FRANCIS: THE POET- PONTIFF

In a preface to a new book of interviews, Pope Francis outlined his approach to speaking with journalists, explaining that he thinks interviews should be like a conversation, which is why he does not accept questions in advance nor prepare answers ahead of time.

“For me, interviews are a dialogue, not a lesson,” the Pope wrote.

While admitting that his answers might be misunderstood or misinterpreted, the Holy Father stated that it is a risk that he is willing to take.

“Everything that I do has pastoral value, in one way or in another,” the Pope said. “If I did not trust this, I would not allow interviews: For me, it is clear. It’s a manner of communicating my ministry.”

In this attitude, Pope Francis is so different from those who preceded him in the exercise of the Petrine Office. 

The metaphor I often use is this.  While past Popes have chosen to minister to the Church as teachers and defenders of the Faith, Pope Francis does so as a pastor and a poet.

In fact, that is the best description I have found which comes closets to revealing the true personality of this Pontiff.  He is a poet.

Unlike his two predecessors, Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, who used studied language and precise prose to give insight and meaning to the mysteries of the Church of Rome, Pope Francis speaks of the Catholic Faith from an affective and emotional perspective.

The difference can be unsettling at times because the “poetry” of Francis is oftentimes inexact and inconsistent, but such are the ways of the heart.

Pope Francis shies away from metaphysical or ontological explanations of the Sacraments, of morality, and chooses instead to talk about the emotional intimacy that arises from the encounter of the human person with his and her Divine Father, a relationship of filial trust and paternal affection.

It is the poetry of love, God for humanity and humanity’s longing for the Divine, which imbues the answers Pope Francis offers in the many interviews he accepts with journalists and scholars.

In this, Pope Francis is very much like Christ Himself who often responded to very pointed questions put to him regarding the teachings and practices of the Old Covenant not in keeping with the traditional formulas with which the Pharisees and Saducees were familiar.  

Instead, Jesus would often respond to questions (often attacks) in the language of metaphor or by way of parable.  “The Kingdom of Heaven is like....”

The poetry of Jesus confused, irritated and (very often) infuriated those who considered themselves to be the Divinely chosen defenders of the Jewish faith.  Pope Francis appears to be doing the same thing with his poetic, rather than didactic, style of ministry.  In many cases, the reaction to Francis is very similar to the reaction to Jesus.

Attempting to apply the standard of circumspection and clarity which marked the teaching style of past Popes to this Pope is a mistake and often proves quite frustrating to anyone looking for a logical, precise theological response to questions or issues regarding Church teaching.

So, one should not be looking for catechism-like definitions of Pope Francis’ ideas about “discernment” or “accompaniment”.  Such precise definitions do not exist for Pope Francis.  They can only be understood within the context of the love affair between God and mankind revealed in the Scriptures and annals of Church history.

And so, when tempted to shake your head or to spend hours trying to decipher the exact theological implications of what Pope Francis said to a group of journalists or scholars, just hear everything the Pope says within the framework of the bountiful mercy and love which the Heavenly Father has for humanity wounded and broken by sin.

I have and it has made me much more comfortable and receptive of the Holy Father’s remarks.