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<span>válaszcikk a múlt héten az Elizabeth Csordás, k.Lttag által kiküldött angol nyelvű (USA-beli liberális) cikkre a pápával készített interjúról<br><br><a href="http://www.crisismagazine.com/2013/the-papal-interview-a-survey-of-reactions?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CrisisMagazine+%28Crisis+Magazine%29" target="_blank">http://www.crisismagazine.com/2013/the-papal-interview-a-survey-of-reactions?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CrisisMagazine+%28Crisis+Magazine%29</a><br>
<br>September 25, 2013</span>
<h1>The Papal Interview: A Survey of Reactions</h1>
<p>by <span><a href="http://www.crisismagazine.com/author/meaney" target="_blank">Joseph Meaney</a></span></p>
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<img src="http://www.crisismagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/BBC-Screenshot-2-614x320.jpg" alt="BBC Screenshot 2" height="320" width="614"><p><b><span title="T"><span>T</span></span>he latest exclusive papal interview</b> published in the Jesuit journal <i><a href="http://www.laciviltacattolica.it/articoli_download/3216.pdf" target="_blank">La Civiltà Cattolica</a></i>
and in translation by 16 other Jesuit publications around the world,
resembles the interview on the papal plane returning from the Rio de
Janeiro World Youth Days. In both cases the pope fielded a wide range of
questions and spoke extensively; 10,000 words on the plane and 12,000
for the Jesuit periodicals. Similarly, abortion and homosexuality were
only addressed in a few words in each. This briefest of papal messages
was, however, strikingly in the same vein.</p>
<p>He replied thus on the plane to a Brazilian journalist who asked why
he had not spoken about abortion or same-sex marriage in Brazil?: “The
Church has already spoken quite clearly on this. It was unnecessary to
return to it, just as I didn’t speak about cheating, lying, or other
matters on which the Church has a clear teaching!” When Patricia Zorzan
followed up saying, “But the young are interested in this” he answered:
“Yes, though it wasn’t necessary to speak of it, but rather of the
positive things that open up the path to young people. Isn’t that
right! Besides, young people know perfectly well what the Church’s
position is.” <a href="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/speeches/2013/july/documents/papa-francesco_20130728_gmg-conferenza-stampa_en.html" target="_blank">She even followed up a second time:</a> “What is Your Holiness’ position, if we may ask?” “The position of the Church. I am a son of the Church.”</p>
<p>To Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro, <a href="http://www.americamagazine.org/pope-interview" target="_blank">Pope Francis said:</a>
“We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and
the use of contraceptive methods. This is not possible. I have not
spoken much about these things, and I was reprimanded for that. But when
we speak about these issues, we have to talk about them in a context.
The teaching of the church, for that matter, is clear and I am a son of
the church, but it is not necessary to talk about these issues all the
time.”</p>
<p>In both cases the Holy Father affirms that the Church’s teaching is
clear and that he is a son of the Church, but he is averse to speaking
often about them. Despite both these interviews having a “speaking off
the cuff” feel to them, the latest one was the fruit of three sessions
that each went on for several hours. He was then given the opportunity
to read over the text and approved it for publication. Pope Francis
really seems to want to talk less about issues like abortion,
homosexuality and contraception and more about other topics like the
infinite mercy of God.</p>
<p>That may be what he intended, but it was not the result. Headlines
around the world, but especially in the USA, trumpeted variations on the
theme chosen by the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/20/world/europe/pope-bluntly-faults-churchs-focus-on-gays-and-abortion.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" target="_blank"><i>New York Times</i></a>:
“Pope Says Church Is ‘Obsessed’ With Gays, Abortion and Birth Control.”
It is interesting to note, however, that the European press generally
had a much less radical take on the papal interview. In Italy, where the
original language text was published, <a href="http://www.liberoquotidiano.it/news/italia/1314063/Papa-Francesco---Io-sono-un-peccatore-.html" target="_blank">journalists emphasized other aspects</a>
like the “I am a sinner” affirmation of the pope or spoke about mercy
or “openness” on the issues of abortion, homosexuality and divorce.
