Papal vacuum: the just must rise above the noise of power

The death of the leader of the Catholic Church, who was a champion of the marginalised, has left a profound void and a challenge: to raise the voices of the just above the clamour of the babblers

- Marianne Thamm

The death of Pope Francis, one of the most humane and beloved of Catholic pontiffs, leaves the world's vulnerable and oppressed with one less voice against the cacophony of tongues of fire from evangelicals such as Paula White.

White was Donald Trump's “spiritual and campaign adviser” during his 2016 bid for the US presidency. Paula White Ministries now has an online store selling trinkets and blessings, and takes “offerings” in return.

Trump himself is selling a personalised “God Bless the USA Bible”, which will set you back about $60. Like a Vatican trinket shop selling blessed rosaries and bracelets of saints, Trump has set himself up as the Orange Pope of prosperity religion — his own prosperity.

Moral compass

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was the first Latin American pontiff and the world that shaped him also guided his moral compass and his understanding of the poor, the oppressed, the marginalised and the powerful role of the church.

As former archbishop of Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, he chose Francis as his papal name, after St Francis of Assisi - the saint of prayer and peace.

In a world where the richest man, Elon Musk, has claimed that “empathy” is “suicidal” for Western society and that technology, instead, will save humankind, a strong, moral countervoice is desperately needed. Who will it be?

Scandals in the church