George Weigel has been skilled for years at spackling over the flaws of hierarchs.
Every modern Pope’s words have been twisted on occasion, but Francis is responsible for making so many statements that CAN be “twisted” so easily. (Accepting for the moment that premise that his words have been “twisted.”)
He condemned being “obsessed” with abortion and contraception to a press that is eager for any sign that the Church doesn’t support the pro-life movement.
Of course, European and American bishops DON’T support the pro-life movement. Especially Francis’s favorite bishops: Wuerl, Dolan, O’Malley, and Cupich.
“Who am I to judge them if they’re seeking the Lord in good faith?”
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Perhaps his comment ought to have been, “Who am I to judge them if they’ve publicly repented and are by all appearances seeking to amend their ways and to recompense those whom they have harmed?”
Have in fact these public figures whose actions were “a stumbling block to these little ones” and who “would be better off if a millstone were tied around their neck and they were cast into the sea than that they should cause one of these little ones to stumble”, have these public figures publicly repented of their crimes as they ought to have? And, have they by all appearances done everything they can to recompense those whom they have harmed?
After all, Paul stated that “Let not many of you be teachers, for you shall incur a greater judgment.”
“...if they’re seeking the Lord in good faith?” can be easily interpreted as “just kind of trying a little harder”, which doesn’t compare with Jesus’ manly command “be ye holy...”
Vague speech just doesn’t do for a Pontiff. Clear speech helps insure that one is not placing a stumblig block in front of the little ones.
The Evil One is no abstraction to this pontiff, nor does he think of “Satanic” as a rhetorical intensifier to underscore one’s disapproval of, say, Hitler.
Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/pope-francis-filtered/#ixzz3NCwqq5KK
Is everything crazy he says and does just the media’s fault? I think not. I think his inner kook talks out loud sometimes.