The Face of Mercy / Daniel Conway

In communication, silence can speak louder than words

“Express how you feel and then be quiet. Because the truth is humble, the truth is silent, the truth isn’t noisy. It’s not easy, what Jesus did; but the dignity of the Christian is anchored in the power of God. With people lacking good will, with people who only seek scandal, who seek only division, who seek only destruction, even within the family: silence, prayer.”
(Pope Francis, homily, September 3, 2018)

Pope Francis surprised many people when he refused to discuss allegations that he knowingly ignored—even covered up—abusive behavior by resigned Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick.

When journalists asked him to comment on the allegations made by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, former nuncio to the United States, the Holy Father said, “I will not say a single word on this.” He then invited journalists to use their investigative skills to determine for themselves whether or not the allegations are truthful.

We are so accustomed to public figures giving strong and often detailed statements in responses to allegations of every kind, that it’s jarring to have someone refuse to say a single word in his own defense. Why has Pope Francis chosen this approach? What does he hope to communicate with his silence?

It’s clear from remarks during a homily by the pope at his Santa Marta residence on Sept. 3 that Pope Francis believes that the former nuncio’s allegations are intended to cause grave harm to the Church. “With people lacking good will,” the pope said, “with people who only seek scandal, who seek only division, who seek only destruction, even within the family: silence, prayer” are the only appropriate responses.

Is Archbishop Viganò someone who only seeks scandal or division? Without more information, it’s impossible to know for sure. And yet, Pope Francis prefers to treat what are grave charges against the pope and many other Church officials both in the U.S. and in the Vatican as the worst kind of scandal‑mongering and, therefore, unworthy of comment.

To gain an insight into the pope’s thinking here, it’s helpful to read his public statement for the 2018 World Day of Communications. In it, the Holy Father said:

“To discern the truth, we need to discern everything that encourages communion and promotes goodness from whatever instead tends to isolate, divide and oppose. Truth, therefore, is not really grasped when it is imposed from without as something impersonal, but only when it flows from free relationships between persons, from listening to one another. Nor can we ever stop seeking the truth, because falsehood can always creep in, even when we state things that are true. An impeccable argument can indeed rest on undeniable facts, but if it is used to hurt another and to discredit that person in the eyes of others, however correct it may appear, it is not truthful. We can recognize the truth of statements from their fruits: whether they provoke quarrels, foment division, encourage resignation; or, on the other hand, they promote informed and mature reflection leading to constructive dialogue and fruitful results.”

In other words, Pope Francis believes that intentions or motivation play an important role in determining the truth or falsehood of an accusation made against someone.

What Pope Francis is telling journalists (and all of us) in his 2018 World Day of Communications message is that both the intentions and the effects of our messaging can help us discern whether or not we are transmitting or receiving the truth.

“Falsehood can always creep in,” the Holy Father says, “even when we state things that are true.” So, if our communication is factually accurate but intended to discredit another or cause harm to individuals or communities, we may well be guilty of spreading fake news. This is doubly true when the information being shared is not accurate or when it is a distortion of the truth.

Time will tell whether Pope Francis has made the right decision here—responding to serious charges of cover‑up with silence and prayer. In the same homily, the pope prayed:

“May the Lord give us the grace to discern when we should speak and when we should stay silent. This applies to every part of life: to work, at home, in society. … Thus we will be closer imitators of Jesus.”

May the Lord also give Pope Francis the grace to confront the scandals that are doing so much damage to our Church and lead us all to a renewed sense of what it truly means to be the one, holy and apostolic Church.
 

(Daniel Conway is a member of The Criterion’s editorial committee.) †