![FrancisQuitoR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/FrancisQuitoR.png)
Elected on 13 March 2013,
Francis
Francis may refer to:
People
*Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome
* Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Francis (surname)
Places
*Rural ...
is the first member of the
Society of Jesus
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
to be appointed
pope
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
and the first non-European to hold the office since the
8th century
The 8th century is the period from 701 ( DCCI) through 800 ( DCCC) in accordance with the Julian Calendar. The coast of North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula quickly came under Islamic Arab domination. The westward expansion of the Umayyad E ...
. He described his papal name as pointing to what he wants to emulate in Saint
Francis of Assisi
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a mystic Italian Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most venerated figures in Christianit ...
: to have a poor church, for the poor, always going out to the margins, and to show concern for the natural environment. His papal motto ''Miserando atque eligendo'' ("by having mercy and by choosing") contains a central theme of his papacy, God's mercy,
which has led to conflict with
traditionalists on issues such as reception of
Communion by remarried Catholics. In addressing real life situations he often appeals directly to Jesus's emphases, in continuity with the
Second Vatican Council
The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st Catholic ecumenical councils, ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions) ...
which showed a renewed emphasis on the New Testament sources of Catholic teaching. He has placed greater emphasis on church synods and on widespread consultation and dialogue, uplifting the roles of laypersons and of women in the Catholic church and criticizing
clericalism
Clericalism is the application of the formal, church-based, leadership or opinion of ordained clergy in matters of either the Church or broader political and sociocultural import.
Clericalism is usually, if not always, used in a pejorative sense ...
.
Francis' concern for the poor is noted in his critiques of unbridled capitalism, his quite visible support of refugees and migrants, and his outreach to liberationist, anarchist, communist, socialist and liberal movements in Latin America that were under a cloud during papacy of
John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
.
Francis has stated that he considers himself to be
conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
.
His
apostolic exhortation ''
Evangelii gaudium'' (''Joy of the Gospel''), released eight months after his election, has been described as programmatic, and "a core document of this pontificate", in his own words "pointing out new paths for the Church's journey for years to come." He has become known also for his "sharp and unscripted remarks".
Vatican II revisited
Pope Francis
Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...
is described as being in close continuity with the
Second Vatican Council
The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st Catholic ecumenical councils, ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions) ...
of Catholic
bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
s (1962-1965) that strove to read the
"signs of the times" and to address new questions that challenged the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
in the mid-twentieth century, such as its appeal to non-Western cultures. It has been suggested that the pontificate of Pope Francis will be looked upon as the "decisive moment in the history of the church in which the full force of the Second Vatican Council's reformist vision was finally realized."
Francis returned to the Vatican II theme of ''ressourcement'', looking back beyond the Catholic philosophical tradition that had originated with
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, OP (; it, Tommaso d'Aquino, lit=Thomas of Aquino; 1225 – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar and priest who was an influential philosopher, theologian and jurist in the tradition of scholasticism; he is known wi ...
seven centuries before, and looking to original sources in the
New Testament
The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...
.
In contrast to
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
(1978-2005) who emphasized continuity with the past in Vatican II's teachings,
Francis' words and actions have been noted for their emphasis on Jesus himself and on mercy: a "church that is poor and for the poor", "disposal of the baroque trappings" in liturgical celebrations, and revision of the institutional aspects of the church.
He appointed more
cardinals
Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to:
Animals
* Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds
**''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae
**''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...
from the southern hemisphere and formed a
Council of Cardinal Advisers
The Council of Cardinals (called C9 due to the fact it contained 9 cardinal members for some time), also known as the Council of Cardinal Advisers, is a group of Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinals of the Catholic Church appointed by Pope Francis ...
from around the world to advise him on reform, which a church historian calls the "most important step in the history of the church for the past 10 centuries." ''
Fortune
Fortune may refer to:
General
* Fortuna or Fortune, the Roman goddess of luck
* Luck
* Wealth
* Fortune, a prediction made in fortune-telling
* Fortune, in a fortune cookie
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''The Fortune'' (1931 film) ...
'' magazine in March 2014 singled out this move in ranking Francis first among "the world's 50 greatest leaders". This is might be seen in his implementing Vatican II's call for a more
collegial
Collegiality is the relationship between colleagues. A colleague is a fellow member of the same profession.
Colleagues are those explicitly united in a common purpose and respect each other's abilities to work toward that purpose. A colleague is ...
style of leadership and for reform of the
Roman Curia.
Francis has said that "realities are more important than ideas".
Through much of Francis' thought there is an insistence on striking a new course, creating tension between different aspects of Catholic teaching which he says "must constantly be re-rooted in pastoral realities."
He has been popular with people across religious lines from the start of his papacy.
Brendan Leahy
Brendan Leahy (born 28 March 1960) is an Irish Roman Catholic prelate and theologian who has served as Bishop of Limerick since 2013.
Early life
Leahy was born in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, on 28 March 1960, the third of four children to Ma ...
, Bishop of
Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
, sees Francis' priorities as: formation of the
clergy
Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
and
laity
In religious organizations, the laity () consists of all members who are not part of the clergy, usually including any non-ordained members of religious orders, e.g. a nun or a lay brother.
In both religious and wider secular usage, a layperson ...
to be capable of warming peoples' hearts, walking with them, dialoguing, and mending their brokenness; solidarity and collegiality; being in a permanent state of mission, with a maternal heart; and speaking up on social justice issues, for the improvement of society.
According to the editors of a collection of essays on Francis, "the essence of Francis' theology is formed by a commitment to the poor and the marginalized, and unwillingness to pass moral judgment on others, a dislike of legalism and decrees from on high, and a distrust of monolithic institutions."
Francis is very much at home with
Dostoyevsky
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (, ; rus, Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский, Fyódor Mikháylovich Dostoyévskiy, p=ˈfʲɵdər mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪdʑ dəstɐˈjefskʲɪj, a=ru-Dostoevsky.ogg, links=yes; 11 November 18219 ...
's phrase, "Beauty will save the world." "He's encouraging the Church to live joyfully in the power of Christ's presence, open to the wisdom of the Spirit."
The Church's mission
As regards "tensions and conflicts in the church" under Pope Francis, it has been suggested that "the reason for the uneasiness is the pope’s emphasis on mission. There is a profound difference between a church that is a nest or a niche, in which one can find peace, tranquility and seeming stability, and a church that sees itself as missionary through and through – always going out, reaching out to the margins."
Pope Francis from the start of his papacy has called for "a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church’s customs ... and structures can be suitably channeled for the evangelization of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation."
For Francis, "missionary outreach is ''paradigmatic for all the Church’s activity''” and it is "the entire People of God which evangelizes", called by their baptism to be missionary disciples. They should be troubled in conscience that so many, our brothers and sisters, live without the sense of purpose and consolation that come from knowing Jesus Christ and without a faith community for support, with a church "too distant from their needs, ... a prisoner of its own rigid formulas." His emphasis on joy ''(
Joy of the Gospel,
Rejoice and be glad)'' "is an antidote to the disenchantment and melancholy of the world today", the joy of "doing good with the aim of reviving the spirit of the church."
Francis was schooled in the
''Spiritual Exercises'' of the Jesuit founder
Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola, Society of Jesus, S.J. (born Íñigo López de Oñaz y Loyola; eu, Ignazio Loiolakoa; es, Ignacio de Loyola; la, Ignatius de Loyola; – 31 July 1556), venerated as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a Spain, Spanish Catholic ...
which immerse one in the life of Jesus to gain "an intimate knowledge of our Lord, ... that I may love Him more and follow Him more closely."
As regards the Catholic's approach to those of other faiths, he says that "the worst thing of all is religious proselytism, which paralyzes: 'I am talking with you in order to persuade you.'" He calls for dialogue that allows for mutual growth, by attraction. He quotes
Vatican II
The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions), each lasting between 8 and 1 ...
on the Church's continual need for reform. He speaks of the Church as "a mother with an open heart", constantly in need of communicating better, becoming "weak with the weak, ... everything for everyone" (1 Cor 9:22), never retreating into its own security or opting for "rigidity and defensiveness." It "always does what good it can even if in the process its shoes get soiled by the mud of the street." He repeats what he told the Church in
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
, that he prefers a Church that is "bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security, ... caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures." Francis decried an administrative approach that prevails over a pastoral approach, saying: "When the church does not emerge from itself to evangelize, it becomes
self-referential
Self-reference occurs in natural or formal languages when a sentence, idea or formula refers to itself. The reference may be expressed either directly—through some intermediate sentence or formula—or by means of some encoding. In philosop ...
and therefore becomes sick. ...The evils that, over time, occur in ecclesiastical institutions have their root in self-referentiality, a kind of theological narcissism."
In March 2016, three years into his papacy, Francis' overall rating in a
WIN/GIA
The Worldwide Independent Network/Gallup International Association (WIN/GIA) was an international cooperation of independent market research and polling firms. The group was created in May 2010 when the Gallup International Association
The Gallu ...
poll was higher than that of any secular leader.
In October 2018,
Kathryn Jean Lopez
Kathryn Jean Lopez (born March 22, 1976) is an American conservative columnist who is nationally syndicated by the United Feature Syndicate. She is also the former editor and currently an editor-at-large of ''National Review Online''. Her nicknam ...
, editor at large of ''National Review,'' responded to conservative criticism of Francis by observing: "Pope Francis didn’t start the fires that divide the Catholic Church. Under Francis, they are out in the open more, at the highest levels. There is certainly sunlight that is being shone on things that have been previously in the dark. ...He may just trust the Holy Spirit more than the rest of us to sort it out." Cardinal
Michael Czerny
Michael F. Czerny (born 18 July 1946) is a Czechoslovakian-born Canadian prelate of the Catholic Church who has been prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development since 23 April 2022, after serving as interim prefect for sev ...
has explained the attacks against Pope Francis by a minority in the church and society, saying that it means "he’s on target".
