“They say Aslan is on the move- perhaps has already landed.” And now a very curious thing happened. None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different. ― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
In C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, four Pevensie children, led by their oldest brother Peter, help Aslan, a lion who is the Christ-figure of the story, liberate the land of Narnia from the White Witch and a century of bitter winter.
This week the Holy See announced the appointment of Cardinal Baldo Reina as grand chancellor of the Pontifical John Paul II Theological Institute for Marriage and Family Sciences, replacing Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia.
Many of us have been watching with horror over the last nine years as that pontifical institute, established in great part to promote St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, was gutted under Archbishop Paglia’s leadership. Paglia’s many controversial actions are amply described here. They include appointing pro-abortion and pro-contraception scholars to the faculty and expressing some support for assisted suicide.
It remains to be seen what direction the pontifical institute will take under the leadership of Cardinal Reina, but the ice in Narnia seems to be slowly thawing.
References
“Cardinal Reina to lead John Paul II Institute, replacing Paglia after controversy.” Catholic Herald, 19 May 2025, https://thecatholicherald.com/cardinal-reina-to-lead-john-paul-ii-institute-replacing-paglia-after-controversy/. Accessed 21 May 2025.
“Cardinal Reina to replace Archbishop Paglia as John Paul II Institute chancellor | News Headlines.” Catholic Culture, 19 May 2025, https://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=65706. Accessed 21 May 2025.
“Paglia replaced at JPII institute.” The Pillar, 19 May 2025, https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/paglia-replaced-at-jpii-institute. Accessed 21 May 2025.
“Resignations and Appointments.” Resignations and Appointments, 19 May 2025, https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2025/05/19/250519d.html. Accessed 21 May 2025.
