"There is the premise, and this is fundamental, that the mercy of God is limitless for those who turn to him with a sincere and contrite heart..."
You can read some enlightening stuff here from Jeff Miller and Jimmy Akin, both former atheists who are now Catholics. They analyze what Pope Francis said about the conscience of atheists: http://www.splendoroftruth.com/curtjester/2013/09/the-pope-said-what/
"Turn to Him with a sincere and contrite heart" is the sort of thing usually doesn't make it through the secular media's filter. NO fault of yours: but you and I have to remind ourselves to read MSM accounts with a huge grain of salt.
Peace -- and take care.
You, and many other Catholics here, keep saying that the pope is simply trying to bring the lost to God. Noble cause that. But God has given me wisdom to know when someone is telling me to believe them, and not my lying eyes. The pope wasn't bring people to Christ by his statements to atheists to follow their own way......even though that is what you want this narrative to say. He was validating the godless to continue to follow their own way, and to be a law unto themselves, in complete violation of the Book of Romans. His comments to minimize the magnitude of the two great moral arguments of our age, homosexuality and abortion, in almost the same time frame, speak volumes towards his heart. Shame on him. You do not do that. You do not bring people to Christ by encouraging them to go their own way and then blurring the lines between right and wrong. if you really believe that, I respectfully encourage you to examine your own heart in quiet and solitude before Almighty God. We are on the crux of a massive battle between Good and Evil. Stay grounded in God's Word and Jesus Christ.
“.. read MSM accounts with a huge grain of salt. “
We all certainly need to do that EACH AND EVERY TIME, and thanks for the link. I’ll check it out!