How Pope Francis Is and Isn’t Different

Mary Gordon – The Boston Globe

This change in tone is Francis’s greatest achievement, and it’s huge. But it would be a mistake, and one that could result later in a rancorous disappointment, to make of Francis something he’s not. He’s not a feminist — on women’s issues he gets a gentleman’s C. He’s not even much of a reformer: Don’t expect any big legal changes about birth control or other sexual issues. He is, however, an astute politician. He is determined to clean out the dry rot of Vatican entrenched bureaucracy, including the mess of its finances.

The most important thing about him is that he is a man of compassion. He wants people to understand that God is a God of love and not judgment, and that it is the church’s role to make that God accessible to people.

U.S. Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, left, stands by Pope Francis as he salutes bishops at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Sept. 2, 2015. (AP)

Pope Francis Is About to Blow Elizabeth Warren Out of the Water

AJ Vicens – Mother Jones

In a sharp departure from his predecessors in the Vatican, Francis’ statements on such issues as climate change, divorce,homosexuality, andabortion have rankled conservatives around the world. The pushback on some of his more progressive interpretations of Catholic teachings has also angered many Catholics, triggering what the Washington Post described as a “conservative rebellion” within the church.

But from the very beginning of his papacy in 2013, he has been especially outspoken on the issue of income inequality. Serving the poor is one of the pope’s main priorities; when he chose his name in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, he said he wanted a church that was both poor and “for the poor.” In November 2013, he wrote his blueprint for where he wanted to lead the church, a document known as the Evangelii Gaudium or the apostolic exhortation, in which he focused on this issue.

Catholics react as Pope Francis arrives to lead his weekly audience at the Paul VI hall in Vatican City, August 5, 2015. (Reuters)

 Why Progressives Should Care About ‘Popemania’

 Jack Jenkins – ThinkProgess.org

Pope Francis gestures as he speaks during the “Modern Slavery and Climate Change” conference at the Vatican July 21, 2015. (Reuters)

… As Francis fans flood into East Coast cities to catch a glimpse of the Holy Father, many liberals — Catholic or otherwise — are still curious as to what the hubbub is all about…. A papal visit to the United States is cool and all, but should progressives even care?

The short answer: Yes. Yes, you should. Especially if you want legislative action on immigration reform, climate change, or income inequality….

… Francis has proven himself unusually interested in turning Catholic theology into real-world policy, especially on progressive issues. His encyclical on the environment, released earlier this year, specifically asks world leaders to help reduce carbon emissions in their countries and curb the effects of climate change. And the Vatican has since hosted a high-level conference with climate-conscience mayors from cities all over the globe, encouraging politicians to share and spread their environmental efforts.

Francis has also helped broker the normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba, convened a “prayer summit” with leaders from Israel and Palestine at the Vatican, and spoken out against economic inequality. All of these actions are rooted in the pontiff’s religious beliefs, but he is uncharacteristically willing to express them in an explicitly political context — a trend not seen at this global scale arguably since Pope John Paul II helped end communist rule in Eastern Europe.

Pope Francis smiles onboard the papal plane during his return to Rome, from Asuncion, Paraguay, July 12, 2015. (Reuters)

5 Ways Pope Francis Has Recently Caused Conservative Christians’ Heads to Explode

Janet Allon – Alternet.org

Congressional Republicans invited Pope Benedict XVI to address Congress a while ago. Boy, do they wish they could rescind that invitation now that the much more progressive Pope Francis is gearing up to come to Washington on September 24.

The people’s pope has been on a tear lately, one week suggesting that women who have had abortions might be forgiven, the next week saying there might be room in the church for divorced people, and fast-tracking the annulment process.

All this forgiveness seems downright un-Christian to the conservative right, both here, and Vatican observers say, within the church hierarchy where a culture war and conservative backlash is brewing. What has conservatives in such a tizzy? The pope had already implied that atheists who live a moral life might find a way into heaven, and declined to pass judgment on gay people (literally, he said, “Who am I to judge?”). This forgiving, inclusive and compassionate church is not the one conservatives signed up for.