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The recent visit of Pope Francis was a mixed blessing, hailed by most, but criticized by some. In matters of capitalism, immigration and climate change, there is a clear divide among the American people, even Catholics, with the pope’s positions on these issues, but in achieving some measure of comity, we can all agree to disagree.
For those whose political and social beliefs lean toward conservatism, the pope’s meetings with the Little Sisters of the Poor and Kim Davis, the Kentucky County clerk who was imprisoned for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, was a defining and positive moment in the pope’s visit. In the Oct. 1 issue, Catholic New York’s editorial, “An Unforgettable First Visit,” no mention was made of these encounters.
Pope Francis thanked Ms. Davis for her courage in defense of religious freedom, and to “stay strong” in her convictions. But regrettably, due to an outcry from some in the media and homosexual activist groups, the Vatican has now issued a statement to the effect of downplaying the meeting, and that the pope’s visit with Ms. Davis was not an endorsement of her actions “in all their particular and complex aspects” of the legal case. This has caused this woman of faith confusion and some embarrassment. This is troubling and is, I believe, a manifestation of what many Catholics fear is the Church’s liberal faction that seeks to empathize and placate the secular culture. This is a grave mistake.
Bob Pascarella
Bronx.
