In an intriguing statement, Pope Francis has criticized the regressive mindset of certain conservatives within the U.S. Catholic Church. According to him, these individuals have replaced genuine faith with rigid ideology. The Pope emphasizes that a proper comprehension of Catholic doctrine allows for growth and adaptation over time.
This remark from Pope Francis sheds light on the existing divisions within the U.S. Catholic Church. The church has long been separated between progressives and conservatives who have traditionally found solace in the doctrinaire papacies of St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI, especially regarding contentious topics like abortion and same-sex marriage.
While Pope Francis places significant emphasis on social justice matters like environmental protection and assisting the impoverished, many conservatives have criticized him for doing so. Additionally, they have labeled as heretical his openness to allowing divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to partake in the sacraments.
Pope Francis made these assertions during a private meeting with Portuguese members of his religious order, the Jesuits. This meeting took place while he was visiting Lisbon on August 5th. The Vatican secretariat of state-reviewed Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica has released a transcript of the conversation.
During this encounter, a Portuguese Jesuit informed Pope Francis that he had experienced criticism during his recent sabbatical in the United States. He encountered numerous Catholics, including certain U.S. bishops, who were critical of Pope Francis’ ten-year papacy and also disapproved of the Jesuits in today’s world.
Pope Francis, an 86-year-old Argentine, acknowledged this observation and highlighted the presence of a strong and organized reactionary attitude within the U.S. church, which he described as “backward.” He cautioned against adopting such an approach, as it leads to a closed-minded atmosphere, which is fundamentally erroneous.
He stated, “By doing this, you lose touch with true tradition and resort to ideologies for support. In other words, ideologies take the place of genuine faith.”
Pope Francis further asserted, “The perception of the church’s doctrine as a monolith is incorrect. Going backwards results in creating a closed-off mentality that is detached from the church’s roots, which ultimately has devastating consequences for morality.”
Asserting his stance forcefully, Pope Francis declared, “I want to remind these individuals that backwardness is futile. They must understand that there is a correct evolution in the interpretation of matters concerning faith and morality. This allows for the progression and consolidation of doctrine over time.”
It is worth noting that Pope Francis has previously acknowledged the criticism directed at him by certain U.S. conservatives. In fact, he once quipped that being attacked by Americans was an “honor.”
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