Pope Francis will be in the U.S. from Sept. 22-27, 2015.
While not the first Vicar of Christ to visit these shores, he may be the most popular.
He’s been called “the conscience of the world,” has achieved “rock star status” and Obama described him saying he’s “a transformative figure.”
Known for taking positions on a variety of subjects, his latest papal encyclical “Laudata si” (Praise be to you) addresses the climate change issue.
The Pope accepts the scientific consensus that the changes are largely man-made. He believes they represent a challenge for humanity and warns of unprecedented destruction of ecosystems. His pronouncements have opened the floodgates for right-wing critics who urge the Pope to stick to religion.
The Pope counters that concern for the natural world is an integral part of Church teaching on social justice.
Only one other Pope in recent memory has been viewed as progressive as Francis and that is John XXIII.
History brought these men together on April 27, 2014, when Francis canonized John XXIII.
The story of how the latter was elected to the papacy is fascinating. In 1958, the sudden passing of Pope Pius XII, left the College of Cardinals without an agreed upon candidate.
They chose 76 year old Angelo Roncalli as a caretaker, thus buying time while they thought about Rancalli’s successor. And while Rancalli only held the office from 1958 to 1963, he managed to revolutionize the Church.
He convened the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) which brought about dialogue with other religions; permitted the Mass to be said in languages other than Latin, and allowed churches to include contemporary music and artwork within their walls.
His Papal Encyclical “Pacem in Terrus” (Peace on Earth) demanded that the “arms race should cease” and “nuclear weapons should be banned.”
Conservative prelates must have been thinking about Robert Burns warning about the best laid plans of mice and men often going awry.
If John XXII broke with tradition, what can be said of Pope Francis?
Starting with his choice of a name, we gain insight into his heart. At the time of his election, he was sitting next to his friend Cardinal Hummes who gave him a congratulatory hug and said: “Don’t forget the poor.”
Francis tells the rest of the story. “…thinking of the poor, I thought of Francis of Assisi…For me he was a man of poverty, a man of peace.”
The choice of the name Francis has set the tone for his Pontificate…a sincere and genuine reaching out to the least fortunate. But there are many other areas of significant change within the Church.
On marriage and divorce, Francis has pointed out that celibacy is a recent development only dating back to the year 1000.
In his native Argentina, he proudly attended the funeral of a bishop who left the church in order to marry. He is sympathetic to those whose marriages are “shaky”, and in his own family, he has a divorced sister.
While in the past, the church has denied communion to divorced and remarried couples, Francis points out that these crucial rites are “not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.”
He has also called an extraordinary Synod of Bishops to discuss divorce, cohabitation and reproduction.
Leaders, whether they be religious or secular, are often called upon to take positions which are controversial. Francis has never shied away from “the tough calls.”
One of the most disturbing issues facing the Church has been the sexual abuse scandals.
Francis appointed a commission whose task it is to provide safe environments for young boys.
Whereas before, the Church focused on legal challenges stemming from sex abuse lawsuits, the emphasis now is on studying the behavioral aspects of the problem.
The Church’s attitude toward homosexuality is a minefield into which the Pope has fearlessly walked.
On a flight from Brazil to Rome, he remarked to reporters: “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge him?”
One marvels at the clever wording of this comment.
What Francis has adroitly done is to change the tone of the discussion from dogmatic to tolerant without altering Church doctrine.
It is a nuanced statement designed to stimulate dialogue. In April 2013, the Pope asked eight bishops to discuss difficult Church problems.
One of the eight, Cardinal Oswald Gracias of India, stated that while the Church does not allow gay marriage, homosexuality is not a sin.
Previous popes might have condemned such heresy, but Francis understands that “the times they are a changin’”.
The Pope’s liberal critics may be disappointed that he has not endorsed gay marriage, abortion or allowed females to be priests, but he has said “it is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time.”
From this, Vatican-watchers believe the Pope has opened the door a crack and wishes to keep the narrative alive.
The Pope’s personal interactions, in large part, explain his tremendous popularity. We have all seen pictures of him washing the feet of convicts and hugging a man with a deformed face.
His rejection of Vatican opulence is genuine as is his love of children. In his first encyclical “Evangelii Gaudium” (the Joy of the Gospel) he wrote: “I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out in the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined.”
Yet this man of love does not suffer fools gladly.
The highest ranking U.S. Cardinal, Raymond Leo Burke, has been a thorn in the Pope’s side.
The cardinal stated that the Eucharist should not be given to John Kerry or any Catholic running for office who was not pro-life. Burke’s position on women has raised eyebrows.
He blamed the insufficient number of priests on the fact that for the past twenty years “alter girls” were allowed to perform functions previously reserved for boys. Burke’s position on palliative care and euthanasia were equally questionable.
In 1958, Cardinal Burke held a lofty position — serving on the Vatican Supreme Court, but in 2014 he was given a new post,
Chaplain of the Knights of Malta. Pope watchers viewed this as a significant demotion.
Burke seems to have forgotten the Biblical admonition “He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind.”
No recounting of the Pope’s positions would be complete without citing his views on economics. He has stated that the current economic system is “unjust at its root.”
He maintains that there is a tyranny of the marketplace in which financial speculation, widespread corruption and tax evasion are all too commonplace.
“Such an economy kills” he writes, because the law of “survival of the fittest” prevails.
He has challenged Republican conventional wisdom about trickle-down economics stating that it never benefits the poor.
Such sentiments have led radio guru Rush Limbaugh to call the Pope a “pure Marxist” which I can only conjecture is worse than being an “impure Marxist.”
When asked about this comment, the Pope’s reply was vintage Francis: “The Marxist ideology is wrong. But I have met many Marxists in my life who are good people, so I don’t feel offended.”
What lessons can be drawn from this narrative? The following come to mind.
First, one can never predict when unforeseen circumstances will bend the arc of history. Second, change is gradual requiring patience and faith. Third, rigid doctrine, at times, gives way to love, tolerance and understanding.
And when it does, we must recognize it and applaud he who preaches that Gospel. In short, we, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, should rejoice that Pope Francis will soon be in our midst for he is truly a beacon of light and a man for all seasons.
Dr. Hank Sobel
Great Neck
