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A text by Dominican preacher and future cardinal Fr. Timothy Radcliffe appearing to criticize the refusal of African bishops to apply Fiducia supplicans was published in Italian by L’Osservatore Romano on October 12.
Unsurprisingly, this has caused controversy. However, at a Vatican briefing on October 22, 2024, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, who is quoted by name in the article, distanced himself from the debate. He stated that Fr. Radcliffe had disavowed the interpretations of certain media outlets. This clarification was confirmed by the latter in a statement the following day.
Titled “The Spirit of the Synod and the Ecclesiology of Hats,” the text is causing quite a stir. Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, world-famous British preacher and cardinal-designate, originally delivered the lecture on Good Friday, March 29, at Stonyhurst College in the UK.
The re-edited text was subsequently published by The Tablet magazine in April. The Italian Catholic University of the Sacred Heart’s bimonthly, Vita e pensiero, then translated this version during the summer.
L’Osservatore Romano, the daily newspaper of the Holy See, chose to publish this text in its pages on October 12, in the middle of the Synod assembly.
Economic “pressures” on Africa
In this text on the synodal spirit, the Dominican — who is an official preacher at the Synod — looks back at the publication, in December 2023, of Fiducia supplicans, a Doctrine of the Faith text authorizing non-liturgical blessings for people and couples in so-called irregular situations, including same-sex couples. The declaration provoked an outcry, particularly in Africa, where the bishops of a large part of the continent said they couldn’t apply it.
Referring to the role of Cardinal Ambongo, who spearheaded this response, Fr. Radcliffe seems to question whether the exception granted to Africans by Rome is “an example of synodality.”
“Yes, the Gospel is always inculturated in different cultures, but it also challenges every culture. […] Is the rejection of the blessing of gay people in Africa an example of inculturation — or a refusal to be countercultural?” he asks.
With his usual outspokenness, the future cardinal — who will receive his red hat at the consistory on December 7 — nevertheless suggests that Fiducia supplicans is itself “not, perhaps, a good example of synodality” either.
“There does not seem to have been any consultation – even with bishops or other departments in the Vatican – before it was released,” laments Fr. Radcliffe.
The preacher then adds that African bishops “are under vast pressure from Evangelicals with American money; from Russian Orthodox with Russian money; and from Muslims with money from wealthy Gulf states.”
“There should have been discussion with them before, not after, the declaration was published,” he says in reproach to the DDF. He believes that ”whatever we might think about [Fiducia supplicans], when faced with tensions, to move forward we all have to think and engage with each other at a deep level.”
“The intention was to create an incident”
Some have perceived these words, which have been picked up and interpreted by various sites in recent days while the synodal debates were in full swing in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, as biased.
Speaking to the press, Cardinal Ambongo affirmed that he had become aware of certain accusations made against him, but disassociated himself from any malicious interpretation.
“We have also seen this article, in which we are accused of having taken money from Russia, the Gulf monarchies, and the United States via the Pentecostal churches … I don’t recognize Fr. Timothy at all in what has been written,” he said.
He added, “Just today, Father Timothy came [to see me] in the hall, before we started, because he read the article [a misinterpretation of Fr. Timothy’s text, editor’s note] only yesterday, and he’s so upset that people would write things like this in his name.”
“Fr. Timothy never said that, and it doesn’t correspond at all to his personality as we know it,” emphasized the Archbishop of Kinshasa. “The intention [of the media reports] was to create an incident, but it didn’t happen,” he concluded.
Fr. Timothy Radcliffe’s statement
The following day, October 23, Cardinal-designate Radcliffe confirmed the Congolese prelate’s remarks. He said he was “most grateful to Cardinal Ambongo for his clear defense of my position.”
“I never wrote or suggested that positions taken by the Catholic Church in Africa were influenced by financial considerations,” the future cardinal stated. He added, “I was acknowledging only that the Catholic Church in Africa is under tremendous pressure from other religions and churches which are well funded by outside sources.”
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