edited by Rita Salerno

"There was once a Vatican", the last work of Massimo Franco portrays the difficulties not of the Holy See, because the Catholic Church remains a strong institution, established and prestigious. But certainly of "a" Catholicism: what in the West was, by definition, a majority, lived in a sphere of moral superiority and undisputed self-reference, and was able to keep its secrets as pills or distill the wisdom of two thousand years. What has happened in recent years seems to say that the mechanism is jammed, and perhaps broken. And the temporal coincidence  with the geopolitical crisis in the United States can not lead to  hypothesize  an outbreak, a burst of the Vatican "ethics bull" , in parallel to the Western financial and military.

In this context, communication errors are inserted, the pedophilia scandals that emerged from the past,  the wars between cardinals are symptoms rather than causes of this crisis.  But these difficulties also contribute to hit the credibility of the Vatican. And, the papacy of Benedict XVI seems to be almost the scapegoat. The crisis may have arisen since the end of the Cold War, which leaves us alone with our own contradictions, including the Vatican. It is revealed in Italy itself, where the influence of the bishops and the Pope over the electorate has sharply fallen, and political Catholicism has been reduced to a almost residual reality. To Massimo Franco,  commentator and envoy to "Il Corriere della Sera" and member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London and author of several successful books, we asked some questions.

You write that "one can see the seeds of a crisis of a Vatican in the triumphant and apparently glorious years of the predecessor of Benedict XVI." In particular, you say that “unresolved issues were nestled in the folds of success, those have finally allowed, led opponents of the Church to crush in the past attacking the last bastion of moral principles, precisely the plan of ethics." Do you think that the extraordinary personality of Karol Wojtyla capable of controlling the media, was the cause or pretext to disguise this emerging crisis?

"Neither the cause nor excuse. I think, inevitably, the world’s attention has focused on big hits, especially international, of John Paul II. His happy prominence in the last phase of the struggle against communism, but also his long illness has become the figure, the style of the final stages of his pontificate. And, especially in recent years, while the mental categories and  the world ‘s structures changed in the wake of the Cold War, the Vatican has ruled only slightly, and the paradigms and the mode of action has remained stuck in, anchored to the past. To do this, Benedict XVI was in the uncomfortable condition of inheriting a great pontificate, but also left unresolved problems for some years. I am referring either problems of daily management of the Curia, and others related to the new international agenda that the Holy See should do, or the choice of a post-Cold War leadership.

How do you see the future of the two "parallel empires" - the United States and the Vatican - after such deep shocks received? And what they have learned both in the field of emergency management?

 "I think they both reflect, with their internal problems, weakness and disorientation that is experiencing the West. And both the U.SA.. and the Vatican seem more bent on themselves, in an effort to manage and configure a new era, which opened to a world in which new balances are maturing, which tend to reduce the role of the Vatican and the United States."

"The intellectual papacy of Benedict XVI - you said - seems bent on itself, attacking from the outside and undermined from within and cannot dictate its own agenda."  It will reclaim and obtain the primacy of the Church that has enjoyed in the past?

"I do not know whether it will succeed, but I am very aware of the challenge ahead. I think it's important to have identified the West as Europe and the land on which it will decide the future of Catholicism and the values of democracy. Displays deep concern at what has happened in recent years, and the evolution of the situation may have if not analyzed and eventually, if no action is taken with appropriate cultural tools.”

In the analysis of critical points, could not miss that  relates to communication? And in particular in the case of pedophilia, which are determinants errors?

