I'm not sure what I can say about Pope Francis except that he was probably the right Pope for our troubled times. Much closer to the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi than other recent Popes, he was challenged to straddle the progressive and conservative forces and factions within the Church - factions which, like in the political spectrum, have the potential to drive people apart. I think he was able to prevent schism and unbridled animosity and keep the peace, however fragile. And dealing with the sexual abuse scandals was a particularly difficult part of his journey - and one of those that where any action came with "damned if you do, damned if you don't" reactions from the world of critics.
I am dismayed by some of the vitriolic criticisms of Francis that I have read in other forums. Like all of us, he had his flaws. But providing guidance, instruction and discipline in a religious-political arena which includes not only the Catholic Church, but the larger, multi-factioned political environment is not an easy or a "black and white" task. Perhaps only the saints among us can fault him for not being the perfect Saint Francis.
May his spirit and compassion continue to guide the Church in the coming days.
https://www.newsweek.com/pope-francis-us-catholic-church-ideology-faith-1822802
2 comments:
He also came to Canada to deliver an in-person apology from the Catholic Church to our indigenous peoples for the horrors of residential schools operated by the Church. Yes, he was not perfect, nor was the apology, but still light-years ahead of the most fascist elements of the Church.
He wasn’t perfect, but much better than what came before. No one could be perfect in that religious structure.
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