By Thomas Reese
Pope Francis has nice things to say about almost everyone: LGBTQ Catholics, prisoners, prostitutes, migrants and sinners. The one group he regularly chastises is the clergy, frequently telling them not to act like princes, and instead to remember they are servants of the people of God.
He has modeled this by putting away jeweled crosses, ermine furs and red shoes and being pastoral rather than imperial in style.
Francis, however, still treats Vatican officials as princes. He rarely fires anyone, and even those he exiles he tends to have back for a meal, or to rehire. After all, it’s impossible to fire a prince.
Look at the British royalty. Although they refer to themselves as “the firm,” they are still a family. Prince Andrew was involved in scandals and is being kept out of the public eye, but he is still a prince. Prince Harry is playing hooky from his royal duties in California, but he is still a prince. You cannot be fired from a family.
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