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Pope Francis’ Flights Yield Candid Conversations Pope Francis’ Flights Yield Candid Conversations
(about 9 hours later)
ROME — Francis is not the first pope to answer journalists’ questions on a broad range of topics during the empty flight time on papal trips. But he has managed to turn these impromptu news conferences into front-page-grabbing events.ROME — Francis is not the first pope to answer journalists’ questions on a broad range of topics during the empty flight time on papal trips. But he has managed to turn these impromptu news conferences into front-page-grabbing events.
Case in point: Monday’s return flight from a five-day trip to South Korea. During an hourlong conversation with journalists, the pope touched on military intervention in Iraq and expressed a desire to travel to China, even “tomorrow.” He said that preparation of cause for the beatification of Óscar Romero, the Salvadoran archbishop slain in 1980, was well along and that he hoped to visit the United States next year, perhaps stopping in New York. He also suggested that he was open to following the example of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, and retiring.Case in point: Monday’s return flight from a five-day trip to South Korea. During an hourlong conversation with journalists, the pope touched on military intervention in Iraq and expressed a desire to travel to China, even “tomorrow.” He said that preparation of cause for the beatification of Óscar Romero, the Salvadoran archbishop slain in 1980, was well along and that he hoped to visit the United States next year, perhaps stopping in New York. He also suggested that he was open to following the example of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, and retiring.
Francis even spoke about his own death, though reporters on the flight noted that it was in a joking manner. Asked how he coped with his overwhelming popularity, the pope responded that he often meditated on his sins and mistakes, because he did not want to get too big for his britches. “Because I know this will last a short time, two or three years, and then to the house of the Father,” he said. (He also admitted to being neurotic. “One of the neuroses is that I am too attached to life,” he said.)Francis even spoke about his own death, though reporters on the flight noted that it was in a joking manner. Asked how he coped with his overwhelming popularity, the pope responded that he often meditated on his sins and mistakes, because he did not want to get too big for his britches. “Because I know this will last a short time, two or three years, and then to the house of the Father,” he said. (He also admitted to being neurotic. “One of the neuroses is that I am too attached to life,” he said.)
The Vatican press office on Monday released a transcript of the conversation translated from the Italian by the Vatican journalist Gerard O’Connell, who covered the papal trip for America, the Jesuit magazine.The Vatican press office on Monday released a transcript of the conversation translated from the Italian by the Vatican journalist Gerard O’Connell, who covered the papal trip for America, the Jesuit magazine.
Francis has made headlines before with his off-the-cuff comments and freewheeling exchanges. During the return trip from World Youth Day in Brazil last July, for example, he surprised the reporters on board when he said he would not condemn priests because of their sexual orientation. “Who am I to judge them if they’re seeking the Lord in good faith?” he said.Francis has made headlines before with his off-the-cuff comments and freewheeling exchanges. During the return trip from World Youth Day in Brazil last July, for example, he surprised the reporters on board when he said he would not condemn priests because of their sexual orientation. “Who am I to judge them if they’re seeking the Lord in good faith?” he said.
Other popes have also relaxed with journalists on long-distance flights.Other popes have also relaxed with journalists on long-distance flights.
But longtime Vatican reporters said Francis was more loquacious than his predecessor had been. His briefings are longer, “and he’s more open with journalists,” said Andrea Tornielli, a Vatican reporter for La Stampa, an Italian newspaper. “But remember that John Paul II was the same before he got ill.”But longtime Vatican reporters said Francis was more loquacious than his predecessor had been. His briefings are longer, “and he’s more open with journalists,” said Andrea Tornielli, a Vatican reporter for La Stampa, an Italian newspaper. “But remember that John Paul II was the same before he got ill.”
Asked whether he approved of the American military intervention in Iraq, the pope said it was “licit to stop an unjust aggressor.” But he added: “I do not say bomb, make war. I say stop by some means. With what means can they be stopped? These have to be evaluated. To stop the unjust aggressor is licit.” He then called on the United Nations to decide what course of action to take.Asked whether he approved of the American military intervention in Iraq, the pope said it was “licit to stop an unjust aggressor.” But he added: “I do not say bomb, make war. I say stop by some means. With what means can they be stopped? These have to be evaluated. To stop the unjust aggressor is licit.” He then called on the United Nations to decide what course of action to take.
Traveling over Chinese airspace on his way to South Korea, the pope said he had “prayed a lot for that beautiful and noble Chinese people, a wise people,” whose history, he said, is intertwined with that of Jesuit missionaries who went to China to proselytize. Did the pope hope to go there? “For sure! Tomorrow!” he said, adding that the church respected the Chinese people.Traveling over Chinese airspace on his way to South Korea, the pope said he had “prayed a lot for that beautiful and noble Chinese people, a wise people,” whose history, he said, is intertwined with that of Jesuit missionaries who went to China to proselytize. Did the pope hope to go there? “For sure! Tomorrow!” he said, adding that the church respected the Chinese people.
“The church only asks for liberty for its task, for its work — there’s no other condition,” Francis said. “The Holy See is always open to contacts. Always. Because it has a true esteem for the Chinese people.”“The church only asks for liberty for its task, for its work — there’s no other condition,” Francis said. “The Holy See is always open to contacts. Always. Because it has a true esteem for the Chinese people.”
Earlier this year, bishops from El Salvador met with Francis in Rome to discuss the hoped-for beatification of Archbishop Romero, a champion of the poor who was fatally shot on March 24, 1980, as he was celebrating Mass. A sainthood cause was opened in 1993 but delayed for years.
On Monday, the pope acknowledged that “the process was blocked in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith ‘for prudence,’ it was said.” He added, “Now it is unblocked, and it is in the Congregation for Saints and follows the normal path of a process.”
He called Archbishop Romero “a man of God” but said: “There has to be the process, and the Lord will have to give his sign. But if he wishes, he will do so. The postulators must move now, because there are no impediments.”
Francis expressed a desire to travel to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families in September 2015, adding that he had been invited to Washington to address Congress and to New York to visit the Secretariat of the United Nations. “So maybe the three cities together,” he said. He may tack on a trip to Mexico to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, he added, “but it’s not certain.”Francis expressed a desire to travel to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families in September 2015, adding that he had been invited to Washington to address Congress and to New York to visit the Secretariat of the United Nations. “So maybe the three cities together,” he said. He may tack on a trip to Mexico to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, he added, “but it’s not certain.”
He praised the emeritus pope, Benedict XVI, for having the courage to step down when he did and said he was open to following suit. “You could say to me, if you at some time felt you could not go forward, I would do the same! I would do the same,” he said. “I would pray, but I would do the same.” Benedict, he added, “opened a door that is institutional, not exceptional.”He praised the emeritus pope, Benedict XVI, for having the courage to step down when he did and said he was open to following suit. “You could say to me, if you at some time felt you could not go forward, I would do the same! I would do the same,” he said. “I would pray, but I would do the same.” Benedict, he added, “opened a door that is institutional, not exceptional.”