Posted on 11/01/2013 4:00:10 PM PDT by RBStealth
According to a Catholic writer in Italy, Pope Francis was aware that his reported words in an Oct. 1 interview published in “La Repubblica” could be misunderstood, and took measures concerning this.
Antonio Socci, a Catholic columnist for the Italian newspaper “Libero,” wrote Oct. 27 that after the publication of the interview, Pope Francis was fully aware of the risk of misunderstanding of some of his words, particularly those on conscience.
In the interview, Eugenio Scalfari, founder and former director of “La Repubblica,” quoted Pope Francis as saying that “the conscience is autonomous, and everyone must obey his conscience.”
Pope Francis reportedly reiterated his phrase, adding that “everyone has his own idea of good and evil and must choose to follow the good and fight evil as he conceives them. That would be enough to make the world a better place.”
These sentences led to a certain amount of criticism for the Roman Pontiff.
The Pope's knowledge that he could be misunderstood is why – according to Socci – Fr. Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See press office, was “told to maintain that the text of the interview had not been revised by Pope Francis and that it was penned by Scalfari after an informal chat.”
Fr. Lombardi also underlined that “the interview is not part of Pope Francis' Magisterium.”
Despite this, “L’Osservatore Romano,” the Vatican newspaper, re-published the interview in its Oct. 2 edition, and it is included among Pope Francis' speeches on the Vatican's website.
According to Socci, Pope Francis “regretted” the publication of the interview in “L’Osservatore Romano” and “complained of it to the director, Gian Maria Vian, in Assisi on Oct. 4.”
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicnewsagency.com ...
People thought Benedict was more orthodox, but I’d say they’re about the same and, possibly, Francis is even more interested in openly preaching and enforcing orthodoxy. But he was naïve about it and he’s learning now that the press can take two or three words and run with them and transform his statement into something he never meant to say.
It must be painful. It happened to the scholarly, careful Benedict, too. JP was fortunate enough to have Joaquin Navarro-Valls, an Opus Dei member, as his press person. He was excellent at cleaning up ambiguities (and JPII was full of them) and handling the media, but there’s been nobody like him since then.
actually several good commentators have made the point that he knows exactly what he is doing. Albeit with mistakes, big ones.
He is changing the emphasis and focus...changing it away from what turns many non-Christians completely off in this culture. Saying things like the Catholic Church teaches...turns them off, they dont’ listen after that. Talking about the culture war...turns them off. Preaching directly to abortion and other ills and sins...turns their listening off.
But preaching the word of Christ, the kerygma, forgiveness of sins, respect for the poor this was the initial gospel...The Acts of the Apostles, kerygma. So there are many things you can say to people/non-Christians that will turn them off in these times, but they have to confront, they have to think(now or later) about the Word of God.
THe emphasis and focus will now look more like the preaching from the ‘Acts of the Apostles’, than it will resemble the focus of fighting a culture war....
The fight right now, with a change on emphasis and focus is to bring more souls to the Church, package it to them so they listen, ...instead of trying to fight a culture war we’ve been fighting for 50 years and miserably losing. So he has been tightening up the fight in a frontal offensive towards sinners, preaching the gospel.
I have posted several articles on this.
Fr. Lombardi also underlined that “the interview is not part of Pope Francis' Magisterium.”
Despite this, “L’Osservatore Romano,” the Vatican newspaper, re-published the interview in its Oct. 2 edition, and it is included among Pope Francis' speeches on the Vatican's website.
According to Socci, Pope Francis “regretted” the publication of the interview in “L’Osservatore Romano” and “complained of it to the director, Gian Maria Vian, in Assisi on Oct. 4.”
In regards to the "regrets" and "complaints" of the subject interview, I'm amazed that the Vatican still posts it (in no less than six languages) on its website to this day.
INTERVIEW WITH POPE FRANCIS BY THE FOUNDER OF ITALIAN DAILY "LA REPUBBLICA"
Could lead one to doubt the sincerity of said "regrets".
One contributing factor is too many Catholics, clergy included, are fighting on the wrong side.
well the Popes have been fighting the culture war...but not every bishop, parish and priest.
As a Catholic, I have a recommendation for Pope Francis, that being, “Shut up.” His continual almost daily preachings are turning many of us Catholics off. In fact, he has become downright irritating.
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