Church governance
Just two months into Francis' papacy, the theologian
Hans Küng
Hans Küng (; 19 March 1928 – 6 April 2021) was a Swiss Catholic priest, theologian, and author. From 1995 he was president of the Foundation for a Global Ethic (Stiftung Weltethos).
Küng was ordained a priest in 1954, joined the faculty ...
wrote the following piece on him that was carried in progressive, traditionalist, and secular media:
It is astonishing how, from the first minute of his election, Pope Francis chose a new style: unlike his predecessor, no miter with gold and jewels, no ermine-trimmed cape, no made-to-measure red shoes and headwear, no magnificent throne. Astonishing, too, that the new pope deliberately abstains from solemn gestures and high-flown rhetoric and speaks in the language of the people. And finally it is astonishing how the new pope emphasizes his humanity: He asked for the prayers of the people before he gave them his blessing; settled his own hotel bill like anybody else; showed his friendliness to the cardinals in the coach, in their shared residence, at the official goodbye; washed the feet of young prisoners, including those of a young Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
woman. A pope who demonstrates that he is a man with his feet on the ground.
The washing of the feet just mentioned angered many Catholic
traditionalists. Pope Francis performed the
Lent
Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke ...
en washing of the feet, traditionally at
Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran
The Archbasilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist in the Lateran ( it, Arcibasilica del Santissimo Salvatore e dei Santi Giovanni Battista ed Evangelista in Laterano), also known as the Papa ...
, at a juvenile detention home and included two girls and two Muslims. He had stated that he wanted to bring the church closer to the poor and marginalized. so as to be in service of one another.
Many such choices of Francis have drawn notice in the press: his choice of living in the
Vatican
Vatican may refer to:
Vatican City, the city-state ruled by the pope in Rome, including St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museum
The Holy See
* The Holy See, the governing body of the Catholic Church and sovereign entity recognized ...
guesthouse rather than in the
Apostolic Palace
The Apostolic Palace ( la, Palatium Apostolicum; it, Palazzo Apostolico) is the official residence of the pope, the head of the Catholic Church, located in Vatican City. It is also known as the Papal Palace, the Palace of the Vatican and the V ...
, his standing, rather than sitting in the papal throne, while receiving the accustomed congratulations from his fellow cardinals, no
pontifical
A pontifical ( la, pontificale) is a Christian liturgical book containing the liturgies that only a bishop may perform. Among the liturgies are those of the ordinal for the ordination and consecration of deacons, priests, and bishops to Holy O ...
gold pectoral cross but the one he used in Argentina, saying a simple "good evening" before his first papal
Urbi et Orbi
''Urbi et Orbi'' ('to the city f Romeand to the world') denotes a papal address and apostolic blessing given by the pope on certain solemn occasions.
Etymology
The term ''Urbi et Orbi'' evolved from the consciousness of the ancient Roman Empir ...
message ("to the city and world"), riding home to
Casa Santa Marta not in the papal limousine but with his fellow bishops and cardinals in the last minibus, and emphasizing that his fundamental role is to be
Bishop of Rome
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
.
''
The Economist
''The Economist'' is a British weekly newspaper printed in demitab format and published digitally. It focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture. Based in London, the newspaper is owned by The Econo ...
'' commented that previous popes had avoided the name "Francis" so as not to be connected with Francis of Assisi who had given up family, wealth and career, and splendid clothing to follow Christ in utter poverty.
[ Francis explained to journalists that he chose the name because Francis was a "poor man, a simple man, as we would like a poor church, for the poor," adding: "Right away, with regard to the poor, I thought of St. Francis of Assisi, then I thought of war. ...Francis loved peace and that is how the name came to me." He said he also admired Francis of Assisi's concern for the natural environment.]
Decentralization and synodal governance
Decentralizing the Church away from the Vatican, giving more control to local bishops' conferences, continued through 2017 "in line with the Pope’s vision laid out in his 2013 apostolic exhortation ''Evangelii Gaudium'' (The Joy of the Gospel)". Noted examples were the provision in ''Amoris Laetitia'' (2016) that local conferences should oversee the issue of civilly remarried divorcees receiving Communion, and his recent letter on liturgical translations, ''Magnum principium
Pope Francis issued the document ''Magnum principium'' ("The Great Principle") dated 3 September 2017 on his own authority. It modified the 1983 Code of Canon Law to shift responsibility and authority for translations of liturgical texts into mod ...
'' (2017), which reduced Vatican oversight over translations into local languages. Seeing the Holy See
The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...
as "at the service of the local Churches" is a part of Francis' effort to create a "mentality of service" in the Church. Four years into his papacy, Francis experienced outspoken criticism from a few high-ranking conservatives in the Church over letting local bishops make decisions on Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics.
Francis speaks of consensus building through more open dialogue in synods of bishops. Some analysts say that "transforming the meetings from an austere formality into a platform for energetic debate may go on to be seen as Francis's greatest achievement." In his apostolic constitution '' Episcopalis communio'', Francis introduces a more direct process whereby a final synodal document becomes a part of the Church's magisterium
The magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church is the church's authority or office to give authentic interpretation of the Word of God, "whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition." According to the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Chur ...
simply by receiving papal approval. The new constitution also provides for the laity to send their contributions directly to the synod's secretary general. Francis calls for attention to the ''sensus fidei'' or "instinct of faith" especially of the poor, whereby the Catholic faithful discern what is of God through a conaturality or intuitive wisdom.
Francis decries the imbalance that can occur "when we speak more about law than about grace, more about the Church than about Christ, more about the Pope than about God’s word." Francis' efforts toward a "healthy decentralisation" of the Church have polarised opinion within the Roman Curia and in the church in general. Some fear this will dilute the universal message, sow confusion, and further divide the church. The struggle that began early in Francis' papacy, between "anti-Vatican II diehards and clerics who prefer John XXIII’s (and Francis’s) generosity of spirit", had by 2018 become "unique in its visibility", with bookstores carrying titles like "Lost Shepherd", "The Dictator Pope", and "The Political Pope: How Pope Francis is Delighting the Left and Abandoning Conservatives".
Clericalism
Henri de Lubac
Henri-Marie Joseph Sonier de Lubac (; 20 February 1896 – 4 September 1991), better known as Henri de Lubac, was a French Jesuit priest and cardinal who is considered one of the most influential theologians of the 20th century. His writin ...
, a fellow Jesuit, "played a key role in shaping the Council’s take on ecclesiology
In Christian theology, ecclesiology is the study of the Church, the origins of Christianity, its relationship to Jesus, its role in salvation, its polity, its discipline, its eschatology, and its leadership.
In its early history, one of the ...
," with a primary concern for understanding the Church as "a community of the whole People of God, rather than just the clergy – a concept which can still be heard in Francis’s continual blasting of clericalism and his references to the 'one, holy People of God.'". Francis emphasizes that the "hour of the laity
In religious organizations, the laity () consists of all members who are not part of the clergy, usually including any non-ordained members of religious orders, e.g. a nun or a lay brother.
In both religious and wider secular usage, a layperson ...
" has arrived and decries clericalism
Clericalism is the application of the formal, church-based, leadership or opinion of ordained clergy in matters of either the Church or broader political and sociocultural import.
Clericalism is usually, if not always, used in a pejorative sense ...
as rife in the Church, saying that it "leads to the functionalization of the laity
In religious organizations, the laity () consists of all members who are not part of the clergy, usually including any non-ordained members of religious orders, e.g. a nun or a lay brother.
In both religious and wider secular usage, a layperson ...
, treating them as 'messengers'." And through clericalism a priest "can become seduced by the prospect of a career, ... turning him into a functionary, a cleric worried more about himself, about organizations and structures, than about the true good of the People of God". He speaks of the "eighth sacrament" that some priests would create – the "pastoral customs office" that would close doors on people instead of facilitating their reception of the sacraments. Addressing apostolic nuncio
An apostolic nuncio ( la, nuntius apostolicus; also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international or ...
s, who recommend to the pope good candidates for episcopal appointment, he said:
Francis wants "a church based not on fancy vestments and infallible pronouncements, but on love of God and love of others." He is critical of a church that is preoccupied with small-minded rules and is a museum for the saintly few rather than, with missionary zeal, being a place of welcome for the many. For the church's clergy he sees "the need to hold both action and contemplation in creative tension," to be leaders who are led by God's grace, contemplatives in action. He has castigated and taken action against clerics whom he sees as living a princely life. Francis said clergy should be shepherds looking after the people, but knows they can be tempted and corrupted by power. When they take from the people instead of giving, simony
Simony () is the act of selling church offices and roles or sacred things. It is named after Simon Magus, who is described in the Acts of the Apostles as having offered two disciples of Jesus payment in exchange for their empowering him to imp ...
and other corruption can follow. Love between the clergy and the people is destroyed.
Francis fears some clerics "become wolves and not shepherds; ... careerism and the search for a promotion o the hierarchy
O, or o, is the fifteenth Letter (alphabet), letter and the fourth vowel letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in ...
come under the category of spiritual worldliness," deceitfully trying to appear holy. Francis is known for his "snarky" remarks. He said of clerical vanity: "Look at the peacock; it's beautiful if you look at it from the front. But if you look at it from behind, you discover the truth. ...Whoever gives in to such self-absorbed vanity has huge misery hiding inside them." He admonished 138 newly appointed bishops not to surround themselves with "courtiers, climbers, and yes-men" but to bring people the Gospel that makes people free.
In his efforts to undercut clericalism and careerism in the Catholic Church, Francis stopped bestowing the title of "Monsignor
Monsignor (; it, monsignore ) is an honorific form of address or title for certain male clergy members, usually members of the Roman Catholic Church. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian ''monsignore'', meaning "my lord". "Monsignor" ca ...
