It was reported by ANSA on February 7, 2024, that Pope Francis judged it “hypocritical” to be shocked that the Catholic Church would authorize the blessing of gay couples. He offered the rebuttal in Credere, “No one is scandalized if I give a blessing to a businessman who perhaps exploits people – and this is a very serious sin.” I am tempted to give the retort that the comparison is between apples and oranges. But in truth many of us would anticipate that no cleric would give approbation through a blessing to anyone in grievous sin. The proper parallel would be with pro-abortion politicians. Many of us would very much hope that the Holy Father would refrain from either blessing or giving Holy Communion to those who scandalously parade their vices as virtues— and both sexual depravity and the murder of children constitute mortal sin and testify to an anti-gospel.
He says that the heart of the controversial declaration is “welcome.” But many learned authorities interpret it as going further and seeking the regularization of that which cannot be normalized for believers. No one contests that the Pope has a soft heart for homosexual persons. However, he sometimes seems to demonstrate a hardness to his priests and to those who place the truth prior to any pastoral accommodation. He states: “People suffer so much, we clerics sometimes live in comfort. . . it is necessary to see the work, the suffering of the people.” It may not be his intent, but this is a slight against caring priests. Clergy who uphold the teachings and values of the Church are not ogres who delight in the pain of others. Often these pastors suffer alongside their people and count themselves as the first among sinners. The promises made by men consecrated to the Lord’s service bring both delight and pain. We have the privilege to be Christ’s instruments in feeding and healing God’s people; but we also suffer the personal loss of a wife and family given our celibate love. We are also not our own men but stand under lawful authority— to our bishops and yes, certainly to the Pope. But ultimately all of us, clergy of every station and the laity, must be subject to God and his laws. Here is the crucible between sin and fidelity.
The interview leaves orthodox readers with further distress or anxiety because the Holy Father makes the aside, that “opening work in the Curia to women is important. In the Roman Curia there are now several women because they perform better than men in certain positions.” Where is this going? No one in his or her right mind would suggest that the Church should deny the benefits of female genius; but the hierarchical authority of the Church is appointed by Christ as exclusive to his apostolic men. That factor is beyond our control or power to revise. In any case, as with the men, the women chosen for various commissions or roles of participatory leadership should be exclusively selected from those who are faithful and not from the dissenters. This is an important qualification that is sometimes left unsaid and maybe unfulfilled.
When it comes to his health and mobility issues, Pope Francis remarked, “The Church is governed using the head, not the legs.” This is a good answer, although lately it seems that the Church is being increasingly governed by the heart than either by the head or the legs. This might appeal to some critics, but it can have disastrous consequences. Without the compass of truth, love is quickly misdirected and loses its way. We have seen many instances where without the guidance of the Gospel, an intended compassion becomes oppressive and tyrannical.
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