After Leo appointed Alvarado to head one of the Vatican’s dicasteries I remarked that I though he was thinking with mind of Christ and promptly got it from both sides. Some of my readers instantly hated her because of her association with EWTN and scoldingly reminded me that we don’t have to “defend everything Leo does”. Others remarked, “So Mark Shea is your head exploding because EWTN is eeevvvvuuuullll according to “Liberals” and social justice warriors like yourself?”
To take the second point first:
Nope. Jesus chose both Matthew the Tax Collector and Simon the Zealot to be his disciples. Leo is working to foster unity among the same herd of cats. It is inevitable that some of his attempts to do that will involve drawing on people who will not be trusted by some segment of the Church. I don’t trust EWTN and I think Francis was right to remark that they do the work of the devil, but I know nothing about this particular person. I do trust that Leo is smart, knows the US Church, and is willing to take a chance on her. So we’ll see how it goes. I don’t so much defend him as I don’t instantly assume the worst about him. Meanwhile, what seems to go entirely unnoticed is the historic fact that this is the first laywoman ever appointed to such a position.
I used to think a) it’s just a matter of time before we saw laywoman cardinals and b) I would not live to see it. Now I’m not so sure–about b.
Ordinatio Sacerdotalis has the surprising effect of making clear that the Church sees no way to ordain women to the sacerdotal priesthood, with the marked corollary that there is absolutely nothing stopping women from the kingly and prophetic offices. Consequently, there is nothing in the world to prevent women from being cardinals (which is a function of the kingly office). We have already had lay cardinals in the past.
(For those unfamiliar with such matters, cardinals are an invention of the medieval Church. They were invented to take care of the logistical business of electing the pope. It is an office that no more is part of sacred tradition than a parish council convened to take care of re-roofing the church building. It’s a purely human invention. As such, there is no more reason that women cannot be appointed cardinals than that they cannot be appointed school principal, financial manager, queen, abbess, prime minister, president–or head of a dicastery, which is also a purely human invention for getting stuff done.)
As to the first point: EWTN is a deeply toxic propaganda machine at war with the Church and the Holy Father. That said, I know nothing about this particular person, but I trust Leo’s judgment that she is worth the risk. When I say that he is trying to think with the mind of Christ, I don’t mean I think his prudential gamble is infallible. I mean that Jesus also chose high risk people like Simon the Zealot and Matthew the Tax Collector and did not appear to care about the fallout. Leo may be making a bad bet, but I much prefer him thinking like Christ to him thinking with the knee jerk tribal hatreds of American discourse, left and right. So I’m willing to take a wait-and-see attitude, rather like Msgr. Holquin, whose essay I posted here yesterday, which you should really read if you haven’t.
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3 Responses
The fact that he chose a laywoman, ANY laywoman, is fantastic. It’s reasonably clear that Montse Alvarado knows a bit about mass media; that’s bound to be useful. I don’t actually know anything about her politics, because I deliberately avoid EWTN political propaganda.
Regardless, I love the nifty twist of it — EWTN has been up in the Pope’s grill, EWTN is the guardian of tradition at all costs, and yet, and now — some WOMAN from EWTN is heading up a dicastery for the Pope. I can’t imagine quite how EWTN will find a way to bitch about it.
Separately, I’m grateful to mark for leading me to Msgr. Holquin’s substack. He is very much worth reading.
1. This is why I don’t do Facebook anymore. It assaults my peace. Instagram is bad enough, but at least my friends and family aren’t arguing about politics there.
2. I’m told that higher education is lamenting a “demographic cliff”. The 2008 financial meltdown had a huge impact on those of childbearing years who decided they couldn’t afford children. Lo and behold, as of 2025 there aren’t many 18 year olds. I would imagine there is another demographic cliff looming, (boomers). EWTN is doing a good job of finishing the job with cortisol spikes for their brainwashed viewers.
3. The EWTN boomers will never connect their “conservative” Republican, financial views– with the erasure of children and families. Of course not. I read a funny but sad article the other day about Boomers being the most spoiled generation of all time. Their parents wanted to give them everything because of what they themselves saw and suffered. Failed experiment.
How is she “controversial”? Like most people, some people like her, some don’t.