How radical is Pope Francis really?

[QuestLove]

ABC NEWS AUSTRALIA:
They call Francis a radical because he deplores the sequestration of great wealth for a rich few and deprivation of the many poor. But Francis is a moderate. Jesus was the radical.
abc.net.au/radionational/programs/latenightlive/how-radical-is-pope-francis-really/6425006

It strikes me that those who worry that Pope Francis is too radical would not like Jesus very much.

I am not catholic, but I do not agree with the secular media stating that he is a radical. At least I have not heard him say anything that is outside the bounds of christianity. The catholics would be better able to speak on whether his views are too radical for a catholic rather than a random secular body.

 

[Havard]

Yes, I do think he is radical… he is radically awesome.

Radically awesome 80’s reference:

 

[Tigg]

it would appear that at least one cardinal thinks so.

peace, mark

Good catch !!!

 

[Zzyzx_Road]

Nope… sure there is a different tone, but the essential words haven’t changed. Francis still stands tall and strong on heterosexual marriage. Have to remember back when he was Jorge Bergoglio, he was firmly against gay marriage in his home country. