well, i think part of it is his personality, which is very beguiling. it s not as if previous popes didn t want a missionary or merciful church. the difference is francis has indicated a willingness to put his money where his mouth is, to embrace real change. he did take a couple things off the table in this document. he said no to women priests and he said church teaching on abortion isn t going to change, but beyond that, he said he s open to what he called a conversion of the papacy, a kind of decentralization of the church. he wants to empower women in laity and it could have huge consequenc consequences. pro-choice politicians have been threatened from being turned away from the communion line. people say this isn t just rhetoric, it s big. you also have pugh research
since elected in the office six months ago and really reveals how he wants to change the emphasis of the conversation in the catholic church and not focus so much on the hot button issues you mnention. he says the church s position on these things is clear. it s not important for us to talk about it all the time. on the homosexuality, the church is against that but if you re a gay, you can still be a catholic. the issue of women priests which is divisive over catholicism the door is shut but you should still have an important role in the catholic church. he is trying to move the church away from the emphasis of the rules of the doctrine of the church towards emphasizing a more i suppose a more inclusive approach, john. he certainly hasn t changed the church s position. he is just really changing the emphasis, matthew. still, you get the sense this my
it s not a book. but an article of revelations for catholics. the pope gives an interview 12,000 words long, and all kinds of topics from homosexualty to women priests to poverty. even describe s his own self asa sinner in the interview. it just released in 16 countries. here s one example of the pope s candor that seems to contradict past leaders of the church. quote, we cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage, and the use of contraceptive methods. i have nauot spoken much about these things and i was reprimanded for that. it s not necessary to talk about these issues all the time. i want to go to father james marten. father martin, there are lots and lots of headlines in the spectacular interview. what is the biggest revelation in your opinion? i think the quote that he
embracing the acts and the things they re doing that may be outside of the church s teachings. one last thing, this is something he had to say about women in the church. he said on that plane ride back from brazil interest needs to be a new theology on women. he said there s not going to be women priests but women need to play a much more active role in the church. needed wherever we make important decisions. women are asking deep questions that must be addressed. the church cannot be herself without the women and her role. just astounding stuff this morning, ashleigh. incredible wide-ranging interview. you can read our full takeout on it on cnn.com/belief. he also said in this interview, the door is closed on women s ordination. that may disappoint a lot of catholic liberals. this is an emphatic quote. the door is closed on women s
condemns homosexual acts. in his interview, the pontiff says he was asked if he approved of homocircumstantialty. he said, tell me, when god looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love or reject and condemn this person? and that seems to be the conciliatory tone pope francis is trying to set for the church he leads. not so much breaking with doctrine as shifting the church s emphasis. in the words of one vatican commentator, from condemnation to mercy. wolf, this is a pope that is determined to try and keep roman catholicism relevant in the 21st century. you re saying the church may not approval of homosexuality, but if you re gay, you can still be a catholic. the church may not be willing to make women priests but if you re a woman, you re still going to have a prominent place in the religion, in the organization, wolf. important new comments from