To better understand the impulses and the conflicts that are characterizing the Catholic Church under Pope Francis, it could be helpful to look back at the dialectical relation between Catholicism and Modernity in the context of European constitutional history. The legislative activity of pope Francis concerning the Vatican City State has in fact a profound constitutional nature, intending to modernize State institutions of the Holy See. Pope Francis' constitutionalism goes together with an unprecedented endorsement and appreciation of the European Union as a supra-national institution and political body. Drawing on these two key issues, and looking at the modern European constitutional history, the article tries to outline some main aspects of a Catholic politics to come within the European context.

 

(by Marcello Neri)