IN PRAISE OF POPE FRANCIS

Anyone familiar with this blogsite knows just how much a fan I am of Pope Francis.

This Pontificate has been refreshing and uplifting to the Christian faith in so many wonderful ways.

Yet, I do have a number of reservations when it comes to the Pope's political leanings, from his opposition to life imprisonment (“Life imprisonment is a hidden death penalty”) to his embrace of Palestinian statehood and finally to his enthusiastic embrace of multiculturalism. 

I found particularly disconcerting a 2016 interview with La Croix, in which the Holy Father explained his reluctance to acknowledge European civilization’s roots in Christianity:  “We need to speak of roots in the plural because there are so many. In this sense, when I hear talk of the Christian roots of Europe, I sometimes dread the tone, which can seem triumphalist or even vengeful. It then takes on colonialist overtones.”

In the view of the Pope, it appears that Europe can only redeem itself by accommodating unchecked millions of members of radically different non-Western, even anti-Western, cultures. 

I confess that much of what Pope Francis has to say about geo-politics and contemporary societal influences seems to betray a certain neo-Marxist ideology.

I am particularly distressed whenever the Pope engages in matters pertaining to the environment and global warming.  

But my distress with this Pope is tempered when I remember that it was Pope Benedict who was the first Pontiff to inject morality into environmental debates, making environmental awareness crucial to his Pontificate.  

In 2009, Pope Benedict chided world leaders for inadequate climate change proposals at the United Nations conference in Copenhagen. He envisioned Vatican City a carbon neutral state. He ordered 2,400 solar panels installed on the roof of a new concert hall, and authorized the Vatican Bank to purchase carbon-offsets by funding a dicey scheme to create a forest in Hungary. Benedict even encouraged “environmental stewardship” to be introduced in seminary curricula.

Pope Francis therefore only has continued Benedict’s moral condemnation of those who discredit or ignore environmental concerns and the radical solutions which he and Benedict propose would resolve what they see as a crisis of epic proportion.  An opinion which I and a myriad number of experts in the science of climate and weather do not share.

In my view, Pope Francis’ political and environmental opinions are just a bit too leftist for my liking.  Still, he has a right to his opinion which in these matters clearly is not binding upon my Catholic Faith.  

In a perfect world of my making (my moments of grand delusion), I would simply prefer Pope Francis repeating what I have found to be the most inspirational message to have come from the corridors of the Vatican since the mini-Pontificate of Pope John Paul I:  the simple and beautiful reality that Almighty God is truly in love with us, with a love which knows or admits no limitations, is completely unconditional and eternally faithful.

Pope Francis has a way of enunciating this beautiful message which touches my heart and seemingly the hearts of millions of believers and non-believers alike.

So I can live with my disagreements with the Pope over politics and climate issues.

Simply put:  Pope Francis makes me want to be a better man more in love with the Lord and my brothers and sisters each and everyday.

For this reason and so many others, I say God bless Francis!  Long live the Pope!