It is no secret that the Catholic Church is in dark waters these days – battered alternately by the spectre of sexual abuse scandals, external condemnation of her “outdated” positions on moral matters, and internal divisions over scandalously poor leadership, the Bride of Christ is reeling down the aisle. Most recent in her list of troubles are the disturbing reports that have emerged from President Biden’s conference with Pope Francis, during which the Supreme Pontiff congratulated Biden for being a “good Catholic” and sent him on his merry way. At least this is what the Whitehouse says – the Vatican has refused to comment, claiming their exchange was private.
The elephant in the room – Biden’s strongly pro-abortion presidency – was evidently not addressed. American Catholics are rightly shocked and disappointed, especially as the Church in the U.S. emerges from a period of Eucharistic renewal and Catholic bishops flirt with the idea of formally chastising pro-abortion politicians who continue to receive the Eucharist. Personally, I am dealing with a profound sense of betrayal and anger at what seems to be deliberate collusion between shepherd and wolf. I feel strongly that the Supreme Shepherd has prioritized maintaining diplomatic relations with the predator over protecting and nurturing his own flock, which remains in greater need than ever of clear moral guidance.
In the midst of this spiritual turbulence, I find my thoughts drifting back in time to revisit a very different relationship between the American presidency and the Vatican – that modelled by President Ronald Reagan and now Saint Pope John Paul II. I recently sat down to watch a short but impactful documentary on the relationship between the two men. “The Divine Plan”, which features religious and political commentary heavyweights such as George Weigel, Reagan advisor Richard V. Allen, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, and Bishop Robert Barron, is definitely worth a watch. The hour-something film is an effective primer on what Time Magazine, in its February 1992 issue, termed the “Holy Alliance” – a deep spiritual and political alliance between two key players in the fall of Communism at the end of the 20th century. Many watchers will be familiar with the bare facts of the story: Pope John Paul II helped loosen Communism’s stranglehold on Eastern Europe by promoting the cultural and spiritual renewal of an upstart Poland, while Reagan established the United States as a formidable political foe of the “evil empire” through his non-nonsense Cold War tactics. What many viewers may not know is how deeply the two men shared a profound sense of mission – the sense that they had been given a divine commission to defeat the evil of their times.
The documentary highlights the fact that both men, who had originally been trained as actors, saw their political and spiritual leadership as roles in a divinely directed drama being played out on the world stage. The friendship between the two men, clearly evinced by their frequent and intimate communications, centered on their mutual faith in divine providence and insistence on the fundamental dignity of each human person. Both men lived through a century in which the tragedies resulting from rejection of human dignity had been on full display, from the horrors of World War I to the genocide of Nazism and the oppression of the Soviet communism. Both had a clear idea that personal freedom was inseparable from a correct reading of man’s relationship to God, and that true liberalism was unattainable without reference to that dynamic. Not apt to mince words, Reagan and Saint John Paul II called out evil when they perceived it, and worked indefatigably to defeat it.
Reports of Biden’s meeting with Pope Francis have focused on its jovial mood and the men’s obvious enjoyment of each other’s company. Cracking jokes and exchanging gifts, both leaders seemed more than content to skirt uncomfortable moral issues in favor of harmless banter. I cannot help but compare the apparent shallowness of this exchange with the deep spiritual communion that characterized Reagan and John Paul II’s confidences. As the documentary points out, the mutual delight evidenced by Reagan and John Paul II when they talked together stemmed from the men’s shared belief that these meetings were divinely appointed opportunities to conspire in doing God’s work.
Although it is unlikely that we will ever know the full extent of what passed between Pope Francis and Biden – nor is it our prerogative to know – it is frustrating to consider how much richer the exchange might have been had the men met together on a fully honest footing. In my opinion, both men have missed an opportunity to model for the global community what mature dialogue about difficult issues really looks like. Public scandal and flagrant defiance of Church teaching are no laughing matter, and it was unseemly of both the Vatican and the American presidency to congratulate themselves on lack of confrontation when charitable confrontation is precisely what is needed. Neither Saint John Paul II nor Reagan shied away from addressing hard realities, and this was the key to their unique “simpatico”. We should all pray that our current pope and president find their way to a deeper friendship, one founded on the truth and grace that will always transcend considerations of political delicacy.
Image source: Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
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