With the rise of Donald Trump and his supporters, Americans have become familiar with references to the “Deep State”—that class of political power-brokers who hold themselves responsible for the affairs of the nation. The doyens of this Deep State can tolerate shift in the political power balance. They are confident that if their party is voted out of office, they will be back soon enough. In any case they can work with the opposing party, since on fundamental issues their ideologies are not too far apart. But the denizens of the Deep State will vigorously resist any dramatic change in policies. They represent the strong inertial power of the status quo.
Is there a “Deep State” within the Vatican? In theory the offices of the Roman Curia exist only to carry out the wishes of the Roman Pontiff. But every bureaucracy has its own institutional interests, its tendencies toward self-preservation and self-aggrandizement. Why should the Roman Curia be any different?
Over the past two decades we have witnessed concerted efforts by two Pontiffs (and now a third has begun) to reform the chaotic financial affairs of the Vatican. Those efforts have encountered determined resistance in the Curia, and to date that resistance has warded off the serious changes that would ensure transparency and accountability. The same three Popes have repeatedly demanded a full commitment to the fight against clerical abuse, yet the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors still complains about a lack of cooperation. Cynical Romans remark that Popes come and go, but the Roman Curia remains. Isn’t that the equivalent of the Deep State?
Yesterday I wrote about the overweening power of the Vatican Secretariat of State. Stato wins every important intramural battle, with or without papal approval. The late Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who held sway as Secretary of State from 1991 to 2006, literally did not leave his office for months after he was replaced by Pope Benedict XVI, and even after he finally vacated his desk, he remained an influential player in Vatican affairs until his death in 2022.
Now Pope Leo faces the formidable challenge of coaxing the entrenched bureaucracy to reflect his priorities. The first step in that process, naturally, will be to choose his own leadership team.
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