NBC Frets New Pope 'Didn't Exactly Scream a Modern Church,' Puts Liberalism on Papal 'To-Do List'

NewsBusters.org ^ | March 14, 2013 | Kyle Drennan

[Kaslin]

In an interview with New York's Cardinal Timothy Dolan on Thursday's NBC Today, co-host Matt Lauer worried about the age of the newly elected Pope Francis: "...there was some stunned silence for a second. I think some had expected a younger man, he's 76....When you looked at that image of the new pope standing with some members of the Church hierarchy, visually, Cardinal Dolan, it didn't exactly scream a modern Church." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]

At the same time Lauer was worried about the Church not projecting a more "modern" image, NBCNews.com offered a "to-do list" for the new Pontiff that included typical liberal demands:

Matt Lauer Frets New Pope 'Didn't Exactly Scream a Modern Church' as NBC Puts Liberalism on Papal 'To-Do List'

5. Should women be priests? And should priests marry? Francis will have to address growing debate within the church about the celibacy requirement for priests. A priest in Australia admitted last year that he had been married for a year and said "there are more like me." Benedict also delivered a veiled rebuke to an Austrian priests' group that wants the church to allow women to be ordained and to get rid of the celibacy requirement.

6. Modernization. Majorities of Catholics in the United States have said in surveys that they want the pope to lead the church in a more liberal direction. A New York Times/CBS News poll of Catholics last week found that six in 10 support gay marriage, and seven in 10 want the church to allow birth control. Three-quarters supported abortion in at least some circumstances. In Argentina, then-Cardinal Bergoglio clashed with the president over a 2010 law allowing gay marriage. "It is a move by the father of lies to confuse and deceive the children of God," he said.

Here is a transcript of Lauer's March 14 exchange with Dolan:

7:07AM ET

(...)

MATT LAUER: In our time together you've always encouraged me to speak frankly and I hope you understand what I'm about to say in the tone it's intended.

TIMOTHY DOLAN: Please, sure.

LAUER: I think when he stepped out on to the Loggia yesterday, there was some stunned silence for a second. I think some had expected a younger man, he's 76. Some had expected someone who at least visually seemed to epitomized a more modern Church. When you looked at that image of the new pope standing with some members of the Church hierarchy, visually, Cardinal Dolan, it didn't exactly scream a modern Church. Do you understand what I mean?

TIMOTHY DOLAN: I do, Matt, and I appreciate your candor.

By the way, I just enjoyed, here with Natalie, watching the events from last night because I hadn't seen them. We were behind the scenes, literally, so didn't get to see much. So thanks for showing them again.

I know what you mean, but we always say this – the long-term people who watch the Church universal, and I'd count you among them – you have the balcony moment, but then the real pontificate begins today. And that's where we're going to begin – that's where we're going to begin to watch. We cardinals noticed some things immediately that he was doing differently. I don't know if we've got time to go into them. Would you like me to list a few?

LAUER: Just give me one.

DOLAN: Very simple. When the protocol calls for all the cardinals to come up. As soon as he's elected pope and changes, they put the white chair out up on an elevated platform. He's to sit there while we come up to express our love, gratitude, and allegiance. When the emcee said Holy Father up here, he said, "No, I'm standing down here." Alright, so he greeted each of us as brothers, down just on, literally, on the same level we were.

You heard this story? When we left to go over to St. Martha, where we've all been staying, where he's been staying with us. They had his limo ready, he got back on the bus with us, like he had been doing for the whole conclave. Those are little signs that send signals, Matt. You mentioned an important signal last night on the balcony. You mentioned some of the pluses and minuses of that. But, boy, let's watch close, because I think we're going to see a lot of renewal.

[Lexinom]

Nice!

[Ann Archy]

I just love when a person of another religion, Matt being Jewish, tells us how our Church should be! the HUBRIS!!!

[Ann Archy]

LOL! Matt;s not going to ANY Church...he’s Jewish!!

[RedHeeler]

Matthew is not “Jewish.” Oy, if only he were...

[Ann Archy]

Bingo....he certainly isn’t a religious Jew.

[RedHeeler]

Political Corrupts, have no station in traditional culture, regardless of origin. Truly, without good warrant. It will take a good while, to right this mess.

[I still care]

The first time I ever sat down and watched Lauer’s show all the way through was last year, when Sarah Palin was a guest. His rudeness to her was appalling. She was a guest, and he started out rude and obnoxious and continued all the way through, no matter how gracious she was.

I kept thinking, how can people watch this man? He’s awful. She wasn’t even running for anything, but he couldn’t keep his distaste for her even out of his voice.

I kept thinking, this is why America is in the mess it is. They can’t recognize a good person from a self-centered jerk. Obama gets up there and talks about himself incessantly and they don’t get there is something seriously wrong with him; Lauer is mean and rude and they actually watch his show.

I certainly wouldn’t accept his opinion on a man of faith. He probably has never taken two seconds to try and think about humble goodness and kindness.

[Kaslin]

I used to watch ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and MSNBC until 1998 when our cable company finally decided to add the Fox News Channel. Since then I don’t even turn any of these channels on

[Tax-chick]

A priest in Australia admitted last year that he had been married for a year and said "there are more like me."

One wonders how this priest managed to get through the immense amount of schooling they take, without learning as much sacramental theology as a humble suburban breeder and 3rd-grade religious-ed teacher. Sacramentally, a married man can be ordained a priest (as in the Orthodox and some Eastern Catholic Churches), but a priest cannot get married after ordination.

Therefore, this priest's "marriage" is simply fornication, ho-hum. Sinful, but hardly groundbreaking, avant-guard originality.

[ops33]

Well, if Lauer is so great why is there a rumor he’s going to host Jeopardy?

[ridesthemiles]

I am not Catholic.

I sincerely hope that this Pope holds the line against the uissues of gay marriage—women priests—and other ‘progressive’ ideas.

There has to be at least ONE religion that has the guts to hold to it’s own reasoning.