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On December 7, 2024, Bishop Baldassare Reina, who was appointed vicar of Rome last October, will be created a cardinal by Pope Francis. As the pontiff’s right-hand man in the Eternal City, he spoke to I.MEDIA about his vision for his new mission on the eve of the 2025 Jubilee, when his diocese will welcome millions of pilgrims from all over the world.
Dual responsibility
Pope Francis has appointed you vicar of Rome and will create you a cardinal on December 7. How do you see this dual responsibility, as the Pope’s right-hand man for his diocese and a member of the College of Cardinals, called upon to serve and support the pontiff?
Bishop Baldassare Reina: The day after my appointment as vicar and the announcement of the forthcoming consistory, the Holy Father sent the cardinals a beautiful letter. He asked them to respect three attitudes: to have attentive eyes, to have hands joined in prayer, and to have bare feet, to live poorly.
I feel deeply that this is the direction to follow. A bishop who is called to collaborate with the Holy Father in serving the Church must always maintain an attitude of great humility at the service of others, conscious of his own sins. A responsibility has been entrusted to him: he must assume it, relying on God’s grace and mercy.
This dual role as a member of the College of Cardinals and as a support to the Holy Father in his diocese certainly makes me feel the great responsibility that now awaits me. The Church of Rome has a special mission: to precede the other Churches in charity and communion. It is called to be an example for the whole universal Church. And Rome in turn looks to the universal Church, because she is part of it, and also because she can offer and receive many stimuli for her own growth. I therefore begin my task in an attitude of great humility and collaboration with the Holy Father.
From a small town, to Rome
Before coming to Rome, you worked for a long time in your home diocese of Agrigento in Sicily. What struck you when you arrived in Rome following your appointment as auxiliary bishop two years ago?
Bishop Reina: I didn’t know much about the diocese of Rome; I’d come here to study in the mid-90s. For someone who comes from a small or medium-sized town like Agrigento, you’re struck by the grandeur of the city, its confusion, and the plurality of the peoples who inhabit it. In Rome, it’s easy to experience globalization: here, you meet the world.
On the one hand, this can be disorientating, but on the other, it’s stimulating, because you come into contact with people from many cultures, even within the Christian world: many priests and nuns come from the Philippines, Africa, Asia…
In Rome, we get to know the universal Church. The initial shock was very strong, because there were enormous challenges to be met. But I continue to be stimulated by these ongoing contacts, by this “contamination” (as some would call it), which is very useful for both human and spiritual growth. New horizons are opening up that, for me at least, didn’t exist before.
Rome, called to be an exemplary diocese
In the apostolic constitution In Ecclesiarum Communione, published in January 2023, Pope Francis affirmed that the Diocese of Rome has a “mission of exemplarity.” He placed particular emphasis on the synodal dimension. Now that the Synod on Synodality has concluded and the Final Document has been published, what do you think are the most relevant paths to follow in fulfilling this mission of being a model diocese?
Bishop Reina: Exemplarity applies to all areas of ecclesial life, particularly the dimensions of communion, prayer, and pastoral care. In recent years, particular attention has been focused on synodality. As Pope Francis often says, we are called to adopt the synodal path as a way of life, even before making concrete choices.
And this is precisely where the Holy Father is asking his diocese to set an example. In practice, he is saying to his diocese, “Implement my magisterium, so that when I present it to other Churches, I can say that my diocese is already working on this type of magisterium and has already launched processes.”
On the subject of synodality, I’d like to highlight two proposals we’re trying to implement. The first concerns participatory bodies. The synodal Church is a Church that knows it is a people and creates structures so that everyone—and therefore the laity and not just priests—can participate. We place great emphasis on this point, both at parish and diocesan level. It’s a process that we’re accompanying with a great deal of patience, because our structure is rather clerical, where the priest does everything. So, giving space to lay people, including in decision-making areas, is fundamental.
The second element concerns structures: these must also be synodal. The organisms of the Curia and parishes must walk together, reflect together, discern together. We’ve insisted on a system of community discernment, because I cannot understand alone what the Lord is saying to history. If we all listen together, we can have a clearer vision of what the Lord is saying today.
Too many priests in Rome?
