If one were asked to choose the most important moment in Catholic history, the most common answer would be the Reformation. Emerging from the religious schisms during the early 16th century, the Reformation centered around the upheaval against the overall corruption of the Holy See — the head of the Catholic Church — and the abuse of clerical authority by local bishops. History repeats itself, however, in that even now, the growth of political power held by the clergy inevitably results in corruption and internal moral decadence.

Luxuria - Lust

As recently as the early 21st century, several clergy members around the globe accused of sexually abusing young children were acquitted due to internal legal interference. Mexican Cardinal Marcial Maciel, for example, was accused of raping several minors, of which nine sued him in the Vatican. Then Pope John Paul II refused to persecute Maciel however, citing that he was “too old.” As such, the fact lies clear in that the Vatican was all but willing to shield their clergymen from accusations, tainting their image.

As with all other aspects of human life, the fact that Catholicism is so widespread around the globe makes revolutionary changes very difficult to bring about. Composing around 15 percent of the world’s population, and outnumbered only by Sunni Muslims, Catholics are present on every single inhabited continent. This extreme geographical dispersion leads to the unfortunate consequence of the Holy See in the Vatican not having much more than a token influence on the churches of the more far-flung regions, such as South and Central America.

This weak reach also pertains to the case of Cardinal Maciel. While the Holy See unfortunately refused to act decisively in the end, the fact that Maciel’s crimes only floated to the surface after 50 years was pointed out by the Vatican to be because Maciel had “created a system of power that enabled him to lead an immoral double life,” which had essentially “made him untouchable.”

Hope is not lost for Catholicism however, in that the current decadence of the Catholic Church at least does not foreshadow another schism. What instead seems to be taking place is an internal ecclesiastical reformation, spearheaded by the current Pontifex, Pope Francis. Pope Francis took a swing at corruption within the Catholic Church on April 30 when he stated his decision to remove all legal privileges that cardinals used to hold within the Vatican. Previously, higher-ranking clergymen were subject to special courts composed only of other clergy members when convicted of crimes. This privilege understandably resulted in legal backstage diplomacy leading to severe crimes going unpunished or receiving slap-on-the-wrist sentences, such as was the case with Cardinal Maciel.

Avaritia - Greed

The legal change, however, is not the first of Pope Francis's ambitious reforms — on April 29, the Holy See announced its decision to ban all clergy members from receiving any gifts worth over 40 euros (approximately 55 thousand won), while also mandating that all staff members at the Vatican fully disclose their financial records.

This change tackles a slightly different problem, but still attains to the same roots — the abuse of power. Back in 2015, Bernt Ivar Eidsvig, Bishop of Oslo, was arrested under charges of defrauding the Norwegian state by over 50 million krone (68 billion won) by inflating the membership count of the Norwegian Catholic Church. Such grand schemes were obviously only possible by the classification of clerical accounts, meaning that this fiscal reform, while still only affecting the Vatican, seems to be a step in the right direction.

As aforementioned, however, these reforms are headed by Pope Francis within the Vatican, meaning that addressing cases outside the Vatican’s jurisdiction is still beyond his grasp. The Catholic world, especially in the yet-developing regions, has a long way left to go to repair its reputation, of which the Vatican’s reforms only represent a microscopic first step.

Redemptio - Redemption

Professor Park Jong Gou (Department of Religious Studies, Sogang University) suggested that these reforms provide an optimistic future however, in that they represent the redemptive phase of history. He further explained that all laws per se adhere to the limits of each era and require constant maintenance and reworking to uphold their original intents.

“The Catholic Church has gone through many struggles throughout its two-millennia-long history,” said Professor Park, “which is why its various embarrassments and mistakes have always served as a basis for reflection.” This leads into his assessment that “just as it had done so many times in the past, the Catholic Church will use these faux pas as a steppingstone towards redemption.”

Professor Park does however mention the limits of reforms within a theocratic state such as the Vatican, and its effects on the entirety of the Catholic world. “Laws depend entirely on who executes them,” he explains, “and the actions of a church, unlike those of a secular nation, must also consider its religious ideals on top of the legal ramifications. While the immediate situation within the Catholic world may turn for the better for now, it cannot be considered a complete solution.”

The concluding sentiment seems a tad brighter in that while Professor Park does not consider the reforms to be a deus ex machina to all of Catholicism’s problems, he does agree that the reforms serve as “more of a note of contemplation for all adherents of the Catholic faith.”

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam - For the Greater Glory of God

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, which approximately translates to “For the Greater Glory of God”, was designated as the motto of the Society of Jesus, a Catholic order, in 1541. Colloquially called “God’s Soldiers”, the members of the order pledged to do good in God’s name, following Papal orders to the most remote corners of the globe.

Almost half a millennium later, modern-day Catholicism seems to hold a similar position in the hearts of many, being the source of good will and love. And it is precisely due to this point that Catholicism’s flaws stand out ever so painstakingly — to its proponents it serves as an indelible stain in one of their central religious institutions, while it emphasizes claims that religion taints the minds of the weak to its critics.

If Catholicism wishes to move forwards without undergoing another reformation, it needs to rework itself from the inside. While the current efforts are certainly commendable, their effectiveness truly depends on whether deus oc vult — whether God wills it — or not.