"I have the impression that the Vatican and the bishops have struggled to raise awareness of the cultural revolution that took place in recent decades. During the Cold War, the accusation of pedophilia could be considered an indictment of the totalitarian regimes of <politics> against priests to discredit them. And the moral primacy of the Church allowed him to handle these crimes as a sin, a secret deviance resolved by shifting the blame, or isolated. But with the end of the Cold War, sin has <laical> if you can say that. It appeared  the abuses for what they are: crimes, crimes for which any person, priest or not, must correctly answer the court. The Catholic Church was forced to discover that the old method no longer worked. But it was too late: in 2002, when the first scandal broke in Boston, United States, it was thought, or pretended to believe that this was an <american> phenomenon. On the other hand, it was the advance of what has happened after seven years in Europe, South America, Australia. And the way in which the Cardinals have also commented to the abuses revealed a delay and a very troubling cultural confusion, helping to fuel the controversy and to reflect the shortfall, not only communicative to front the problem."

What is the model of church that will emerge from this crisis caused by power struggles, blunders and an unprecedented crisis that has affected it?

"I do not know. I think that will have to rely more on the role of the laity and admit things that were once considered out of the question. Above all, will review its relations with the West, which I think today there is deep misunderstanding and increasing, perhaps not felt in Italy. What is over is the Vatican shaped by the Cold War and represented the hegemony of the West that no longer exists. A Vatican was able to direct voters, and we saw that in Italy is not yet so. With an education that all the public accepts, even if not shared. The delay I can see for this reason. The Vatican, during the long pontificate and after the long illness of John Paul II, has a slightly undervalued exchange global paradigm. With the collapse of communism has failed the historical, noticeable, clear, ideological enemy. "

What role can play the religious men and women  in this crisis of Catholicism? And particularly in old Europe, lost and secularized?
"Very big, I think. But it is also very humble. The risk that I see is that of a < religious control > that tends towards self-referentiality, an attitude that tends to recrimination and separation before a highly secularized societies, in fact, that seems unable to speak to the majority. A great challenge has been and is the new role of the Church in a secularized West and that, without the excuse of the Cold War, faced a secularization that took place in all its power. Before that, Catholicism has to redefine the identity of their world, and  when they will face an external challenge will be redefined more clearly. In my opinion these two challenges go hand in hand, but the most dangerous opponent is not that, threatening Islamism, but the smile of relativism which does not attack the Church, but is based on indifference. Certainly there are forces fighting against the Church. But they do so by exploiting the weaknesses in it. So the Pope Benedict XVI is right to say that the former enemies are inside the Church and not outside. The problem is that Pope John Paul II, which led to victory over communist ideology, has some 'neglected the new issues that faced on the world stage, because in the end everyone was focused on his long illness. Benedict XVI then had to face problems left to rot for many years. Governance issues, issues related to the Church’s presence in the West  totally changed. "

In many circles there was talk of a conspiracy against the Church. Thesis that you are not geared to lend. But that could be a symptom of an attitude of self exculpation?

"I don’t give it much credence but, I think, Benedict XVI himself. The plots may still be there. The question is whether there are conditions for tissues. I'm sure there are environments that want to delegitimize and discredit Catholic Church, and which take advantage of this phase to do so. But I also believe that simply cry out to the plot does not solve anything and ends to protect people and situations that should instead be resolved today and marginalized. Better to look reality in the face, and acknowledge that it is not encouraging in the interior of the Church. "

With the death of John Paul II - you write- closes an era. Also for the Italian Episcopal Conference and its President Ruini who has led for sixteen years. After Bagnasco, which features deemed to be a shepherd of souls that will govern the CEI for the next five years?

"It is not for me to say. I can only say that I think that today the CEI has a less political approach to the Italian situation. And that plays a particularly valuable role to safeguard and further develop the unity of our country, and offering a very valuable help, I would say essential one, for the State and the President of the Republic. I also note that there is a tension, if not a contrast between the Vatican Secretary of State and the CEI summit about who has the task of dialogue with Italy's political institutions. An ambiguity that  is the source of misunderstandings"

It's recent publication of the interview book "Light of the world" in which Benedict XVI responds to questions from the German journalist Peter Seewald on most of the themes of his book.  How do you read this book on the scenario described by you in " Once there was a Vatican / C'era una volta un Vaticano"?

 "I have not read it yet, and therefore I can’t answer your question."