" on secular priests under the age of 65. He always preferred that people call him "Father" rather than "My Lord", "Your Grace", or "Your Eminence", since "Father" best reflects the priestly mission. A bishop with experience working in the Vatican noted the general feeling that, while formerly being treated like branch managers, "We’re treated now as brothers".
Speaking to 120 superiors of religious orders
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practi ...
, Francis kept up his campaign against clericalism, saying that seminary
A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...
formation must be "a work of art, not a police action" where seminarians "grit their teeth, try not to make mistakes, follow the rules smiling a lot, just waiting for the day when they are told 'Good, you have finished formation.' ...This is hypocrisy that is the result of clericalism, which is one of the worst evils." Priestly formation "must form their hearts. Otherwise we are creating little monsters. And then these little monsters mold the people of God. This really gives me goose bumps."
Picking up on Bishop de Smedt's much-quoted remark at the Second Vatican Council, that the Catholic church was suffering from triumphalism, clericalism, and legalism, Francis described the Church's "temptation to triumphalism, ... a Church that is content with what it is or has – well sorted, well organized, with all its offices, everything in order, everything perfect, efficient". But this, he said, is "a Church that denies its martyrs, because it does not know that martyrs are needed". A healthy Church, on the other hand, recognizes "triumph through failure – human failure – the failure of the Cross
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a sa ...
.”
Theology
Austen Ivereigh
Austen Ivereigh (born March 25, 1966) is a UK-based Roman Catholic journalist, author, commentator and biographer of Pope Francis. A former deputy editor of ''The Tablet'' and later director for public affairs of the former archbishop of Westm ...
, in writing a biography of Francis, describes him as having the rare combination of "the political genius of a charismatic leader and the prophetic holiness of a desert saint", the later being a characteristic of his theology. But those who say that Francis "speaks to the emotions and not to the intelligence ... don't know Bergoglio, who has had an impressive formation in many fields." For his dissertation work Francis studied Romano Guardini
Romano Guardini (17 February 1885 – 1 October 1968) was a German Catholic priest, author, and academic. He was one of the most important figures in Catholic intellectual life in the 20th century.
Life and work
Guardini was born in Verona, I ...
's idea of holding conflicting notions in tension in a multicultural world; to respect "polar tensions" without negating any of them or reducing them to a higher synthesis; to respond to each in the light of the gospel.
Francis said that "theological freedom" is necessary to experience new paths and to "develop different facets of the inexhaustible riches of the Gospel". He has softened the image of an institution that had seemed forbidding during the time of his predecessor, Benedict
Benedict may refer to:
People Names
*Benedict (given name), including a list of people with the given name
*Benedict (surname), including a list of people with the surname
Religious figures
* Pope Benedict I (died 579), head of the Catholic Chu ...
, and shown that a pope can hold thoroughly modern views on atheism ("The issue for those who do not believe in God is to obey their conscience"), homosexuality ("If a person is gay and seeks God and has goodwill, who am I to judge?"), and single mothers (he has accused priests who refuse to baptise their children of having a "sick mentality").[ He has also called for Church recognition of same-sex civil unions.
Francis has given encouragement to theologians who at times found themselves in an adversarial relationship during John Paul's papacy, a time when, according to Jason Horowitz of '']The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', the conservative wing of the church dominated and when there was a revival of the importance given to scholastic philosophy
Scholasticism was a medieval school of philosophy that employed a critical organic method of philosophical analysis predicated upon the Aristotelian 10 Categories. Christian scholasticism emerged within the monastic schools that translate ...
. One extended coverage of Francis' differences with the previous papacies summarized succinctly that Francis "revealed his own obsessions to be more in line with the boss' son", by opting to live in a two-room apartment, by saying that ecclesiastics should not be obsessed with issues like homosexuality, birth control and abortion, and by scathingly criticizing unchecked free-market capitalism. Francis spoke of the "decadent scholasticism" of his time and he calls for openness to "differing currents of thought in philosophy, theology, and pastoral practice", saying that being "in dialogue with other sciences and human experiences is most important for our discernment on how best to bring the Gospel message to different cultural contexts and groups." Francis wants a more "welcoming church" and "has decried a church that is inward-looking and self-referential. ...(It) must be prepared to go out to the peripheries, to encounter others in dialogue," and "in solidarity with the 'castaways of history'."[
His meeting with the ]Russian Orthodox
Russian Orthodoxy (russian: Русское православие) is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, whose liturgy is or was traditionally conducted in Church Slavonic language. Most ...
patriarch
The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in certai ...
was the first such for a pope since the 11th Century East–West Schism
The East–West Schism (also known as the Great Schism or Schism of 1054) is the ongoing break of communion between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches since 1054. It is estimated that, immediately after the schism occurred, a ...
. And a meeting with Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the highest authority in Sunni Islam
Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagre ...
, could not have come about without Francis' numerous conciliatory gestures toward the Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
world, including his visiting migrants on the island of Lesbos
Lesbos or Lesvos ( el, Λέσβος, Lésvos ) is a Greek island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea. It has an area of with approximately of coastline, making it the third largest island in Greece. It is separated from Anatolia, Asia Minor ...
and bringing three Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
n Muslim families back to the Vatican City
Vatican City (), officially the Vatican City State ( it, Stato della Città del Vaticano; la, Status Civitatis Vaticanae),—'
* german: Vatikanstadt, cf. '—' (in Austria: ')
* pl, Miasto Watykańskie, cf. '—'
* pt, Cidade do Vati ...
. Francis' visit to the Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate ...
, the home of Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
, was a historic first for a pope, of immense significance, bringing hope for "a new era of religious tolerance in the Gulf
A gulf is a large inlet from the ocean into the landmass, typically with a narrower opening than a bay, but that is not observable in all geographic areas so named. The term gulf was traditionally used for large highly-indented navigable bodie ...
”. Francis has also reached out to the Pentecostal
Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement churches, "a new and heretofore scarcely imaginable step forward". He is also the first Pope to meet with the leader of the Mormons, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
.
Francis has not continued the attacks on secularism that were common during Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...
's papacy (2005-2013). Francis said:
To find God in today's world, Francis frequently calls for "discernment", an important notion from the Jesuit founder's ''Spiritual Exercises''. Francis says that by discernment one could "avoid a kind of legalism" and help people conform to the image of Christ. Francis has noted that a "parliamentary approach" leaves one "entrenched in 'his truth,’ ...Thus, walking together becomes impossible". In the synodal approach one must "learn to listen, in community, to what the Spirit says to the Church". Francis is saying that "ultimately people have responsibility for their own lives and salvation," that "he does not have all the answers," and "that he can live with doubt. He often points to the importance of discernment. ...He is critical of 'those who today always look for the disciplinarian solutions, those who long for an exaggerated doctrinal 'security'. ...He is steering Catholics away from the dogmatism and legalism of the past and the old-time religion and proposing a more nuanced approach to morality." He is seen as following a more inductive (beginning with the person) rather than deductive (from past teachings) approach to situations arising, following the "See-Judge-Act" method in applying Catholic social teaching.
''Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' magazine selected Francis "Person of the Year" in the first year of his papacy, writing:
Roles for women
Francis does not see women being ordained to the ministerial priesthood, but says: "Our great dignity derives from Baptism. ...When we speak of sacramental power 'we are in the realm of function, not that of dignity or holiness'," and he adds:
Looking ahead, he said that many women are well prepared to contribute to religious and theological discussions at the highest levels, alongside their male counterparts. It is more necessary than ever that they do so, "because women look at reality with a different, a greater richness." In the first six years of Francis' papacy "the profile of women, especially women religious, at Vatican events has risen sharply." Francis asked universities to accept lay people and particularly women alongside seminarians, since "the contribution that women are giving and can give to theology is indispensable" and must be supported.
Francis set up a commission to study the history of women as deacon
A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Churc ...
esses in the Catholic Church, but after two years it maintained "sharply different positions" and disbanded. The issue is whether the blessing deaconesses received in the early church amounted to ordination and did they perform tasks similar those of male deacons. He acknowledged further need of study. In 2014 he appointed the first woman ever as a voting member of a Vatican congregation, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
A congregation is a large gathering of people, often for the purpose of worship.
Congregation may also refer to:
* Church (congregation), a Christian organization meeting in a particular place for worship
*Congregation (Roman Curia), an administr ...
. Then in 2019 he appointed seven religious sisters
A religious sister (abbreviated ''Sr.'' or Sist.) in the Catholic Church is a woman who has taken public vows in a religious institute dedicated to apostolic works, as distinguished from a nun who lives a cloistered monastic life dedicated to pra ...
to full membership in the and four women
A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or Adolescence, adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female hum ...
as consultors to the secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, which Christopher Lamb of ''The Tablet
''The Tablet'' is a Catholic international weekly review published in London. Brendan Walsh, previously literary editor and then acting editor, was appointed editor in July 2017.
History
''The Tablet'' was launched in 1840 by a Quaker convert ...
'' describes as "crucial" for setting Pope Francis' agenda.
In January 2021, Francis promulgated '' Spiritus Domini'', which modified Canon Law to admit women to the instituted ministries of lector
Lector is Latin for one who reads, whether aloud or not. In modern languages it takes various forms, as either a development or a loan, such as french: lecteur, en, lector, pl, lektor and russian: лектор. It has various specialized uses.
...
and acolyte
An acolyte is an assistant or follower assisting the celebrant in a religious service or procession. In many Christian denominations, an acolyte is anyone performing ceremonial duties such as lighting altar candles. In others, the term is used f ...
. As these had previously been considered minor orders
Minor orders are ranks of church ministry. In the Catholic Church, the predominating Latin Church formerly distinguished between the major orders —priest (including bishop), deacon and subdeacon—and four minor orders—acolyte, exorcist, lecto ...
and closed to women, Pope Francis wrote that a doctrinal development had occurred in this regard.
