(LifeSiteNews) — When a pontificate lasts for many years, it is natural to think about what will happen when it ends. A Catholic looks to the future of the Church. So what is appropriate for the time to come?
The Church lives by Tradition; she must always return to it, especially when she has been indifferent to or has distanced herself from it because of a fascination with a worldly agenda. Tradition is not a mere repetition of the same thing but a living reality that grows and develops. St. Vincent of Lérins enunciated this many centuries ago: “In eodem scilicet dogmate, eodem sensu, eademque sententia” – that is, a development in which Tradition remains always identical but always new. This is its richness. The Church of the coming years must return to the richness of Tradition. In many countries the young have understood this as their elders remain attached to passing novelties. This fact, which can be statistically proven, is paradoxical.
A second element that should be an integral part of the Church’s program in the coming years is renewed life to the apostolic mandate that the Twelve received from Jesus and transmitted to posterity: to make all peoples and all times believe in the Gospel. The exercise of this mandate implies making known the Person and work of Christ. Despite centuries of development, the Church continues to be a “little flock” in the vast world. The mission is essential in her life. In particular it is necessary to strengthen the enclaves already established in pagan regions or where ancient religions still exist.
Another element that spontaneously expands the life of the Church is the dialogue between faith and culture, which has as its goal the creation of a Christian culture. Church history testifies that throughout the centuries there were times when Christian culture was a reality. The works of those periods remain as proofs and at the same time constitute examples for the future. It is not a question of copying these models; in every epoch, the worldly reality offers a new opportunity that the validity of the faith takes advantage of. It is the perennial realization of the faith-culture dialogue.
The direction of the Church points to heaven. That is the purpose of the creation of the ecclesial space which arose at Pentecost with Peter’s speech. How does the figure of the first among the Twelve continue in the papacy? Peter arrived in Rome and ended his days there. When you go to Rome, they show you Peter’s tomb. It cannot be denied. History corroborates it. But the Church preaches the end, which is the consummation of the kingdom, of which she is a modest foretaste.
The Church’s preaching to the faithful must show them heaven as the goal of every life. It will also explain that heaven is the vision of the Triune God “face to face.” The Apostle John wrote: “When we see him, we shall be like him” (1 Jn. 3:2).
+ Héctor Aguer
Archbishop Emeritus of La Plata
Buenos Aires, Monday, March 3, 2025