Some conservatives don't seem too happy that Francis isn't a culture warrior

[UrbScotty]

Pope Francis has created an incredible amount of enthusiasm during his young papacy. His persistent focus on the poor and vulnerable is helping to reshape the image of the Church. Many who had drifted away from the Church have turned their gaze back to it. Even atheists are writing articles expressing their fondness for Francis. And many of us in the pews are even more excited.

This enthusiasm has seemingly created a unique period of unity within the American church, which has often been heavily fractured. The only outward displays of discontent seemed to be coming from the ‘trads’, traditional Catholics who strongly dislike Francis’ penchant for the simple rather than the baroque. Yet the change in emphasis (if not doctrine) initiated by Francis was bound to ruffle some feathers.

And now it seems as though the whispers on the Catholic Right are starting to grow. The critiques have begun to escape the privacy of intimate conservations and circulate more widely. And now Archbishop Charles Chaput has confirmed that the right-wing of the Church generally has “not been really happy about his election.”

Opponents of abortion and euthanasia have an ally in Pope Francis. But those who want to wage a culture war do not. Francis rejects the confrontational, caustic approach favored by many right-wing Catholic culture warriors. It was inevitable that many would turn against him for inadequate ardor in defense of their causes.

http://millennialjournal.com/2013/07/23/is-the-catholic-right-turning-against-pope-francis/

[rug]

1. Chaput has some surprising insights.

What do you pick up back home about the new pope?

My sense is that practicing Catholics love him and have a deep respect for him, but they're not actually the ones who really talk to me about the new pope. The ones who do are nonpracticing Catholics or people who aren't Catholic or not even Christian. They go out of their way to tell me how impressed they are and what a wonderful change he's brought into the church. It's interesting to see that it's the alienated Catholic and the non-Catholic and the non-Christians who have expressed their enthusiasm more than Catholics have. It's not that Catholics aren't impressed, too, but they're ordinarily impressed with the pope.

How do you explain the enthusiasm beyond the usual suspects?

I don't know how to interpret it, quite honestly. I think part of it is genuine appreciation for the pope's extraordinary friendliness and transparency. But also, I think they would prefer a church that wouldn't have strict norms and ideas about the moral life and about doctrine, and they somehow interpret the pope's openness and friendliness as being less concerned about those things. I certainly don't think that's true. I think he's a truly Catholic man in every sense of the word, but I think people are hoping that he'll be less concerned about the issues that separate us today.

http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/right-wing-generally-not-happy-francis-chaput-says

[IrishAyes]

7. My 2 cents worth:

I rather imagine Pope Francis (love his name) is indeed "a truly Catholic man in every sense of the word..." but I see in him a deep humility and true love for people, especially the poor and dispossessed, that makes it easier to accept whatever differences we might have. I can truly respect the man and love him. That heightens his influence far more than if he seemed autocratic and totally out of touch with reality, not to mention (in my view) Christ's real message.

In short, even though I always wanted to see Archbishop Romero elected pope, Francis is fine with me.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

2. Given that the previous two popes bent over backwards to accomodate the right wing

Chaput seems to be whining that his people will no longer be first in line. My nose bleeds for him.

[47of74]

4. I saw this one comment he made.

"We're told to keep our nose out of politics..."

My question to the good Archbishop would be if that was before or after one of his colleagues compared the President of the United States to Adolf Hitler? Was it before or after these guys went running to every right wing media outlet whining about how put upon they all were and how the mean, nasty government was infringing their religious freedom?

[No Vested Interest]

3. RW Television/radio EWTN may be among those trying to hold on to the past

EWTN sent a delegation of several of their regulars to cover Pope Francis' arrival in Rio de Janeiro and the World Youth Day celebration, which will last throughout this week.

It was most interesting to watch the Pope arriving via Alitalia Airline, his airport meeting with Brazilian Pres. Dilma Rousseff, the drive in a modest-size car (Ford Focus?) into the huge modern city of Rio, the crowds along the route waving, cheering, touching his extended arm, the open Popemobile, then the transfer to a helicopter to the State Palace and the formal exchange of greetings between Pope Francis and President Rousseff.

Throughout the narrative by the EWTN announcers, a priest and a layman, the previous two Popes, JPII and Benedict, were frequently cited and quoted. Perhaps this was just to fill the gaps for the radio audience, but I got the distinct feeling the EWTN crowd is not yet ready to concede their RW views to our new Pope.

[47of74]

5. Seems to me that even during the reigns of JP and Benedict...

...EWTN acted at times like they were more Catholic than the Pope.

[IrishAyes]

6. When it comes to conservatives in all walks of life and their whining,

I like to quote Rhett Butler: "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."