Page 100 of Sacred Hearts

Then I step forward into the sunlight.

The roar that greets me is overwhelming—a wall of sound that seems to physically push against me. I raise my hands in blessing, and remarkably, the crowd begins to quiet. Below me stretches a sea of humanity. Rainbow flags wave alongside Vatican banners. Signs bob above the crowd—some proclaiming support, others condemning what they call my sin.

I lean toward the microphone.

“My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, I come before you today in truth and in love.”

My voice echoes across the square, carried by speakers to the furthest reaches of the crowd.

“Many of you have come seeking answers. Some have come demanding my resignation. Others have come to show support. To all of you, I offer my thanks for your presence, and my promise to speak with honesty and conviction.”

I pause, scanning the vast crowd.

“In recent days, as you know, certain cardinals attempted to force my resignation by isolating me and cutting me off from communication. They did this not because of any doctrinal error I have taught, but because I dared to investigate corruption within our Church’s financial institutions, and because I dared to love another human being with dignity and respect.”

Murmurs ripple through the crowd. I continue, my voice growing stronger.

“These cardinals have now been taken into custody, facing charges of financial crimes, obstruction of justice, and potentially worse. Their actions were not motivated by faith or doctrine, but by fear—fear that their decades of corruption would finally be exposed.”

I grip the balcony railing, leaning forward slightly.

“I stand before you now to declare unequivocally: I will not resign. I will not abandon the sacred duty entrusted to me as Successor of Peter. Not because I cling to power—God knows I never sought this office—but because I believe with all my heart that the Holy Spirit is calling our Church to a moment of profound renewal.”

The square has fallen eerily silent. Even the protesters seem to be listening intently.

“Since the earliest days of my papacy, I have prayed for guidance on how to lead Christ’s Church in this complex modern world. I have studied Scripture, consulted theologians, and most importantly, I have listened—listened to the voices of the faithful across the globe, to theirhopes, their struggles, their pain.”

I take a deep breath.

“What I have heard, again and again, is a yearning for a Church that truly embodies Christ’s radical love—a love that knows no boundaries, that excludes no one, that sees the divine image in every human face.”

Now I enter the heart of my message, the words I’ve prayed over for countless hours.

“Two thousand years ago, our Lord Jesus Christ gave us one commandment above all others: to love one another as He has loved us. This love—selfless, sacrificial, unconditional—is the cornerstone of our faith. Yet throughout history, we have sometimes failed to fully embody this teaching, creating doctrines and practices that have excluded, marginalized, and wounded many of God’s children.”

I pause, aware of the weight of my next words.

“I stand before you today as both Pope and man. As Pope, I am called to shepherd Christ’s flock with wisdom and compassion. As man, I have experienced the profound gift of human love—a love that has deepened my understanding of God’s love, not diminished it.”

The crowd stirs. I see tears on some faces, anger on others.

“For too long, our Church has approached human sexuality through the lens of restriction rather than celebration. We have treated love between persons of the same gender as disordered rather than as another expression of God’s creative diversity. We have burdened our clergy with mandatory celibacy without fully acknowledging the gift that committed relationships can be.”

I spread my hands wide.

“Today, I announce that I am convening an Extraordinary Synod on Human Sexuality and Love, beginning tomorrow. All cardinals are hereby summoned to Rome immediately. This synod will reexamine our teachings in light of both Scripture and the lived experience of the faithful. It will be guided by Christ’s commandment to love andby the most recent theological scholarship from around the globe.”

Gasps and murmurs ripple through the crowd. I press on.

“Additionally, I am implementing immediate reforms to ensure complete financial transparency within the Vatican Bank and all Church institutions. The corruption that has festered in shadow will be brought into the light. Those who have used the Church’s resources for personal gain or criminal enterprise will be held accountable.”

I lean forward, my voice growing more passionate.

“Some will say these changes betray our tradition. I say they fulfill it. For what is our tradition if not the ongoing revelation of God’s love throughout human history? The Gospels show us a Christ who consistently challenged the religious authorities of His time when they placed rules above compassion, when they used religion to exclude rather than embrace.”

The sun emerges from behind a cloud, bathing the square in golden light. I take it as a sign to continue.

“I know that for many of you, this is difficult to hear. Change always is. But I ask you to open your hearts to the possibility that the Holy Spirit is moving among us now, just as at Pentecost, bringing new understanding for a new age.”

---