As every year, Bishop Rey will celebrate midnight mass in the cave of Sainte Baume, before presiding over mass on December 25 in the cathedral of Notre-Dame-de-la-Seds in Toulon. On Christmas Eve, the bishop of Fréjus-Toulon gave us an interview.
With Argentina as world champions, Francis is a happy pope. Can this joy be reflected in the church?
First of all, I would like to point out that the diocese of Fréjus-Toulon welcomes some Argentine priests. Of course, for those who are passionate about football, the joy of seeing their team win the World Cup can have an impact. But there is no immediate link between Christmas – the feast of the incarnation of God made man – and this sporting competition.
However, we can draw some parallels between religion and collective sport, be it football or rugby. In both cases, it requires a strong mobilization for something beyond us, a combination of efforts, harmonies. The dimension of communion is in the DNA of Christianity.
More seriously, how do you experience the escalation of qualifying regarding Messi “the equal of God”.
It is normal that we feel admiration for those who perform feats, but be careful not to fall into adoration or idolatry. It is dangerous to almost take an athlete for God. There is an unhealthy excess in wanting to take God’s place. But very often athletes like Messi, so exalted, do not have this claim because they have already experienced failures, taken beatings and know that this moment of apotheosis is only temporary.
Does football elevated to the status of religion reflect a loss of spirituality?
We are witnessing a devaluation, a loss of Christian and spiritual identities which lead some to project themselves onto mythical, heroic, even sportsmen or artists. I repeat: we are on a crest line. We can recognize someone’s talents but without idolizing them.
After the revelations of the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (CIASE) in the fall of 2021, 2022 was once again difficult. With the Santier and Ricard events, the episcopate was affected. How do you live these repeated scandals?
When I learned the facts during the Conference of Bishops of France, I was initially amazed. In particular with regard to Cardinal Ricard, a character from whom we had the right to expect the utmost probity. Especially after the strong words he had expressed towards the clerics who perpetrated sexual abuse. This tragic inconsistency between words and deeds may have caused some of us to misunderstand, even revolt. These completely inexcusable facts discredit the whole institution, which it is unfair to reduce to these abuses, to this violence. At the same time, this obliges us to further strengthen preventive measures, listening to the victims and training the clergy. A more serious accompaniment of pastors, priests and bishops is needed. And, of course, silence within the church is not tolerable. We must continue our collaboration with the civil authorities to ensure that these cases are dealt with judicially.
Is the Catholic Church of France in danger? Have you noticed a disaffection of the faithful?
In a number of places, it may have caused some people to turn away from the church. But others show their support and refuse to assimilate the excesses of priests, even of bishops, to what they know of the Church. The church doesn’t just bring together perfect people. It’s a laundry room with lots of dirty laundry where resilience and repair work takes place. Recent revelations have highlighted the poor treatment of these files by the diocesan authorities and dysfunctions in the relations between the local, national and Roman authorities. Agreements and protocols have since been put in place with the Vatican to improve this treatment.
The diocese of Fréjus-Toulon has not been spared as the Vatican has forbidden you to ordain priests in the spring. How are your relations with Rome?
This is a suspension, not a ban. Having made this clarification, the negotiations with the Roman authorities continued. We are still working to lift this suspension in order to allow for the ordination of seminarians who are preparing to become priests. It’s a very long process, but we hope to be able to resume orders next spring.
A word precisely on the pastoral journey that you have undertaken throughout the territory of the diocese in the wake of the Vatican decision.
The diocese first adopted a moratorium on welcoming communities. To ensure better integration of the so-called traditionalist communities, we have also drafted the charter of “Saint Léonce”, named after the first bishop of Fréjus. I also launched a large inventory of the communities visited by a dozen priests and lay experts.
To return to the pastoral visits you mention, I go to the parishes. I have already visited twenty parishes including Rians, Saint-Maximin, Le Pradet. Only yesterday I dined with the priests of Mourillon. We are talking about more than 80 priests met personally in the last three months. And I intend to continue to explore all these realities. The idea is to see how parishes operate, what proposals they put in place to animate pastoral life and, if necessary, submit corrective measures to them. I am confident that all of this will bear fruit.
You can’t talk about 2022 without mentioning the war in Ukraine. How to explain that a religious – in this case the priest Kirill – forgives such a conflict?
Traditionally in Russia there is an involvement, a strong link between the political and religious authorities. In France, in the name of the principle of secularism, things are different. The separation between public institutions and religious organizations is a reality. And if the Church engages in politics, it is in the noble sense of the term, for the defense of life, of the fundamental principles of the common good, of solidarity with the poorest. In no case is it a subjection, a submission of the Church to political life. We must be careful not to serve God, instead of serving God.
In this Christmas season, what message would you like to send to Christians?
Christmas is above all the celebration of a child, the child Jesus who reminds us of the dimension of amazement. As Georges Bernanos wrote: “When I appear before God, it is the child I was who will precede me”. Christmas is the day of hope. It’s also a family day out. Around the family of Nazareth we find the founding relationships of our social bond. It is in the family that we learn to live together, that we accept each other, with their differences. And then I would also like to launch a message of solidarity for the most disadvantaged and of peace. The forms of violence that cross our societies are numerous. However, at Christmas time, it’s a little peaceful light that breaks through. And we really need it!
