Pope Francis has already shown that he’s pretty liberal about things like homosexuality and, you know, whether or not you believe in God but cemented his stance in a recent interview during which he criticized the Catholic church for being a little too obsessed with certain issues.
“We have to find a new balance, otherwise even the moral edifice of the church is likely to fall like a house of cards, losing the freshness and fragrance of the Gospel,” he opined.
Particularly, Pope Francis faults the church for being “obsessed” with homosexuality and abortion instead of focusing on becoming a “home for all.”
“The church has sometimes locked itself up in small things, in small-minded rules,” he said. “The people of God want pastors, not clergy acting like bureaucrats or government officials.”
He said that, while Catholics can retain their views on homosexuality, abortion, and other issues, they shouldn’t let their perspective “interfere spiritually” with the lives of people who identify with different lifestyles.
The extensive 12,000-word interview published in La Civilta Cattolica , a Rome-based Jesuit journal on Thursday, covers a wide range of topics, but Pope Francis’ comments on abortion and homosexuality are currently making rounds in the blogosphere and on social media.
LOVING this @pontifex ! RT @nytimesworld Pope Bluntly Faults Church’s Focus on Gays&Abortion http://t.co/26nPcUssuQ
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) September 19, 2013
Pope Francis says the Church is a home for all, not a small chapel focused on a limited agenda of moral teachings. http://t.co/dKrRKAEzrd
— JA Johnson (@JAJohnson1) September 19, 2013
#PopeFrancis in @americamag – “We must always consider the person.” http://t.co/h9RVS6mFUQ
— Catholic Democrats (@CatholicDems) September 19, 2013
Pope Francis is preaching a beautiful welcome for LGBT people. Will you share this message widely and join us as… http://t.co/iAumSOk5G6
— New Ways Ministry (@NewWaysMinistry) September 19, 2013
#PopeFrancis gives head-expoding interview to world’s #Jesuit publications: https://t.co/VxuP1WZSuM
— Grant Gallicho (@gallicho) September 19, 2013
Some were also taken by another profound instance of Pope Francis’ humility in the interview:
Pope Francis is breaking the rules again. He gave an interview, something unheard of. Who is Bergoglio? he is asked. “A sinner” he responds
— JORGE RAMOS (@jorgeramosnews) September 19, 2013
You can read Pope Francis’ interview in its entirety here or highlights at The Huffington Post .
[Image: Wikimedia Commons ]
