Pope Francis
72 pieces tagged “Pope Francis”, newest first.
Pope Francis Speaks Against the 'Great Accuser'
This is not a public-relations crisis. It is one of gross sin infecting the highest levels of church leadership.
Archbishop Calls for the Pope's Resignation
Catholic corruption and the sexual abuse cover-up go all the way to the top, retired archbishop asserts.
The Social Democrats: Playing Both Sides Against the Middle
When Catholic Democrats betray their own church.
Pope Francis' Logic Fail
Drawing a moral equivalence between Christianity and Islam is wrong.
Pope Francis: You Know, Christians Believe in Conquest Too
Well, no, actually there isn't a legitimate comparison.
Pope Francis vs. the 'Demon' of Gender Theory
Pope Francis has returned to Rome after a historic trip to the United States. It was a fascinating endeavor. There have been many papal visits to America in my lifetime — in fact, nearly all have been in my lifetime, the first occurring in 1965, the year before I was born. None of these, however, were so heavily marked by political-ideological battle lines among liberals and conservatives. Really, those lines have been drawn boldly on the left, with liberals eagerly claiming this pope as one of them, and many conservatives granting that concession.
A Pope-pourri of Distortion
In the largest security detail in American history, there's no such thing as a "chance" meeting. But that's exactly what the media is claiming took place between Pope Francis and Kentucky's Kim Davis. Frustrated by the pope's obvious support for the jailed clerk, the press is stirring up speculation about whether the conversation even took place.
Overlooked Remarks From the 'People's Pope'
To say that Pope Francis' visit to the United States drew a lot of media attention would be an understatement. The coverage was 'round-the-clock. Yet as a lifelong "cradle Catholic," educated by Jesuits, I couldn't help noticing what a remarkably incomplete, if not misleading, portrait emerged of the Holy Father. Ask most people what issues concern the pope, and they'll likely cite immigration and climate change. And yes, he has discussed them on many occasions, at times using terms that have led some liberals to declare the pontiff is a card-carrying socialist with little patience for allegedly "outdated" traditional church teachings.
'Get Out'
The decline of America's influence under Obama is accelerating. Fox News reports that "Russian diplomats sent an official demarche [a diplomatic demand] ordering U.S. planes out of Syria." That demand was issued as Russia launched its first airstrikes in Syria following a unanimous vote by Russian lawmakers to approve President Vladimir Putin's request for the use of force. Putin is going to war, and he's telling America to get out of his way. How flexible will Obama be this time?
Pope Francis, I Am with You on Everything but Humility
I write as a practicing Roman Catholic. I watched the pope in America last week with pride. All the virtues that he so admirably embodies are virtues I strive to embody, too — though he will have to excuse me on one or two. In the case of chastity, I opted for marriage, admittedly the less celebrated heterosexual type of marriage, but marriage nonetheless. Then there is humility. Frankly, I have never been able to get the hang of it. I mean, what is in it for me? I suppose it is ideal to have a humble pope, but I cannot imagine a humble editor in chief, much less a humble columnist.
Pope Burnout
Unpopular though it may be to say so, I, for one, grew exhausted by the nonstop pronouncements/commentaries of Pope Francis. The spiritual leader of 1 billion Catholics — roughly half of the world's Christians — Francis just completed a high-profile, endlessly publicized visit to the United States. But unlike past visiting pontiffs, the Argentine-born Francis weighed in on a number of hot-button U.S. social, domestic and foreign-policy issues during a heated presidential election cycle. Francis, in characteristic cryptic language, pontificated about climate change. He lectured on illegal immigration. He harped on the harshness of capitalism, as well as abortion and capital punishment.
Capitalism, Socialism and the Pope
Pope Francis's visit to Cuba and the United States and his previous efforts to bring about a rapprochement between the two countries brings the world's attention to three facts. First, Cuba is one of two remaining communist countries in the world — countries dedicated to the belief that individuals have a duty to live for the state. Second, although the United States does not have the freest economy in the world (Hong Kong and Singapore get that honor and we now rank number 16!), it is the symbolic fountainhead of capitalism — a country whose founding document proclaims the right of everyone to pursue their own happiness. Three, there are still people in the world who contend that communism is better.
Cherry-Picking Pope Francis
While papal visits to the United States are increasingly common, what is uncommon is to see political-ideological battle lines drawn around a pope. The tendency this time is especially acute among liberals, who eagerly frame Francis as one of them — a categorization Francis has resisted. "I'm sure that I haven't said anything more than what's written in the social doctrine of the Church," he said as his plane approached U.S. soil. To some degree, liberals are certainly justified in linking Pope Francis to many of their concerns — climate change, wealth redistribution, poverty. And even many conservatives seem to concede this pope to the political left. In truth, however, both sides lack a full picture. To illustrate the point, I'll focus on the subject area that brings Pope Francis here to America to begin with: a major international Catholic Church synod on family and marriage.
Having Fun at the 'Moral Action on Climate Justice' Rally on the National Mall
The Earth Day Network hosted what it touted as a major rally for action to stop "climate change" today (timed to coincide with Pope Francis's visit with President Obama yesterday and his address to Congress) on the National Mall in Washington. Only it wasn't. It was reported that organizers said beforehand they expected "up to 200,000 people" to attend. Well, I guess what they said was true. The number didn't exceed 200,000. By my guess, it didn't exceed 5,000 or 6,000, but I'm no expert at estimating crowds, so though by my naturally generous nature I thought to give them double that — 12,000 — I now find that their faithful allies at ClimateProgress gave them only "hundreds." So I'll let that suffice.