**US Nuncio Declares Path of Francis, Vatican II the Way Forward for the Church**
*By Charles Richards – LifeSite News, November 14, 2025*
Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, delivered what will likely be his final address to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) this week. At age 79, Pierre will turn 80 at the end of January and is expected to tender his resignation soon. It is unlikely he will return next spring when the bishops convene again.
Since his appointment in 2016, Cardinal Pierre has consistently promoted the vision of Pope Francis. In his remarks, he emphasized:
> “Francis called the Church to speak with a single evangelical voice. His pontificate was marked not by innovation for its own sake but that it might more fully reflect the vision of the Council.”
He further asserted:
> “Even if some are inclined to pursue a path that diverges from the pastoral vision of Francis, we know that the way forward is one that does not diverge but advances on the path of Francis…that is the way of moving forward in the Church.”
While Pierre’s loyalty to Francis is understandable, his claim that the only “path forward” for the Church is that set forth by Francis raises serious theological concerns. The true path forward, as many Catholics would argue, must be the one laid down by Jesus Christ, who remains the eternal head of the Church. Suggesting that the Church after a pope’s death should continue to follow that particular pope, instead of discerning the guidance of the Holy Spirit afresh, is deeply problematic.
Pierre also stressed the enduring importance of the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II):
> “The documents of the Second Vatican Council gifted the Church with a map for the journey ahead. Yet the territory that this map outlined was in many ways uncharted. The vision of the Council was a vision for the future, the prophetic orientation to a world that was only beginning to take shape.”
He sought to connect historical continuity from Pope Leo to the present, citing from a new apostolic letter:
> “In his new apostolic letter on education, Pope Leo… urges educational communities to raise their eyes and know how to ask yourselves, ‘Where are we going and why?’”
Pierre also referenced the Synod on Synodality, stating:
> “The Synod on Synodality invites us to a different way…one that makes communion concrete, allows dialogue to become servant, and catholicity to become shared mission. Polarization too often allows Catholics, even within the same parish or family, to identify more with tribes and ideologies than with the Body of Christ.”
However, such emphasis on synodality and dialogue led critics to question whether Pierre undervalues the Church’s traditional monarchical structure and the perennial magisterium. Many would ask: Isn’t the duty of all Catholics, especially bishops, to remain faithful to Tradition and the deposit of faith handed down from the Apostles?
A recent post from the Substack blog *Radical Fidelity* encapsulated what many traditional Catholics are thinking in light of Pierre’s remarks:
> Which path shall I follow? The path of Francis, or the path of Christ? Shall I navigate by the ‘map’ of Vatican II, or work out my salvation with fear and trembling by the compass of the Gospel? Shall I kneel before the diabolical altar of dialogue, or before the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world? Cardinal Pierre’s speech was not a call to unity, but a call to further suicidal conformity with a revolution that is reaching its crescendo—one that has already replaced our faith, emptied our sanctuaries, and silenced reverence.
The author continues:
> The bishops of America and everywhere else would do well to remember that their mandate is not to follow “the path of Francis,” but the path of the Crucified. Not to guard “the vision of the Council,” but the deposit of faith handed down from the Apostles. For the Bride of Christ does not march to the drums of the age. She kneels before her Lord in fear and trembling and follows only Him.
**Conclusion**
Cardinal Pierre’s address has reignited debate within the Church about the future direction of Catholicism in the United States and globally. The tension between adherence to Vatican II and Pope Francis’ vision, versus fidelity to Tradition and the perennial teachings of the Church, continues to shape the conversation among bishops, clergy, and laypeople alike.
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*Key Topics: Catholic, Current Events*
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/4352763/posts