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| Pope Francis will not yield on doctrine, but his emphasis will be on the poor | Pope Francis will not yield on doctrine, but his emphasis will be on the poor |
| (8 days later) | |
| Will Francis be a pope of the culture wars, or a pope of the poor? There is evidence that he can fight the culture wars as fiercely as anyone. His denunciation of plans to legalise gay marriage in Argentina last year would have brought a blush to the cheek of Cardinal Keith O'Brien: it was, he said, a device of the devil who "deceitfully intends to destroy the image of God: man and woman, who received the mandate to grow, multiply, and conquer the Earth. Let us not be naive: it is not a simple political struggle; it is an intention [which is] destructive of the plan of God. It is not a mere legislative project (this is a mere instrument), but rather a 'move' of the father of lies." | Will Francis be a pope of the culture wars, or a pope of the poor? There is evidence that he can fight the culture wars as fiercely as anyone. His denunciation of plans to legalise gay marriage in Argentina last year would have brought a blush to the cheek of Cardinal Keith O'Brien: it was, he said, a device of the devil who "deceitfully intends to destroy the image of God: man and woman, who received the mandate to grow, multiply, and conquer the Earth. Let us not be naive: it is not a simple political struggle; it is an intention [which is] destructive of the plan of God. It is not a mere legislative project (this is a mere instrument), but rather a 'move' of the father of lies." |
| But his defenders say this all needs to be seen in the context of the Argentinian president's remarkable personal dislike of him for his following among the poor, and that in part Cristina Fernández de Kirchner promoted gay marriage in order to discredit the church by its opposition. | But his defenders say this all needs to be seen in the context of the Argentinian president's remarkable personal dislike of him for his following among the poor, and that in part Cristina Fernández de Kirchner promoted gay marriage in order to discredit the church by its opposition. |
| Father Augusto Zampini, an Argentinian priest studying at Roehampton University in London, says: "He's not a liberal. He's a Catholic bishop, and they cherish very much their conception of the family." | Father Augusto Zampini, an Argentinian priest studying at Roehampton University in London, says: "He's not a liberal. He's a Catholic bishop, and they cherish very much their conception of the family." |
| But at the same time, Zampini said, this is a pope whose absolute commitment is to the practical relief of suffering. He will not yield on doctrinal questions, but they won't be the emphasis of his papacy. | But at the same time, Zampini said, this is a pope whose absolute commitment is to the practical relief of suffering. He will not yield on doctrinal questions, but they won't be the emphasis of his papacy. |
| "In the UK and in Argentina there have been massive campaigns by the Catholic church against gay marriage, but there was a very clear difference. There was nothing homophobic about the campaign in Argentina. He won't give to that topic the importance he has now … His priority will definitely be the church involved in the world," said Zampini. | "In the UK and in Argentina there have been massive campaigns by the Catholic church against gay marriage, but there was a very clear difference. There was nothing homophobic about the campaign in Argentina. He won't give to that topic the importance he has now … His priority will definitely be the church involved in the world," said Zampini. |
| "He works every day in trying to see the world through the eyes of the poor. He told us as young priests, you have to work hard as priests to get the view the poor have of the world. And if that's the case, we will be a different church in the 21st century." | "He works every day in trying to see the world through the eyes of the poor. He told us as young priests, you have to work hard as priests to get the view the poor have of the world. And if that's the case, we will be a different church in the 21st century." |
| Zampini also sees the new papacy as much more favourable to free theological discussion than the old rule of Benedict XVI, who rose to power running the Vatican's doctrinal watchdog. He points to the way in which Francis defended Argentinian theologians, with whom he personally disagreed, who had been denounced to Rome for deficient orthodoxy. He believes, says Zampini, in open discussion. Even the celibacy of the clergy may be openly discussed, though that is no guarantee that it will be changed. | Zampini also sees the new papacy as much more favourable to free theological discussion than the old rule of Benedict XVI, who rose to power running the Vatican's doctrinal watchdog. He points to the way in which Francis defended Argentinian theologians, with whom he personally disagreed, who had been denounced to Rome for deficient orthodoxy. He believes, says Zampini, in open discussion. Even the celibacy of the clergy may be openly discussed, though that is no guarantee that it will be changed. |
| The Catholic journalist Margaret Hebblethwaite, who has lived in Paraguay for the past 10 years, shares this enthusiasm, and points out that Francis was the only member of the Argentinian Catholic hierarchy to maintain friendly relations with a notable Catholic feminist called Clelia Luro, who married a former bishop, and the only one to turn up at her husband's funeral. | The Catholic journalist Margaret Hebblethwaite, who has lived in Paraguay for the past 10 years, shares this enthusiasm, and points out that Francis was the only member of the Argentinian Catholic hierarchy to maintain friendly relations with a notable Catholic feminist called Clelia Luro, who married a former bishop, and the only one to turn up at her husband's funeral. |
| He will fight the culture wars if he has to, but his efforts will be put to get the church fighting for the poor. | He will fight the culture wars if he has to, but his efforts will be put to get the church fighting for the poor. |
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