I recently read an article which questioned whether or not Pope Francis was moving away from the teachings of Pope St. John Paul II regarding the sanctity of life as well as the sacredness of marriage. My answer is no. Francis is not declaring that the individual human person is any less a sacred reflection of the Divine Godhead, nor is he is redefining the divine character of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony.
It is true, however, that the Holy Father is expanding the Church's reflection on life and marriage, looking particularly how human beings in the real day to day exigencies of the experience of family life make decisions about about children and family commitments and responsibilities. Francis wishes to aim the spotlight of the Church's teachings on real, flesh and blood people not academically-analysed moral principles.
Repeatedly, Francis reminds us that people are not perfect and that living the moral life is not just a question of intellectual assent. Living the Gospel requires a commitment of spirit and will which fallible human beings will never do perfectly. Consequently, the repeated message of the Holy Father is one of compassion, mercy and forgiveness. If the Church is to go out into the highway and byways to invite souls to the Heavenly Banquet, the Church must be willing to accept those she encounters along the way. Not saints, but sinners all.
Pope Francis should be commended for bringing this healthy dose of reality to the classrooms of moral consideration and judgment. As he has stated, we must realize, priests especially, that not everything is white and black but rather life is experienced in a majority of gray situations and circumstances.
I agree. Teachings about life and respect for the individual human person should be addressed where and how people live. Well, people do not live in the classroom. People live in a messy, disordered, confused and broken world. Out there, the moral compass is not calibrated by academics, philosophers or theologians. Peoples' moral attitudes and dispositions are most influenced by what they most often see and hear, by pop culture and the entertainment media.
The Church can speak until she is blue in the face about the dignity of life. But how can that message have any impact upon young people spending the vast majority of their time on video games and telephone apps which glorify the violence of killing and maiming? It is remarkable how little attention the Church pays to the gruesome and extreme violence that has become part of the daily diet of children supposedly at play.
The Pope and Bishops can rant and rave all they wish about the permanence and indissolubility of Matrimony. But what affect will their pronouncement have upon people who see and hear the rich and famous, the popular and sought-after celebrities, who jump from marital bed to marital bed almost jokingly and with little sense of shame or embarrassment?
The Church is missing the mark. She must incorporate into her teachings an awareness of the impact of secular media and entertainment. The Church needs to teach people to make their media and entertainment choices in a way which respects Gospel values. The Church needs to assist people in helping them to be critical in these choices. Reality shows which down play marital commitment and fidelity should not be part of a family's entertainment fare. Programs which are excessively violent or extremely graphic should be avoided since they desensitize the human spirit to the grief and suffering which such violence causes.
Pope Francis, who has become a part of the pop culture and has such a powerful voice among youth, needs to speak to them especially about how their media and amusement choices can poison their innocent optimism about themselves and others. The Church needs to turn its attention to advertisers and sponsors of the moral depravity and mayhem which is disguised as entertainment and amusement. Commercial and media enterprises need to be held accountable. The video gaming industry must be made to understand and accept the role it plays in the moral formation of children and families.
Pope Francis, the bishops and priests must use the pulpit to speak about life and marriage, about righteous moral living where the people live. Adding this dimension to the Church's pedagogy can only help the People of God as they, and all of us, attempt to incorporate the life and vision of Our Divine Savior into our daily lives.
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