Married priests
Celibacy
Celibacy (from Latin ''caelibatus'') is the state of voluntarily being unmarried, sexually abstinent, or both, usually for religious reasons. It is often in association with the role of a religious official or devotee. In its narrow sense, the ...
has never been regarded as a divine law for priests. Francis expressed his openness to consider having some older married men ordained, especially in mission
Mission (from Latin ''missio'' "the act of sending out") may refer to:
Organised activities Religion
*Christian mission, an organized effort to spread Christianity
*Mission (LDS Church), an administrative area of The Church of Jesus Christ of ...
areas where there is an extreme shortage of priests. Consistent with his idea of collegiality
Collegiality is the relationship between colleagues. A colleague is a fellow member of the same profession.
Colleagues are those explicitly united in a common purpose and respect each other's abilities to work toward that purpose. A colleague is ...
, he chooses to wait for the conferences of bishops to request this in the light of local situations.
Pastoral sense
In his letter ''Amoris Laetitia'' ("The Joy of Love"), Francis advocates for flexibility, tolerance, and compassion in the Church. He writes: "By thinking that everything is black and white, we sometimes close off the way of grace and of growth." The confessional
A confessional is a box, cabinet, booth, or stall in which the priest in some Christian churches sits to hear the confessions of penitents. It is the usual venue for the sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran Churches, but sim ...
, he says,
must not be a torture chamber but rather an encounter with the Lord’s mercy which spurs us on to do our best. A small step, in the midst of great human limitations, can be more pleasing to God than a life which appears outwardly in order but moves through the day without confronting great difficulties.
He quotes St. Ambrose
Ambrose of Milan ( la, Aurelius Ambrosius; ), venerated as Saint Ambrose, ; lmo, Sant Ambroeus . was a theologian and statesman who served as Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397. He expressed himself prominently as a public figure, fiercely promo ...
: the Communion bread "is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak." Such talk led a few cardinals
Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to:
Animals
* Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds
**''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae
**''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...
in the church to speak of an impending schism.
On his visit to the United States, Francis decried: "A Christianity which 'does' little in practice, while incessantly 'explaining' its teachings, is dangerously unbalanced", bringing to mind his saying that "a supposed soundness of doctrine or discipline leads instead to a narcissistic and authoritarian elitism whereby, instead of evangelizing, one analyzes and classifies others, and instead of opening the door to grace, one exhausts his or her energies in inspecting and verifying". He had earlier warned about hiding behind "the appearance of piety and even love for the church" while seeking "human glory and personal well-being" and emphasizing certain rules of a "particular Catholic style from the past."
Francis has advised priests that "the Church must be a place of mercy freely given, where everyone can feel welcomed, loved, forgiven and encouraged to live the good life of the Gospel." He mentions the "aggressive and warlike" approach of the past toward preserving racial and doctrinal purity.[ He says that we best serve the Gospel "not by wielding the doctrine of the church as a club" but by meeting the people "'in the streets', listening to their concerns and attending to their wounds", and so knowing "through a pastoral 'connaturality' how the church's doctrine can best be employed to announce God's solidarity with the poor and suffering of this world, and the profligate mercy of God."]
Francis said that in docility to the work of the Spirit we should proclaim the faith without proselytizing
Proselytism () is the policy of attempting to convert people's religious or political beliefs. Proselytism is illegal in some countries.
Some draw distinctions between ''evangelism'' or '' Da‘wah'' and proselytism regarding proselytism as invol ...
, in dialogue with peoples, cultures, and different religious traditions,[ following "the evangelical criterion of mercy".][
Francis stuck to his informal ways while baptizing 32 babies in the ]Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel (; la, Sacellum Sixtinum; it, Cappella Sistina ) is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the pope in Vatican City. Originally known as the ''Cappella Magna'' ('Great Chapel'), the chapel takes its name ...
, inviting the women to breastfeed their children there "if they are hungry." While almost unheard of during Catholic church services in Italy, this is regarded as another of his efforts "to break down the stiff protocol in the Vatican."
The Church's liturgy and devotions
The editors of ''Go into the Streets!'' write that "Pope Francis inherited a Church which in many ways had moved away from the vision of the Second Vatican Council." John F. Baldovin describes Francis' ''motu proprio'' ''Magnum Principium'' (3 September 2017) as certainly a significant change in direction with regard to who has responsibility for liturgical translations. The pope has changed Canon 838 in two important ways. The weight of responsibility now falls much more on the shoulders of the various episcopal conferences. …Those conferences which have been experiencing tension with the Vatican over revised translations, like the French-speaking and German-speaking, now have much more breathing room in deciding what is best for translating liturgical texts.
This effectively countered the efforts of those who under pope John Paul II had required that "the liturgy conform as closely as possible to the original Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
texts." In his ''motu proprio
In law, ''motu proprio'' (Latin for "on his own impulse") describes an official act taken without a formal request from another party. Some jurisdictions use the term ''sua sponte'' for the same concept.
In Catholic canon law, it refers to a do ...
'' Francis said: "The vernacular languages themselves, often only in a progressive manner, would be able to become liturgical languages, standing out in a not dissimilar way to liturgical Latin for their elegance of style and the profundity of their concepts with the aim of nourishing the faith." This was seen by Jason Horowitz as the end of the "reform of the reform" movement that sought to overturn the principles of liturgical reform proposed by the Second Vatican Council, or, as Francis expresses it, "to speak of 'the reform of the reform' is an error!" Earlier Francis had written: "We cannot demand that peoples of every continent, in expressing their Christian faith, imitate modes of expression which European nations developed at a particular moment of their history." He broke with Vatican tradition by celebrating a Mass in Chiapas
Chiapas (; Tzotzil language, Tzotzil and Tzeltal language, Tzeltal: ''Chyapas'' ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Chiapas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Chiapas), is one of the states that make up the Political divisions of Mexico, ...
, Mexico, that incorporated indigenous, Mayan
Mayan most commonly refers to:
* Maya peoples, various indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica and northern Central America
* Maya civilization, pre-Columbian culture of Mesoamerica and northern Central America
* Mayan languages, language family spoken ...
elements. and he encouraged the Mexican bishops to show similar, "singular tenderness in the way you regard indigenous peoples". He distanced himself from the previous popes who gave broad permission for reversion to the Mass in Latin. Also, Francis speaks against efforts to encourage priests to celebrate Mass ''ad orientem
''Ad orientem'', meaning "to the east" in Ecclesiastical Latin, is a phrase used to describe the eastward orientation of Christian prayer and Christian worship, comprising the preposition ''ad'' (toward) and ''oriens'' (rising, sunrise, east), ...
'' and calls "the altar, the centre toward which our churches focus attention."
Of the Eucharistic celebration he says: "A sacrament is not 'a magical rite' but rather the instrument God has chosen in order to continue to walk beside man as his traveling companion through life." In a brief address to liturgists on the anniversary of ''Musicam sacram
''Musicam sacram'' is the title of an instruction on Roman Catholic sacred music issued by the Sacred Congregation of Rites on 5 March 1967 in conjunction with the Second Vatican Council. The instruction deals with the form and nature of worship ...
'', Francis mentions eight times the importance of the peoples' active participation in song. In an address to charismatics he reemphasizes this. He said that since he had the upper portion of his right lung removed, he is too short of breath to sing the Mass.
Reflecting on the deep meaning of the Communion bread, he draws on Paul's epistles that point to oneness as Christ's body, where all suffer together and are honored together (1 Cor 12:26). Communion, he says, is not "a private prayer or a beautiful spiritual exercise" but a means of one's transformation, one's taking on the heart of Christ: peaceable, forgiving, reconciling, in solidarity with all.
Francis explains how sacraments are means or instruments, not ends in themselves. He goes on to say that true disciples encounter the Lord in the sacraments and receive the power to follow Jesus' teaching. One cannot cover up injustice, dishonesty, and uncharitableness against one's neighbor with prayers and devotions. In his encyclical ''Gaudete et exsultate'', his emphasis on good works as a means to holiness is such that Alan L. Anderson observes: "I find it curious so little attention is paid in His Holiness’s exhortation to the pivotal role played by the sacraments in attaining holiness. Indeed, to attempt holiness without them would be, well, to flirt with neo-Pelagianism
Pelagianism is a Christian theological position that holds that the original sin did not taint human nature and that humans by divine grace have free will to achieve human perfection. Pelagius ( – AD), an ascetic and philosopher from th ...
." But Francis has himself emphasized the importance of making the sacraments easily available to all, often amidst difficult circumstances today, and to keep donations anonymous lest sacraments seem to have a price.
Privatized devotions
Francis has said:"It is sad to encounter a privatized Church, as this form of selfishness indicates a lack of faith."
He criticizes people who promote privatized devotion while neglecting the formation of the laity toward the advancement of society. In addressing charismatics, Francis insisted that their efforts must go beyond converting people to Catholicism, to caring for the needy and working for justice. He has also said that "The Eucharist
The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instit ...
is not a private prayer" but should transform our life into Jesus' own "dynamism of love", making us "people of peace, people of forgiveness, of reconciliation, of sharing in solidarity." As regards the relationship between private piety and public life, Francis was the first pontiff to suggest automatic excommunication for the mafia
"Mafia" is an informal term that is used to describe criminal organizations that bear a strong similarity to the original “Mafia”, the Sicilian Mafia and Italian Mafia. The central activity of such an organization would be the arbitration of d ...
, at an outdoor Mass in Calabria
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, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 =
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, demographics1_title1 =
, demographics1_info1 =
, demographics1_title2 ...
: "Those who in their life have gone along the evil ways, as in the case of the mafia, they are not with God, they are excommunicated."
