Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe has said that attempts to label him a “progressive” are misguided, insisting that Catholic thought cannot be confined to ideological categories.
In an interview published on February 15 by the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, conducted by its Vatican correspondent Iacopo Scaramuzzi, the English Dominican reflected on the legacy of Pope Francis, the direction of Pope Leo XIV and the ongoing development of synodality in the Church.
Responding to criticism from those who have described him as progressive, Cardinal Radcliffe said such judgements often came from people who had not engaged with his work. “Those who condemn me usually haven’t read anything I’ve written,” he said. “As a Catholic, I cannot accept being put in such a small box. As the Australian novelist Richard Flanagan wrote, ‘Labels are good for jam jars, not for human beings.’”
The cardinal, who was created by Pope Francis and is a former Master of the Dominican Order, also addressed what he described as a tendency in parts of the Church to frame debates in terms of opposing camps. He said that the polarisation between “traditionalists” and “progressives” was foreign to Catholicism and did not reflect the Church’s deeper unity. “There are only a few people who fall into this trap, although they make a lot of noise,” he said.
Cardinal Radcliffe spoke warmly of the late Pope Francis, praising what he called his “passionate commitment to changing things”. He suggested that the reforming energy associated with Francis sat comfortably alongside the approach of his successor. Francis’s drive for renewal and Pope Leo XIV’s emphasis on unity were, he said, “perfectly complementary”.
Leo XIV recently entrusted Cardinal Radcliffe with the introductory meditation at the January consistory, a gathering of cardinals at which matters of importance to the universal Church are discussed. The choice was widely noted in Rome as a sign of confidence in the English prelate’s theological views.
Asked whether Leo XIV would continue or correct what has been described as Francis’s synodal impulse, Cardinal Radcliffe said that the synod was not a fixed programme but a developing reality. “The synod is continually evolving,” he said. “Leo XIV is already advancing synodality in an exciting way.” He did not frame the matter in terms of rupture or reversal, but rather of organic growth.
Turning to questions that have prompted debate in recent years, Cardinal Radcliffe was asked about Fiducia Supplicans, the Vatican declaration concerning pastoral blessings issued under Francis. He replied, “Everyone, everyone, everyone is welcome.” At the same time, he suggested that a more explicitly synodal process might have been helpful before the document was promulgated, indicating that broader consultation could have eased tensions.
The cardinal also addressed the question of women’s roles in the Church. He reiterated that he did not see a convincing theological argument against the diaconal ordination of women, a subject that has been the focus of study commissions and discussion at synodal gatherings. While he did not suggest imminent change, his remarks place him among those who believe the theological debate remains open.
He emphasised what he described as a significant development already under way: the growth of female authority in ecclesial life. “We must not underestimate the enormous increase in female authority in the Church, especially thanks to so many excellent women theologians,” he said. He also pointed to what he called the progressive changes introduced by Pope Francis in appointing women to senior positions within the Roman Curia and other Vatican institutions. “Let us move forward!” he added.
