[marshmallow]

......what the secular press think about him is very close to Pope Francis’ heart. This is ultimately the original sin of the cardinals’ general congregation which led to the election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio,.....

The money quote.

The election of the current Pope was based, to a great extent, on concerns over public relations. Weary of the secular journalistic onslaught against the Church, Benedict XVI and the scandals, the overriding concern of the cardinals was the Church's image. How can we make the world love us? The search for popular esteem drove the election of +Francis.

[livius]

Good article.

Yes, I agree that the cardinals wanted to be loved and felt that electing somebody who seems to be led by every modern trend, from the “environment” to a populist anti-capitalism to a vagueness on sexual morality, was the way to do it. And I hate to say it, but I think more and more that Pope Francis himself wants to be loved by the “right people,” that is, the media and the academic and religious left who control the media, and that’s the reason for stunts like the Scalfari interviews.

I hope he retires when he’s 80, although he has two more years to do more damage to the image of the Church and the faith of the people. The only thing good to come out of it is that I see a lot of resistance among more orthodox Catholics, who are referring more and more to Tradition and less and less to the specific pronouncements (or vague musings!) of the Pope.

[piusv]

How appropriate: “Pope Francis’ Church”

[defconw]

I think we run into problems when we try to state the motivations of a person we truly don't know. Sometimes a priest or Pope for that matter will preach on or do something that seems crazy to us. But from past experience I know that the message of that day, time etc. Was not for me. But someone needed it.

The Holy Father is from Latin America. He is very different in style and temperament then our European Popes. There was a lot of conjecture when JPII came in. The First non-Italian, non-western European Pope.

If anything Pope Francis is just being himself and people are projecting on to him what they want to hear and ascribing motivations to him that may not be so. Not everyone who writes about the Pope or the Church as the authority or knowledge to do so.

[Salvation]

http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651207_ad-gentes_en.html

[Alex Murphy]

Among Pope Francis’ inner circle, some of his friends underscore that there is a precise meaning in Pope Francis’ use of his «end of the world» origins from the very day of his election. These words were aimed at revealing Pope Francis’ intention to dismantle the Papacy the way it has been conceived, its image, even its authority. Taking its place would be a lighter way to be Pope, more private, more personal. Perhaps, this is a highly intellectual argument. Too intellectual if applied to Pope Francis, who is used to think practically. Probably, we have all misunderstood Pope Francis.

IB4TPWMA

[Mrs. Don-o]

Millions of people hated Benedict XVI for the wrong reasons. Now millions of people “love” Francis -— also for the wrong reasons.