Francis called out the "foolishness" of those who would increase the titles and devotions offered to Mary, adding that "She never wanted for herself something that was of her son," but was herself a disciple of Jesus.
Primacy of charity
Francis has said: "The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, ... even the atheists. Everyone! ...We are created children in the likeness of God ... and we all have a duty to do good". He points to the Last Judgment scene in the Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel of Matthew), or simply Matthew. It is most commonly abbreviated as "Matt." is the first book of the New Testament of the Bible and one of the three synoptic Gospels. It tells how Israel's Messiah, Jesus, comes to his people and for ...
as proof of how God judges: what we do for the poor, the hungry, the indigent, the outcast, those who suffer and are alone, Jesus regards as done to himself (25:37-40). And he points to the Beatitudes
The Beatitudes are sayings attributed to Jesus, and in particular eight blessings recounted by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew, and four in the Sermon on the Plain in the Gospel of Luke, followed by four woes which mirr ...
as showing what gives deep happiness, what Catholics should strive to live up to every day: being poor in spirit and meek and humble of heart, merciful and peacemakers, hungering and thirsting for righteousness. He devotes most of a chapter in '' Gaudete et exsultate'' to explaining these Beatitudes as the way to holiness for everyone (63-94).
In response to the secularization of society in the "post-Christian
Postchristianity is the situation in which Christianity is no longer the dominant civil religion of a society but has gradually assumed values, culture, and world view, worldviews that are not necessarily Christians, Christian. Post-Christian ten ...
West", Francis proposes a new approach to evangelization different from his predecessors' emphasis on fidelity to doctrine. He calls for greater attention to Catholic social teaching
Catholic social teaching, commonly abbreviated CST, is an area of Catholic doctrine concerning matters of human dignity and the common good in society. The ideas address oppression, the role of the state (polity), state, subsidiarity, social o ...
for which people seek a faith response: economic equality, the rights of migrants, and efforts to counteract global warming. But Robert Royal, editor of '''', says that with regard to these very matters "the Vatican’s misjudgments are all too commonplace" and that "The Vatican currently pursues a steady line of anti-Western criticism, against the alleged xenophobia, rapacious economies, and environmental 'sins' of both Europe and North America".
Capitalism
Francis from the start of his papacy has attacked the harm done to the poor by what he calls the sin of market speculation. Back in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
he was known as the "slum bishop" because of his frequent visits to shantytowns. Since becoming pope he has been saying that his church should be closer to the poor, and has been attacking the global economic system based on "a god of money". He told the United Nations leaders that the organization's future sustainable development goals should stress the "structural causes of poverty and hunger".
Francis' first apostolic exhortation to the Church, '' Evangelii gaudium'', had what was described as "blistering attacks on income inequality" in our "culture of prosperity" that "deadens us" to the misery of the poor who with "lives stunted for lack of opportunity seem a mere spectacle; they fail to move us." Francis writes that some people "continue to defend trickle-down theories," a belief that "has never been confirmed by the facts." Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III ( ; January 12, 1951 – February 17, 2021) was an American conservative political commentator who was the host of '' The Rush Limbaugh Show'', which first aired in 1984 and was nationally syndicated on AM and FM r ...
, a conservative commentator in the United States, called the pope's message "pure Marxism". The billionaire Kenneth Langone
Kenneth Gerard Langone Sr. KSG (born September 16, 1935) is an American billionaire businessman, investor, and philanthropist, best known for organizing financing for the founders of The Home Depot. He has been a major donor to the Republican P ...
warned Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan
Timothy Michael Dolan (born February 6, 1950) is an American cardinal of the Catholic Church. He is the tenth and current Archbishop of New York, having been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.
Dolan served as the president of the United S ...
that such remarks could doom the financial support needed to restore St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York.
Author Elisabetta Piqué, a close friend of Francis, writes: "Francis wants to break down the wall between the North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography.
Etymology
T ...
and South
South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
of the world ... (in) the new 'cold war' that he must win over selfishness." While Christian ethics has always taught that the earth's richness is meant for the common good, Francis has been called a Marxist for his demand for more equality. Francis has "put the poor, the problems of inequality and structural injustice, at the heart of the church's mission, and therefore at the heart of Christian spirituality and living." He calls inequality "the root of all social ills" and places on economic and government leaders the responsibility to address its structural causes and to assure all citizens access to education, dignified work, and healthcare. He finds this essential to solving any of the world's problems. Addressing foreign ambassadors at the Vatican, he called for more government controls over their economies, describing as a new "golden calf
According to the Bible, the golden calf (עֵגֶל הַזָּהָב '' ‘ēgel hazzāhāv'') was an idol (a cult image) made by the Israelites when Moses went up to Mount Sinai. In Hebrew, the incident is known as ''ḥēṭə’ hā‘ēgel'' ...
" the worship of money, in an economy that fails to provide for the common good. Francis has said that wealth from financial and commodities speculation is scandalous and compromised the poor's access to food. When asked about being labeled a Leninist
Leninism is a political ideology developed by Russian Marxist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin that proposes the establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat led by a revolutionary vanguard party as the political prelude to the establishme ...
, Francis said: "The communists have stolen our flag. The flag of the poor is Christian. Poverty is at the center of the Gospel" and communism came "twenty centuries later".
An Italian journalist finds that Francis' comments on capitalism in ''Evangelii gaudium'' "hit the mark", provoking a host of prominent spokespersons for capitalism, and added: "Pope Francis is not afraid to proclaim to the world the limits, obvious to everyone after the 2008 financial debacle (in the United States), of an economic model that, left to itself, is likely to overwhelm the world." Francis is looking for long-term intervention by political entities for the improvement of economic systems, not for the overthrow of these systems. His long-range view is consistent with church tradition and with recent pontiffs and with his prioritizing of "time over space".
Francis has criticized the trickle-down theory which claims that economic growth from capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for Profit (economics), profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, pric ...
leads to widespread prosperity, as has at times been maintained by the Republican Party in the United States. He characterized this as never confirmed by the facts and sacralizing the economic system with a "crude and naive trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power." Francis took the occasion of his address to the US congress
The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washingto ...
in 2015 to acknowledge the benefits of capitalism and to clarify that he is not advocating Marxism
Marxism is a Left-wing politics, left-wing to Far-left politics, far-left method of socioeconomic analysis that uses a Materialism, materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to understand S ...
. His critique of capitalism is consistent with that of Pope John Paul II in ''Centesimus annus
''Centesimus annus'' (Latin for "the hundredth year") is an encyclical which was written by Pope John Paul II in 1991 on the hundredth anniversary of ''Rerum novarum'', an encyclical issued by Pope Leo XIII in 1891. It is part of a larger body o ...
''.
Francis suggests that Jesus can be found in others' faces, voices, and pleas that constantly call us to live in fraternity. After hosting successful negotiations for a reconciliation between Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
and the United States, Francis was praised by President Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
for showing "the importance of pursuing the world as it should be, rather than simply settling for the world as it is."
Pope Francis's views were called Marxist
Marxism is a Left-wing politics, left-wing to Far-left politics, far-left method of socioeconomic analysis that uses a Materialism, materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to understand S ...
by Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III ( ; January 12, 1951 – February 17, 2021) was an American conservative political commentator who was the host of '' The Rush Limbaugh Show'', which first aired in 1984 and was nationally syndicated on AM and FM r ...
and other conservatives as a result of his critique of capitalism with absolute market autonomy. Responding in general to those who call him Marxist, Francis said that "Marxist ideology is wrong. But I have met many Marxists in my life who are good people, so I don't feel offended …There is nothing in the exhortation that cannot be found in the social doctrine of the church."
In his third encyclical, ''Fratelli tutti
''Fratelli tutti'' (''All Brothers'') is the third encyclical of Pope Francis, subtitled "on fraternity and social friendship". In the document, Francis states that the way the COVID-19 pandemic was managed by world countries has shown a failur ...
'', Francis strongly condemned neoliberal
Neoliberalism (also neo-liberalism) is a term used to signify the late 20th century political reappearance of 19th-century ideas associated with free-market capitalism after it fell into decline following the Second World War. A prominent fa ...
orthodoxy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, and asserted "the marketplace, by itself, cannot resolve every problem, however much we are asked to believe this dogma of neoliberal faith," and that the pandemic exposed "a fragmentation that made it more difficult to resolve problems that affect us all". He added that "anyone who thinks that the only lesson to be learned was the need to improve what we were already doing, or to refine existing systems and regulations, is denying reality." Francis continues to dialogue with the umbrella organization "Guardians of Inclusive Capitalism", who represent companies with over $2.1 trillion in market capitalization and 200 million workers".
Option for the poor
"I would like a Church that is poor and is for the poor," he said following his election. The pontiff said he had chosen the name Francis in a direct reference to Francis of Assisi
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a mystic Italian Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most venerated figures in Christianit ...
, the founder of the Franciscan Order
, image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg
, image_size = 200px
, caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans
, abbreviation = OFM
, predecessor =
, ...
who was devoted to the poor. In his first meeting with the media, the new pope explained further: Francis of Assisi was "a man of poverty, a man of peace, a man who loves and safeguards creation, ... (who) would like a poor church for the poor." Richard L. Clarke, Anglican Primate of All Ireland, has said that while Francis' "insistence that the poor of the world are Christ's deepest concern" may not be new, his "simplicity of lifestyle ... has undoubtedly conveyed a new impetus and purpose for all Christians." "Attention for the poor has become the trademark of Francis's pontificate," the most visible priority of his papacy. He believes that "poverty for us Christians is ... a theological category." His leadership reflects his conviction that "good leadership looks like Jesus in action" and he says: "Jesus made himself poor to walk along the road with us." For him, the church should be "poor and for the poor", with "creative concern and effective cooperation in helping the poor to live with dignity and reaching out to everyone." Without this all the religious practices and talk of social issues will be just a camouflage. He expects some to be offended by his words but would help "those who are in thrall to an individualistic, indifferent, and self-centred mentality, to ... bring dignity to their presence on this earth." Francis has said that "it is a well-known fact that current levels of production are sufficient, yet millions of people are still suffering and dying of starvation. This is truly scandalous." He has also said: "God always forgives, but the earth does not. ...It is painful to see the struggle against hunger and malnutrition hindered by market priorities, the primacy of profit, which reduce foodstuffs to a commodity like any other, subject to speculation and financial speculation in particular. ...We ask for dignity, not for charity." One statement from Francis' apostolic exhortation ''Evangelii Gaudium'' that attracted widespread media attention was: "As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation, and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the world's problems or, for that matter, to any problems."
