Before the arrival of the Pope, Corsica was in full “Bustillomania”. The island is preparing to welcome the sovereign pontiff on Sunday December 15 for a 24-hour visit, a historic first in a territory where the Catholic faith is very anchored. If all eyes are on the Pope, another well-known Catholic personality on the island is at the forefront: the Cardinal of Ajaccio for Corsica François Bustillo. He is one of the architects of the visit to the island of Pope Francis, with whom he maintains a bond of friendship. Very popular, the 55-year-old Franco-Spanish prelate has brought a breath of fresh air to the church, praise his Corsican faithful.
The Bustillo effect, “it’s magic”summarize Joséphine, 84 years old, and her neighbors sitting on a bench near the Ajaccio Christmas market. Between decorations, rehearsals and logistics, the city is in turmoil before the arrival of the pope, who must celebrate an open-air mass in front of a thousand people. “It’s true that he’s very pleasant, he looks like a young first-timer”continue the friends about François Bustillo. They are inexhaustible on the cardinal of Corsica: “The future pope, we hope”adds Joséphine with a mischievous air.
Since his appointment as bishop of Corsica in 2021, after having been parish priest in Narbonne for a long time, he has revitalized the diocese, applauds Alice, 89 years old.
“Before, the church was practically empty. Since he arrived, it’s been crazy crowded. Sometimes it’s impossible to attend mass.”
Alice, faithful Corsicanat franceinfo
In front of the ocher facade of Ajaccio Cathedral, renovated in record time for the Pope’s arrival, André Di Scala known as “Dédé”, an independentist figure who manages the thousand volunteers mobilized for the event, is also grateful . “To arrive today at this extraordinary visit, there had to be a man like Cardinal Bustillo, he explains. Seeing His Holiness among us, frankly, we don’t believe it yet, we pinch ourselves.”
In his office at the bishopric, François Bustillo, who is nicknamed “the pope’s favorite”, don’t ignore the criticism in the middle of this concert of praise: “We don’t live on the planet Mars.” He assumes his rapid rise within the church and his star side with the front page of Paris Match and Instagram. “I didn’t look for anything, I didn’t plan anything, I didn’t calculate anything, he assures. I was named bishop, it happens, then cardinal, I didn’t expect it at all. And I didn’t expect the Pope to come to Corsica either. So, I live it with detachment and with joy.”
Identity figures, from the extreme right, gravitate around him and hold a speech contrary to that of the Pope on the reception of migrants. “We must speak to everyone and a bishop cannot be sectariandefends François Bustillo. We can’t say: ‘Hey, there are the good ones, I’m talking to the good ones. There are the bad guys and I leave them aside.’ Let’s not forget that Jesus went to eat with the fishermen, he was criticized. You see me with autonomists, with others who want independence, with people who are on the right, with people who are on the left, with certain people. I don’t share their outlook on life, but I don’t want to make these people my enemies.”he concludes.