France’s largest newspaper, <a href="http://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/2013/09/20/01016-20130920ARTFIG00407-les-questions-que-pose-l-interview-du-pape-francois.php" target="_blank"><i>Le Figaro</i></a>,
posed some thoughtful questions about what the interview means for
Catholic moral teaching and Traditionalists as well as wondering if it
was not meant primarily for a Jesuit audience rather than for the Church
at large. The BBC, as one might expect, simply <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24166434" target="_blank">parroted the North American mainstream media line</a> with a British accent.</p>
<p>Reactions from Catholic apologists and pro-life leaders were mixed. <a href="http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/pope-francis-focuses-on-the-bigger-picture-with-new-interview/" target="_blank">Jimmy Akin of Catholic Answers said</a>:
“Pope Francis’ strategy of focusing on the Church’s central message of
salvation in Christ, while not devoting the expected amount of attention
to “culture war” issues—like abortion, homosexuality and
contraception—is a risky one.” Canadian John-Henry Westen of
Lifesitenews <a href="http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pope-francis-contrasted-with-popes-benedict-jpii-re-emphasis-on-life-family" target="_blank">drew a sharp contrast</a> between Pope Francis’ remarks and those of his two predecessors. Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life wrote a <a href="http://www.lifenews.com/2013/09/23/pope-francis-has-not-diluted-the-pro-life-teachings-of-the-catholic-church/" target="_blank">largely positive column</a> entitled: “Pope Francis Has Not Diluted the Pro-Life Teachings of the Catholic Church.”</p>
<p>Many rank and file pro-life people expressed their bewilderment on
websites. Few could have previously imagined a scenario where
pro-abortion zealots NARAL would pull a publicity stunt by expressing an
enormous “Thank You” to a Holy Father. Catholic pro-lifers and marriage
defenders might be excused for feeling that this pope is going after
the lost sheep and telling the faithful ones they should not expect more
than minimal support while he is on this mission. It is not an easy
message to hear from one’s shepherd when faced with tremendous obstacles
and slandered by the world while seeing the “wolves” running wild.</p>
<p>This is why it was so important that the very next day after the
media frenzy on the papal endorsement of speaking less about abortion
and homosexuality Pope Francis gave an <a href="http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/francis-address-to-group-of-catholic-gynecologists" target="_blank">enthusiastically pro-life address</a>
to the annual meeting of the International Federation of Catholic
Medical Associations. He stated: “Every unborn child, condemned unjustly
to being aborted, has the face of the Lord, who before being born, and
then when he was just born, experienced the rejection of the world.”
Pope Francis condemned a “throw away culture” that does not respect
every human life as priceless and endowed with special dignity. The Holy
Father was encouraging the troops, Catholic doctors in this case,
showing that he not only accepts the Church’s teaching on the right to
life but strongly endorses it.</p>
<p>Pope Francis has a popular style following on the heels of a great
theologian who found it difficult to stand in the glare of the media. It
is rather curious that the first Jesuit pope is not primarily an
intellectual but a pastor. He has made a point in his young papacy to
concentrate on a broad message of evangelization placing the accent on
“mere Catholicism” to paraphrase C.S. Lewis. Among his favorite themes
are the centrality of Christ as Savior and devotion to Our Lady and
special appreciation for the virtue of humility and healing the wounds
of the poor and sinners. A traditional image he uses to describe his
approach is seeing the Church as a field hospital for sinners.</p>
<p>The interview he gave to Fr. Spadaro fits this papal program,
although the distorted media reaction to it around the world was nothing
short of extraordinary. Pope Francis has consistently demonstrated a
gift for generating enormous interest and enthusiasm, as opposed to
comprehension of his message, among secular elites. Pope Benedict XVI
and Blessed John Paul II were attacked and vilified consistently
throughout their papacies when they spoke of a culture of death. Francis
has enjoyed an unusually long “honeymoon” of praise and benevolent
attitudes from quarters that rarely have a kind word for the Church
despite his new pro-life catch phrase of a “throw away culture.” Part of
this is certainly due to his general de-emphasis of hot button issues
and humble tone. It is also clear that some secular groups are reading a
great deal into his words and deforming his message. Sadly, caricatures
of Church teaching are more widely “known” among the general public
than the true Magisterium of the Catholic Church. The challenge for Pope
Francis may be not only to reach out successfully with a strong
Catholic appeal to those who are very far from Christ but to also
encourage the faithful in the trenches of the culture war at the same
time.</p></div>