Refugees and migrants
Francis has been in the forefront of insisting on the importance of helping refugees. When visiting the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
border with Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
he said: "A person who thinks only about building walls – wherever they may be – and not building bridges, is not Christian." His later suggestion "to not raise walls but bridges" was also widely interpreted by the media as addressed to President Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
, and it was repeated by Francis with regards to Trump's immigration policy. Francis has said that "to speak properly of our own rights, we need to broaden our perspective and to hear the plea of other peoples and other regions than those of our own country". In turning our backs on migrants and refugees Pope Francis sees a new "globalization of indifference", his "disembodied Jesus who demands nothing of us with regard to others." Jesuit John Zupez writes, "In his programmatic exhortation ''Evangelii Gaudium'', after just three sentences of introduction, Francis launches into a call for a more expansive Christian spirit: 'The great danger in today’s world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience.' Francis further decries seeking comfort in 'a small circle of close friends' or in religious exercises that 'do not encourage encounter with others'" He has remarked that "if investments in banks fall, it is a tragedy and people say 'what are we going to do?’ but if people die of hunger, have nothing to eat or suffer from poor health, that's nothing." He added that a church that is poor and for the poor must fight this mentality. Inspired by Pope Francis' devotion to the poor, the Vatican-owned Santa Maria church offers beds to homeless migrants in the nave
The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
of the church under priceless Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
frescoes.
In September 2019, on the Church’s 105th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, a new statue was installed in St. Peter's Square
Saint Peter's Square ( la, Forum Sancti Petri, it, Piazza San Pietro ,) is a large plaza located directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the pope, papal enclave and exclave, enclave inside Rome, directly west of the neighbor ...
for the first time in 400 years. The 20-foot tall bronze sculpture depicts a group of 140, life-size migrants and refugees from various cultural backgrounds and time periods traveling together on a boat. It has been described as "a testament to Pope Francis' enduring concern for the plight of refugees and migrants."
Environmentalism
Pope Francis in his encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Roman Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop. The word comes from the Late Latin (originally from ...
''Laudato si'
''Laudato si (''Praise Be to You'') is the second encyclical of Pope Francis. The encyclical has the subtitle "on care for our common home". In it, the pope critiques consumerism and irresponsible development, laments environmental degradatio ...
'' (''Praise be to you'') of May 2015 used the highest level of papal teaching to draw attention to "our sin" of destroying the natural environment. Tara Isabella Burton of The Atlantic
''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.
It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
saw as a change of emphasis in church teaching, toward reconciliation with the created world in a way that is "radically and profoundly, pro-life". In ''Laudato si, Francis calls for a "broad cultural revolution" among all peoples to confront the environmental crisis. Columnist James Martin described the encyclical as "revolutionary", "a systematic overview of the crisis from a religious point of view". The ''New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' summarized that "Francis reiterated the established science that burning fossil fuels are warming the planet, said the impact threatened the world’s poor, and called for government policies to cut fossil fuel use."
As he prepared for the encyclical, Francis sponsored a Pontifical Academy of Sciences
The Pontifical Academy of Sciences ( it, Pontificia accademia delle scienze, la, Pontificia Academia Scientiarum) is a scientific academy of the Vatican City, established in 1936 by Pope Pius XI. Its aim is to promote the progress of the math ...
summit meeting in April 2015 that focused on the relationships connecting poverty, economic development, and climate change. The meeting included presentations and discussions by scientists, religious leaders, and economists. The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon (; ; born 13 June 1944) is a South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016. Prior to his appointment as secretary-general, Ban was his country's Minister ...
, who urged world leaders to approve a climate-change accord in Paris at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference
The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP 21 or CMP 11 was held in Paris, France, from 30 November to 12 December 2015. It was the 21st yearly session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the 1992 United Nations Framework Conve ...
in December 2015, delivered the keynote address. Then in June 2019, in a meeting at the Vatican which climatologist Hans Joachim Schellnhuber described as one of the most significant of his 30-year career, Francis "convinced big oil CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
s to alter their message on climate change." These included CEOs of ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil Corporation (commonly shortened to Exxon) is an American multinational oil and gas corporation headquartered in Irving, Texas. It is the largest direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil, and was formed on November 30, ...
, BP, Royal Dutch Shell
Shell plc is a British multinational oil and gas company headquartered in London, England. Shell is a public limited company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and secondary listings on Euronext Amsterdam and the New Yo ...
, and Chevron
Chevron (often relating to V-shaped patterns) may refer to:
Science and technology
* Chevron (aerospace), sawtooth patterns on some jet engines
* Chevron (anatomy), a bone
* '' Eulithis testata'', a moth
* Chevron (geology), a fold in rock ...
who pledged to avert what Francis called "a climate emergency" that risks "perpetrating a brutal act of injustice towards the poor and future generations." Francis "stressed the need for a radical energy transition
The energy transition is the process of downshifting fossil fuels and re-developing whole systems to operate on low carbon energy sources. More generally, an energy transition is a significant structural change in an energy system regarding ...
to save our common home." They pledged to "advance the energy transition ... while minimizing the costs to vulnerable communities."
In 2021, it was revealed that starting in 2022, the Pope would use an electric popemobile modeled after the Fisker Ocean SUV. The environment-friendly popemobile will be designed and constructed by the California-based EV start-up company Fisker Inc.
Fisker Inc. is an American Automotive industry, automotive company founded by Henrik Fisker and his wife Geeta Gupta-Fisker. Launched in 2016 and based in Southern California, Fisker Inc. is the successor to Fisker Automotive, which produced t ...
At the beginning of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference
The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as COP26, was the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference, held at the SEC Centre in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, from 31 October to 13 November 2021. The ...
, in Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
, to which he did not attend, instead sending Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Pietro Parolin OMRI (, ; born 17 January 1955) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church. A cardinal since February 2014, he has served as the Vatican's Secretary of State since October 2013 and a member of the Council of Cardinal Advisers sinc ...
said of the summit: "May this encounter yield efficient answers offering concrete hope to future generations.", and added that Christians should pray for the "cry of the Earth."
Morality as a vehicle of God's mercy
Francis has called mercy "the keystone of the life of faith" by which we "give visibility to the Resurrection of Jesus." In opening the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy
The Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy ( la, Iubilaeum Extraordinarium Misericordiae) was a Catholic period of prayer held from 8 December 2015, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, to 20 November 2016, the Feast of Christ the King.
Like pre ...
year, Francis spoke of how it "wrongs God when we speak of sins being punished by judgment before we speak of their being forgiven by God's mercy.
Cardinal Walter Kasper
Walter Kasper (born 5 March 1933) is a German Catholic cardinal and theologian. He is President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, having served as its president from 2001 to 2010.
Early life
Born in Heidenheim a ...
has called mercy "the key word of his pontificate, ... (while) Scholastic theology has neglected this topic and turned it into a mere subordinate theme of justice." Francis has described mercy as "the very substance of the Gospel of Jesus" and asked theologians to reflect this in their work.[ In his encyclical on holiness for everyone, ''Gaudete et exsultate'', mercy is the focal theme: "What is Pope Francis' overall summary of holiness? It's based on the Beatitudes: 'Seeing and acting with mercy'." "Francis’s watchword is mercy, but mercy adheres, first, not in alterations of doctrine but in the new way that Catholics are invited to think of doctrine," in pastoral practice in conformity with what "Jesus wants – a Church attentive to the goodness which the Holy Spirit sows in the midst of human weakness."] Francis emphasized this by washing the feet of prisoners, which was for some people a shocking gesture.
In its spirit of ''aggiornamento
''Aggiornamento'' () is an Italian word meaning "bringing up to date", "updating". It was made famous by pope John XXIII, and was one of the key words at the Second Vatican Council, used by both bishops and the media.
John XXIII
In his speech o ...
'', Vatican II perceived a need for making the manuals of moral theology more relevant to peoples' real life situations, and, as Cardinal Montini pointed out, for "audacious change" that "subordinated law to charity." Francis, in turn, has said that "Christian morality is not a form of stoicism, or self-denial, or merely a practical philosophy, or a catalogue of sins and faults. Before all else, the Gospel invites us to respond to the God of love who saves us, to see God in others, and to go forth from ourselves to seek the good of others."
He warned against "codification of the faith in rules and regulations, as the scribes, the Pharisees
The Pharisees (; he, פְּרוּשִׁים, Pərūšīm) were a Jewish social movement and a school of thought in the Levant during the time of Second Temple Judaism. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, Pharisaic beliefs bec ...
, the doctors of the law did in the time of Jesus. To us, everything will be clear and set in order, but the faithful and those in search will still hunger and thirst for God." He went on to describe the Church as a field hospital where people should come to know God's warmth and closeness to them, and where the shepherds have "the smell of the sheep". The last statement went viral, and became the title of the book ''With the Smell of the Sheep: Pope Francis Speaks to Priests, Bishops, and Other Shepherds'' in which "warning against the sins of ' self-referentiality', clericalism
Clericalism is the application of the formal, church-based, leadership or opinion of ordained clergy in matters of either the Church or broader political and sociocultural import.
