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‘The heart of Jesus’: Abbot Marcel reflects on two men of God
by Nathan Byrne
“Ad extra, ad intra,” Abbot Marcel Rooney answered succinctly when asked about the legacy of Pope John Paul II.
“Inside and outside,” he translated, sensing that his visitor’s Latin wasn’t up-to-snuff, “John Paul’s relationships inside and outside the Catholic Church define his legacy.”
Abbot Marcel Rooney in a 2000 photograph with Pope John Paul II. Abbot
Marcel came to know both John Paul and Pope Benedict XVI during his
time as Abbot Primate in Rome.
During the second of two stints in Rome – 1986-93 and 1996-2000 (when he served as Primate of the Benedictine Order) – Abbot Marcel worked closely with both Pope John Paul and Pope Benedict XVI.
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Abbot Marcel calls John Paul’s relationships outside the Church “extraordinary,” citing three strong examples:
• Transforming the Church’s relationship with the Jews
• Outreach to the Muslim community
• Extraordinary steps toward reunion with the Eastern churches
“He erased the hatred with the Jews when he went to the Wailing Wall,” Abbot Marcel said of John Paul’s outreach to Israel, “He called them our elder brothers in the biblical faith.”
Then John Paul showed that his motives were rooted in the truth of the Scriptures and the Catholic Church, said Abbot Marcel, not in politics. When the Pope reached out to Yasser Arafat and the Muslims – a move that caught him a lot of flak from the Jews with whom he had just bridged a gap – he showed that he was not the pope of any one group, but rather a pope for everybody.
“That move,” said Abbot Marcel, “shows the coolness and the balance of John Paul.”
The cable news networks, like CNN, seem to have “insiders” who have their own insiders. But Abbot Marcel says they are ignoring John Paul’s third great relationship.
“He took extraordinary steps toward reunion with the Eastern churches,” Abbot Marcel said, “He asked theologians on both sides to rethink Roman primacy, which is a stunning, stunning thing.”
Abbot Marcel says John Paul’s social justice outreach and his work on the Catholic Church’s relationship with all Protestant churches are also important parts of his legacy.
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“We’re not talking blue state, red state,” said Abbot Marcel regarding the media coverage following John Paul’s death. “We’re talking about the truth of the Catholic Church that has been handed down for 2,000 years.”
Recalling John Paul’s relationships inside the Church, Abbot Marcel cites an “indomitable faith” and “undying trust in God.” He goes on to call John Paul “a man of tremendous love … and profound faith conviction, who was very clear on what Catholic faith is.”
“You know his conviction was coming from the core of his being,” the abbot said, calling the late pope a “straight-shooter.”
While the media paints a picture that may be more palatable for its mainstream audience, Abbot Marcel says they lose sight of the man and his meaning when they politicize the papacy.
“He set the bar high regarding the truth revealed in Scripture and in the Catholic Church,” Abbot Marcel said. “He acted like a stern father sometimes, yet was always loving.”
He says Pope Benedict XVI is the gentler of the two. He calls the new pope “one of the most brilliant theologians in the world,” and describes John Paul as “more of a philosopher.”
“Both men really have the heart of Jesus,” Abbot Marcel said.
We welcome your comments:
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