◼ We knew that what we had in our hands was spiritual dynamite. The Pope touched upon almost every area of concern for modern-day Catholics: from the role of women, to the need for reform in the Vatican curia, to tensions between traditionalists and progressives; he also spoke about his own spiritual journey with great feeling and his own failings with brutal candor. - Rev. James Martin S.J./TIME
The free-wheeling interview, released simultaneously yesterday by the Jesuit journals, mirrored his now-famous in-flight media coming back from World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro this summer. Stunning journalists by his willingness to speak on any and all topics, the pope made headlines by answering a question on gay priests by responding, “Who am I to judge?”
◼ 'WE HAVE TO FIND A NEW BALANCE'... - New York Times
Six months into his papacy, Pope Francis sent shock waves through the Roman Catholic church on Thursday with the publication of his remarks that the church had grown “obsessed” with abortion, gay marriage and contraception, and that he had chosen not to talk about those issues despite recriminations from critics.
◼ Francis, the first non-European pope in more than 1,200 years, distinguished himself from the start of his papacy by speaking out in favor of the world’s poor. In the first six months of his papacy he’s also made overtures to other faiths and attempted to root out corruption in the Vatican Bank. - Bloomberg
◼ Don´t be shocked by Pope Francis
Pope Francis is delightfully frank, and that is what makes him positively engaging. He is also provocative in the best sense of that word. He seeks to challenge us and shake us out of our comfort zone. But he is not about to turn the Catholic Church upside down and inside out.