Clericalism is usually, if not always, used in a pejorative sense ...
, careerism
Careerism is the propensity to pursue career advancement, power, and prestige outside of work performance.
Cultural environment
Cultural factors influence how careerists view their occupational goals. How an individual interprets the term "care ...
, and worldliness, he stresses the importance of mercy." This brought a negative critique from the conservative media where it was asked: "For the 'field hospital' Church, who are the gatekeepers? ... a Roman-style pantheon of national conferences of bishops, or maybe only a schismatic and flat 'congregational theocracy' more like Islam? The 'smell of the sheep' is one thing; the smell of wolves in sheep’s clothing would be another."
Application to specific issues
Regarding gay
''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'.
While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...
people, Francis is reported to have gone beyond the current ''Catechism'' and told a gay person that being gay is not a choice. He has also said: "I believe that the church not only should apologize to the person who is gay whom it has offended, but has to apologize to the poor, to exploited women, to children exploited for labor; it has to ask forgiveness for having blessed many weapons." Francis appealed to consumers to reject low-cost goods produced by forced labor or exploitative means, and called low-wage labor a form of slavery.
Speaking about those who cannot satisfy their basic needs for food and health care, Francis calls on all nations to show "a willingness to share everything and to decide to be Good Samaritan
In most contexts, the concept of good denotes the conduct that should be preferred when posed with a choice between possible actions. Good is generally considered to be the opposite of evil and is of interest in the study of ethics, morality, ph ...
s, instead of people who are indifferent to the needs of others."
In calling for the abolition of the death penalty and of life imprisonment, Francis criticized attempts to solve society's problems through public punishment rather than through "implementation of another type of social policy, economic policy, and policy of social inclusion."
Francis reduced a sentence for sexual abuse by a priest from imprisonment to a lifetime of prayer and being barred from saying Mass or being near children, along with five years of psychotherapy. He said of the case: "I was new and I didn't understand these things well, and before two choices I chose the more benevolent one. ...It was the only time I did it, and never again."
Sexual morality as Good News
Francis blasted the church's obsession with divisive, hot-button sexual issues such as abortion, gay marriage, and contraception, saying that he finds no need to constantly repeat the church's teaching on these. The Vatican's communications adviser told the Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
: "What he is saying is 'we've spent a lot of time talking about the boundaries. We've spent a lot of time talking about what is sin and what's not. Now let's move on. Let's talk about mercy. Let's talk about love.'" Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin
Diarmuid Martin (born 8 April 1945) is the retired Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland. Martin was ordained a priest in 1969 and represented the Holy See at major United Nations International Conferences before becoming th ...
, who is seen by some as Ireland's most reform-minded Catholic leader, said Francis' comments will be tough for the church to put into action because there is a tendency to get "trapped" into the right and wrong, white and black of Catholic teaching.
Argentinian Archbishop Víctor Fernández
Víctor Fernández Braulio (born 28 November 1960) is a Spanish football manager.
He had three spells with his hometown team Zaragoza, winning the Copa del Rey in 1994 and the Cup Winners' Cup a year later. He also led Tenerife, Celta, Be ...
has explained controversies that have arisen over Francis' words: "The problem is that the fanatics end up converting some principles into a lifelong battle and deliberately discuss only those issues. ...There are other issues that are non-negotiable: love your neighbor, do justice to the oppressed, ... ." The scholastic-philosophical approach to morality stemming largely from Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, OP (; it, Tommaso d'Aquino, lit=Thomas of Aquino; 1225 – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar and priest who was an influential philosopher, theologian and jurist in the tradition of scholasticism; he is known wi ...
was used during the papacy of John Paul II to give attention to the "intrinsic evil" of abortion. Francis "finds in the Bible an alternative tradition, touched on in the Second Vatican Council ... which takes as its subject 'sins of strength', including the failure to take personal responsibility for the state of the wider world." M. Cathleen Kaveny writes in ''America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
'' that she believes it is incorrect to apply the term "intrinsic evil" to determine the gravity of an evil, nor should intrinsic evils be so narrowly delimited. In 2013 Massimo Faggioli
Massimo Faggioli (born 1970) is an Italian academic, Church historian, professor of theology and religious studies at Villanova University, columnist for ''La Croix International'', and contributing writer to ''Commonweal''.
He was on the facult ...
wrote: "The Catholicism of movement 'to the margins' announced by Pope Francis also means trying to take leave of the political culture of neoconservative and neoliberal Catholicism, ... a return to a Catholicism that is in search of 'common ground', such as that of the Cardinal of Chicago Joseph Bernardin
Joseph Louis Bernardin (April 2, 1928 – November 14, 1996) was an American Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Cincinnati from 1972 until 1982, and as Archbishop of Chicago from 1982 until his death in 1996 from ...
." This is a departure from the neoconservatism
Neoconservatism is a political movement that began in the United States during the 1960s among liberal hawks who became disenchanted with the increasingly pacifist foreign policy of the Democratic Party and with the growing New Left and ...
among Catholics in the United States that had reigned since the Reagan era, based on an "anti-abortion stance that was isolated from the 'social question'" of market regulation, or other basic rights. At the same time, while Francis may be a "radical reformer", he believes that "the task of the papacy is the preservation of the doctrine handed down by Jesus Christ." This means preserving the Church's doctrine, as on abortion and artificial contraception, where he does not respond to specific misinterpretations of his words but uses later opportunities to clarify his orthodoxy. Francis pointed out that "Paul VI himself, in the end, urged confessors to be very merciful and pay attention to concrete situations, ... digging deep and making sure that pastoral care takes into account situations and what it is possible for persons to do."
Francis has criticized those homilies "which should be kerygmatic but end up speaking about everything that has a connection with sex, ... whether or not to participate in a demonstration against a draft law in favor of the use of condoms." He adds: "We end up forgetting the treasure of Jesus alive, the treasure of the Holy Spirit present in our hearts, the treasure of a project of Christian life that has many implications that go much further than mere sexual questions." The church should not be "obsessed' with gays, abortion and birth control."
This contrasted with the priorities of his predecessors, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, who saw doctrine as the paramount guide for clergy. Clergy in the United States had already shown dismay that Francis had not emphasized the Church's teaching on abortion, contraception and homosexuality. Francis added: "This Church with which we should be thinking is the home of all, not a small chapel that can hold only a small group of selected people. We must not reduce the bosom of the universal Church to a nest protecting our mediocrity."
In naming Francis its "Person of the Year", ''The Advocate'' (Louisiana) pointed out his "stark change in rhetoric from his two predecessors". It is a well-known fact that the Church's teaching on artificial contraception
Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth contr ...
, in ''Humanae vitae
''Humanae vitae'' (Latin: ''Of Human Life'') is an encyclical written by Pope Paul VI and dated 25 July 1968. The text was issued at a Vatican press conference on 29 July. Subtitled ''On the Regulation of Birth'', it re-affirmed the teaching of ...
'', has been very poorly received in the living tradition. Francis speaks freely to reporters on the plane during his travels, and while defending natural family planning
Natural family planning (NFP) comprises the family planning methods approved by the Catholic Church and some Protestant denominations for both achieving and postponing or avoiding pregnancy. In accordance with the Church's teachings regarding s ...
he commented: "Some people think that in order to be good Catholics we have to breed like rabbits, right?"
In the Extraordinary General Assembly of Bishops in 2014, in preparation for the Synod on the Family of 2015, Francis recommended "true spiritual discernment, ... to give answers to the many discouragements that surround and suffocate families." The survey Francis called for before the synod revealed that in Germany "huge percentages of the people (as many as 97% on some questions) had been ignoring the church's teachings in these areas (related to sexuality, remarriage, birth control, ...)."
In the 2015 Synod, the question of Communion for divorced Catholics living in a civil marriage became heated. Francis' successor to the archiepiscopal
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdioc ...
office in Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
writes of him: "He recommends that we never stop reading the words of St. Ambrose
Ambrose of Milan ( la, Aurelius Ambrosius; ), venerated as Saint Ambrose, ; lmo, Sant Ambroeus . was a theologian and statesman who served as Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397. He expressed himself prominently as a public figure, fiercely promo ...
and St. Cyril of Alexandria ... which invite us to not be rigid in administration of the Eucharist." As archbishop, Francis had said Mass among the poor of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
, and "in a shanty town 90 percent of your congregation are single or divorced. You have to learn to deal with that. Communion for the divorced and remarried is not an issue. Everyone takes Communion." "He is always finding traces of God in everyone, ... especially those we misguidedly judge to be unworthy of sitting at the table of the Lord." He led people "to make room for the marginalized in the life of the local church, ... to lead by example and to encourage people who are struggling." This is the pope who had the task of writing ''Amoris laetitia
''Amoris laetitia'' (''The Joy of Love'') is a post-synodal apostolic exhortation by Pope Francis addressing the pastoral care of families. Dated 19 March 2016, it was released on 8 April 2016. It follows the Synods on the Family held in 2014 ...
'', a summation of the synods on the family. He followed the line of progressives at the synod and suggested that bishops must move church practice closer to the real life situations, and to accompany people in "discernment" and an examination of conscience, "to make room for the consciences of the faithful, who very often respond as best they can to the Gospel amid their limitations, and are capable of carrying out their own discernment in complex situations." He wrote that beyond that he left the matter to the local bishops' conferences, in the spirit of collegiality that he had been promoting. The bishops in Germany had been debating this issue for over a decade. Francis sided with the majority that included Cardinal Walter Kasper
Walter Kasper (born 5 March 1933) is a German Catholic cardinal and theologian. He is President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, having served as its president from 2001 to 2010.
Early life
Born in Heidenheim a ...
against those who were led by Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller
Gerhard Ludwig Müller (; born 31 December 1947) is a German cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) from his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 until 2017. He was ...
