FWIW, this incident reminds me of the apologetics, offered up here about ten years ago, around JPII's "kissing of the Koran" incident. To summarize those arguments, Protestants were told that kissing the Koran does not mean the pope accepted the Koran's contents as a religious work, but indicates acceptance of a gift and a show of respect and affection for the giver.
Just throwing this out there, but how is the "Commie-Crucifix" incident any different except for the swapping of Communism for Islam?
Because that was JPII...and he’s a “saint”.
YWIA.
Alex, there is a big difference. JPII did a lot of good. in the balance there is really no comparison between a couple of missteps and the overall good he did. Francis on the other hand has done nothing but make missteps and . enough missteps and misstatements where you wonder whether they are missteps and miss statements.