Rome is a very special diocese: it’s made up of many communities from all over the world. How do you think this great wealth can be put to good use? Or do you think there are too many priests in Rome?
Bishop Reina: It’s true, there are a lot of priests—not only those incardinated in the diocese, but also those who come to Rome for studies or other experiences. That’s a fact, and it’s unrealistic to think that we can drastically reduce their numbers. However, I believe that this presence is a great resource.
Many priests and nuns serve in parishes and there is a generous and fruitful presence. This could be further enhanced. If every priest or nun from other countries could share a little more of their experience, I think the diocese would benefit greatly. The diocese of Rome could do even more in terms of missionary commitment, to take advantage of this richness.
Shifting demographics
At the Synod, a nun from Madagascar said she was particularly saddened to see the empty churches in Rome. The parishes in the center are numerous, but often not very dynamic. How can you respond to this situation in the historic center?
Bishop Reina: It’s a major challenge, a real problem. The Holy Father addressed it with a Motu Proprio, revising the geography of our diocese. The historic center of Rome, which was once densely populated, has changed radically. It’s now frequented mainly by tourists, with lodging, restaurants, and few residents.
This has changed the nature of parish life, as parishes can no longer rely solely on the presence of residents. There are many historic churches, but the stable community is no longer there.
The Holy Father has asked us to rethink the geography of the diocese, so that the more populous neighborhoods on the outskirts can interact with the center and vice versa. What’s more, we need to rethink pastoral care for those who live in or visit the center. With around a million people visiting the center every day, even if they’re not residents, there’s a real pastoral challenge.
If we remain attached solely to traditional activities, we run the risk of failing to meet people’s needs. Instead, we could create new forms of evangelization, especially for those visiting the city, to offer listening, the word of God, and encounters with the universal Church.
Preparing for the Jubilee
Rome is one of the most important places of pilgrimage for Catholics from all over the world. With the 2025 Jubilee approaching, what are the diocese’s latest plans for welcoming the millions of pilgrims who will be arriving? Do you think the work will be completed on time?
Bishop Reina: To welcome the pilgrims, we’re working with the Dicastery for Evangelization, headed by Archbishop Fisichella, who is responsible for the event. We’re working closely with him to ensure that the diocese can provide the best possible welcome for pilgrims.
On a practical level, we’ve launched a training program for all those involved in hospitality. Renovation work is also underway, particularly at the welcome stations and places of worship, to ensure they’re ready.
Every sector, from logistics to hospitality, has been examined to facilitate the arrival of pilgrims, especially those from more distant countries. The big challenge is to ensure that places of worship are ready to welcome large crowds, so that they are not just physically able to accommodate, but also able to offer a meaningful spiritual experience.
Homeless Romans
The Jubilee also reveals a major problem in Rome: the housing issue. Speculation, especially in property for rent, is reaching very high levels. Pope Francis has asked religious institutes to make rooms available for Romans having difficulty finding accommodations. How does the diocese intend to tackle this housing crisis?
Bishop Reina: We’re trying to raise awareness on this subject, following the letter the Holy Father sent out a few days ago. Its circulation has been positive, and there has been a good response from the press. Our commitment now is to ensure that this letter receives a concrete reception in religious institutes. At the heart of this letter is the urgency of housing, a very serious problem in Rome.
As you mentioned, renting accommodation is becoming increasingly difficult, with landlords demanding very high guarantees. That’s why we’re seeking to raise awareness among parishes so that they can support families who are unable to provide the guarantees required by agencies to sign a rental contract.
At the same time, there’s the Holy Father’s appeal to religious institutes, so that if they have free space or areas already used for vacation homes or other purposes, they can make them available to welcome those who, unfortunately, have no home of their own.
Every day in Rome, dozens of people are evicted for various reasons, some of which have to do with public order. What’s more, we know that there are hundreds of illegally occupied buildings. This is a social problem that goes hand in hand with the enormous difficulty of accessing welfare housing: the waiting list is around 12 years.
The diocese is seeking to raise awareness among religious institutes, but also among parishes, so as to have a clear vision of the housing emergency and find concrete, feasible answers for those who are homeless.
And today we celebrate...