. Francis strengthened the hand of those German bishops who along with Kasper wrote that "Catholics who have been remarried under civil law after a divorce are invited to go to church, participate in their lives, and mature as living members of the church," offering "no general rule", not insisting that priests give Communion to divorced people but calling for "differentiated solutions, which are appropriate to the individual case." A similar directive had been given by the bishops' conferences in Argentina and in Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
. A 25-page letter accusing Francis of spreading heresy through ''Amoris laetitia'' bears 62 signatures from Catholics such as clergy and religious, but Richard Gaillardetz Richard R. Gaillardetz (born 1958) is an American theologian specializing in questions relating to Catholic ecclesiology and the structures of authority in the Roman Catholic Church. For his dissertation he researched ‘the Theology of the Ordinar ...
of Boston College
Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classifie ...
says that all the signatories are "marginal figures". In May 2019 a coalition of conservative Catholic clergy and academics cited Francis for many counts of heresy, among which was allowing divorced Catholics to receive communion. Cardinal Gerhard Müller, dismissed by Francis as the Vatican's doctrinal chief, came out in February 2019 with what the media described as "a clear manifestation of conservative criticism of Francis' emphasis on mercy and accompaniment versus a focus on repeating Catholic morals and doctrine during the previous two papacies." Thomas J. Reese Thomas J. Reese, (born 1945) is an American Catholic Jesuit priest, author, and journalist. He is a senior analyst at Religion News Service, a former columnist at National Catholic Reporter, and a former editor-in-chief of the weekly Catholic magaz ...
has defended Francis' changes as consistent with other cases where the understanding of Catholics preceded change in church teaching, citing the cases of usury
Usury () is the practice of making unethical or immoral monetary loans that unfairly enrich the lender. The term may be used in a moral sense—condemning taking advantage of others' misfortunes—or in a legal sense, where an interest rate is ch ...
, heliocentrism
Heliocentrism (also known as the Heliocentric model) is the astronomical model in which the Earth and planets revolve around the Sun at the center of the universe. Historically, heliocentrism was opposed to geocentrism, which placed the Earth at ...
, and religious freedom. In July 2020, Cardinal Angelo Scola who came in second to Francis in the 2013 papal election, defended Francis' papacy, saying: "Pope Francis seeks to shake up consciences by calling into question consolidated habits and customs in the church, each time raising the bar, so to speak. ...I truly consider admirable and moving the extraordinary capacity of Pope Francis to make himself close to everyone, and especially to the excluded,"
In a book of his own reflections, Francis has written: "Scholars of the law represent the principle opposition to Jesus; they challenge him in the name of doctrine." The fear of losing "the sheep who are already safely inside the pen ...(is) the logic of the scholars of the law. ...The logic of God ... welcomes, embraces, and transfigures evil into good. ...He teaches us what to do, which logic to follow, when faced with people who suffer physically and spiritually."
Liberation theology
Just six months into his papacy, Francis invited Gustavo Gutiérrez
Gustavo Gutiérrez Merino (born 8 June 1928) is a Peruvian philosopher, Catholic theologian, and Dominican priest, regarded as one of the founders of Latin American liberation theology. He currently holds the John Cardinal O'Hara Professo ...
to meet with him. They had shared a common teacher in . Gutiérrez, considered to be one of the most outstanding proponents of liberation theology
Liberation theology is a Christian theological approach emphasizing the liberation of the oppressed. In certain contexts, it engages socio-economic analyses, with "social concern for the poor and political liberation for oppressed peoples". In ...
, had attended a conference in Petrópolis
Petrópolis (; ), also known as The Imperial City, is a Municipalities of Brazil, municipality in the Southeast Region, Brazil, Southeast Region of Brazil. It is located in the state of Rio de Janeiro (state), Rio de Janeiro, northeast of the ci ...
in 1964, that is considered to have given birth to liberation theology. At that conference Lucio Gera spoke on "The Meaning of the Christian Message in the Midst of Poverty and Oppression". Gera had also been a teacher of Bergoglio who as Archbishop of Buenos Aires showed his esteem for Gera by allowing him to be buried in the crypt of the cathedral. In Argentina a trend of liberation theology emerged with its own characteristics. In addition to Gera, the other great exponent of this trend is the priest Rafael Tello. This theologian, from an original reading of Saint Thomas Aquinas, thought about the originality of Latin American popular Christianity and put the center on the option for the poor. Bergoglio highly valued his proposal as he explicitly stated in 2012 when presenting a book on his thinking.
When Francis became pope, liberation theology could no longer "remain in the shadows to which it has been relegated for some years, at least in Europe," according to the Vatican's semiofficial newspaper, ''L’Osservatore Romano
''L'Osservatore Romano'' (, 'The Roman Observer') is the daily newspaper of Vatican City State which reports on the activities of the Holy See and events taking place in the Catholic Church and the world. It is owned by the Holy See but is not a ...
''.
Walter Kasper
Walter Kasper (born 5 March 1933) is a German Catholic cardinal and theologian. He is President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, having served as its president from 2001 to 2010.
Early life
Born in Heidenheim a ...
points out that in line with the paradigm shift of Vatican II, Pope Francis's method "is not deductive but rather inductive in that it proceeds from the concrete human situation. ...The neighbor is for you the exposition of the concrete will of God." This is in accord with the Jesuit practice of "discernment", whereby one begins with the concrete situation, what Vatican II called discerning the "signs of the times" interpreted in the light of the gospel, rather than beginning with church doctrine. This also appears in the method of "see, judge, and act" that is characteristic of liberation theology and is reflected in the report of the Latin America
Latin America or
* french: Amérique Latine, link=no
* ht, Amerik Latin, link=no
* pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
bishops' conference at Aparecida
Aparecida is a Brazilian Municipalities of Brazil, municipality in the state of São Paulo (state), São Paulo. It is located in the fertile valley of the River Paraíba do Sul on the southern (right) bank. It is part of the Metropolitan Region o ...
, where Bergoglio chaired the editorial committee. His later emphasis on collegiality may have received an impetus from Rome's serious changes in the Aparecida document, "the rejection of the significance and competence of the ecclesial authority representing a whole continent and it seemed to negate the teachings of the Second Vatican Council about collegiality."
The conservative-progressive divide among bishops in Latin America is apparent in the question of how involved the clergy should be in politics. Óscar Romero
Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez (15 August 1917 – 24 March 1980) was a prelate of the Catholic Church in El Salvador. He served as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of San Salvador, the Titular Bishop of Tambeae, as Bishop of Santiago d ...
was appointed bishop in San Salvador
San Salvador (; ) is the capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its eponymous department. It is the country's political, cultural, educational and financial center. The Metropolitan Area of San Salvador, which comprises the capital i ...
as a conservative, but moved toward the progressive perspective just 17 days after his consecration as bishop, at the assassination of Father Rutilio Grande
Rutilio Grande García, SJ (5 July 1928 in El Paisnal – 12 March 1977 in Aguilares) was a Jesuit priest in El Salvador. He was assassinated in 1977, along with two other Salvadorans. He was the first priest assassinated before the Salvad ...
. Pope Francis gave his clear support to the progressive perspective by moving forward the causes for canonization of Grande and Romero which had been on hold under the previous pontiffs. And he chose to promote for canonization along with Romero Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City, Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his ...
, who was described as similar in his care for the poor and for social justice and "an icon of the church that Francis is seeking to build."
The decline of base communities, small communities within a parish, during the papacy of Pope John Paul II has been attributed to his appointment of hundreds of new bishops, some 300 in Brazil alone, "and almost all of those new bishops have been more conservative than their predecessors." Under Pope Francis, base communities have been making a comeback, with his encouragement and blessing.
Francis mediated an agreement between Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
and the US, to improve relations. President Raúl Castro
Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz (; ; born 3 June 1931) is a retired Cuban politician and general who served as the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, the most senior position in the one-party communist state, from 2011 to 2021, succeedi ...
, a product of Jesuit
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
education, said the teachings of Pope Francis had both persuaded him to take a softer line on religion and to perhaps return to the Catholic Church. He said: "If the Pope continues to speak like this, sooner or later I will start praying again and I will return to the Catholic Church – and I'm not saying this jokingly."
Official papal letters
* '' Evangelii gaudium'' (''The Joy of the Gospel'' – 2013): an apostolic exhortation issued eight months into his papacy, a "programmatic" for his pontificate.[
* '']Laudato si'
''Laudato si (''Praise Be to You'') is the second encyclical of Pope Francis. The encyclical has the subtitle "on care for our common home". In it, the pope critiques consumerism and irresponsible development, laments environmental degradatio ...
'' (''Praise Be to You'' – 2015): an encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Roman Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop. The word comes from the Late Latin (originally from ...
letter on the environment, "On care for our common home".
* ''Amoris laetitia
''Amoris laetitia'' (''The Joy of Love'') is a post-synodal apostolic exhortation by Pope Francis addressing the pastoral care of families. Dated 19 March 2016, it was released on 8 April 2016. It follows the Synods on the Family held in 2014 ...
'' (''The Joy of Love'' – 2016): an apostolic exhortation "On love in the family".
* '' Gaudete et exsultate'' (''Rejoice and Be Glad'' – 2018): an apostolic exhortation "On the call to holiness in today's world".
* '' Christus vivit'' (''Christ is Alive'' – 2018): an apostolic exhortation "To young people and to the whole people of God".
* ''Fratelli tutti
''Fratelli tutti'' (''All Brothers'') is the third encyclical of Pope Francis, subtitled "on fraternity and social friendship". In the document, Francis states that the way the COVID-19 pandemic was managed by world countries has shown a failur ...
'' (''Brethren all'' – 2019): an encyclical letter "On fraternity and social friendship".
References
Further reading
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Francis, Theology of Pope
Pope Francis
Catholic theology and doctrine
Theological views of individuals