No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchivePope’s departure raises hopes among Latin American critics

Pope’s departure raises hopes among Latin American critics

Pope Benedict XVI’s surprise resignation awakened hopes among Latin American supporters of liberation theology for an easing of Vatican pressure on left-leaning clerics.

“We hope that a new pope will create a more open atmosphere, and that Christians can have a dialogue about modern society without so many suspicions and criticisms,” Brazilian theologian Leonardo Boff said on Venezuela’s Telesur.

Boff, a leading figure in liberation theology who studied under the pope when he was still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, said 85-year-old Benedict XVI has been a “very controversial and complicated” figure.

Benedict’s decision to resign at the end of the month, announced Monday to the astonishment of Catholics worldwide, removes a central figure in the church’s internal ideological struggles.

As Vatican doctrinal enforcer under Pope John Paul II, Ratzinger spearheaded the opposition to liberation theology, a movement with Marxist overtones that swept Latin America in the 1970s.

Boff said the pope’s style in the past six years, which he described as “bureaucratic” and “tough,” “has made a lot of people feel like the Church is not their spiritual home any more.”

This pope “has a very large negative impact on the history of Christian theology. He will go down in history as a Pope who was an enemy of the intelligence of poor people, and of their allies,” Boff said.

The Jesuit community of El Salvador, which for decades has supported liberation theology, praised the pontiff’s resignation as a “responsible act.”

But it slammed him for not moving forward during his pontificate on the beatification of Salvadoran archbishop Oscar Romero, a tireless defender of the poor.

José María Tojeira, pastoral chief at the Jesuit Universidad Centroamericano in San Salvador, said Benedict XVI had a “debt” with local Catholics, voicing hope that Romero’s beatification will come in a few more years.

Romero was slain in March 1980 by a right-wing death squad, after pushing insistently for greater social justice and respect for human rights, openly challenging the Cold War-era local political and military oligarchy.

Trending Now

Costa Rica’s Air Travel is Evolving with Route Shifts

Airlines are reshaping their paths to Costa Rica, with some Latin American carriers pulling back while others from Canada, Mexico, and Europe step up...

Costa Rica Nominates Rebeca Grynspan for UN Secretary-General Role

Costa Rica has put forward Rebeca Grynspan as its candidate for United Nations secretary-general, a move that highlights the nation's push for stronger Latin...

New Poison Dart Frog Species Discovered in Peru’s Amazon

Peruvian researchers have identified a new poison dart frog in the Amazon rainforest, adding to the region's rich array of wildlife. The tiny creature,...

Costa Rican Hotels Warn of Job Risks Amid Drop in Tourists

Hotels across Costa Rica face mounting pressures as tourist numbers dip and a sluggish dollar exchange rate eats into their earnings. From January to...

Costa Rica Faces a Must-Win for a Place in 2026 World Cup

Costa Rica's national soccer team faces a defining stretch in their bid to reach the 2026 World Cup. With just two points from their...

Riu Guanacaste Hotel Reopens in Costa Rica After Renovation

The Riu Guanacaste hotel in Costa Rica has reopened after a complete renovation, welcoming guests back to its beachfront spot on Matapalo Beach. The...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica