparently vindictive style of government.”
Francis would also be guilty of “an intolerance of disagreement”
But “the most serious thing,” adds the anonymous person, “is a pattern of ambiguity in matters of faith and morals that causes confusion among the faithful.”
The document has been distributed in Italian, English, French, Spanish, German and Polish.
The text revived the confrontation between the Argentine pontiff and the most conservative sectors of the Catholic Church, one of the most delicate aspects of the pontificate that has lasted almost 11 years.
Active again
Amid fears for his health, the Pope resumed his schedule of activities this Thursday, after a few days of absence.
As planned in his agenda, Jorge Bergoglio received Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life.
He also gave audiences to Monsignor Rui Manuel Souza Valerio, Patriarch of Lisbon, and the bishops of the Italian region of Emilia Romagna.
Last Monday the Vatican reported that "mild flu-like symptoms persisted, although without fever," but that the planned hearings had been suspended as a precaution.
The pontiff did celebrate the traditional Sunday prayer of the Angelus on Sunday, leaning out of the window of the pontifical palace and reading in a good voice before the thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.
At the end of November, the Pope suffered from bronchitis for which he had to cancel some of the events and celebrate the Angelus in private and also be replaced by a collaborator to read his speeches.
C.B.