Conservative Catholics question Pope Francis’s approach

[SecularMotion]

Rattled by Pope Francis’s admonishment to Catholics not to be “obsessed” by doctrine, his stated reluctance to judge gay people and his apparent willingness to engage just about anyone — including atheists — many conservative Catholics are doing what only recently seemed unthinkable:

They are openly questioning the pope.

Concern among traditionalists began building soon after Francis was elected this spring. Almost immediately, the new pope told non-Catholic and atheist journalists he would bless them silently out of respect. Soon after, he eschewed Vatican practice and included women in a foot-washing ceremony.

The wary traditionalists became critical when, in an interview a few weeks ago, Francis said Catholics shouldn’t be “obsessed” with imposing doctrines, including on gay marriage and abortion. Then earlier this month, Francis told an atheist journalist that people should follow good and fight evil as they “conceive” of them. These remarks followed an interview with journalists this summer aboard the papal airplane in which the pope declared that it is not his role to judge someone who is gay “if they accept the Lord and have goodwill.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/conservative-catholics-question-pope-franciss-approach/2013/10/12/21d7f484-2cf4-11e3-8ade-a1f23cda135e_story.html?tid=pm_national_pop

[intaglio]

1. Link to Rug's post of the same article

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12213423

[TlalocW]

2. I don't agree with everything Francis says

But he is a refreshing change from past Popes - someone humble, not interested in the trappings of the office, and more interested in spreading love than hate-filled rhetoric to the Opus Dei crowd.

TlalocW

[trotsky]

4. That, or he's doing a heck of a job on PR.

We don't know yet.

[Miranda4peace]

3. Something tells me these "conservative" catholics are close to the grave.

It might not be that much of an issue in a decade, fortunately.

[hrmjustin]

5. It is always good to see the conservatives sqirm.

[uriel1972]

6. I'd like to see the talk converted into walk...

So far it's all spin, don't obsess but no women priests and LGBT people are welcome if they don't, you know, have icky sex.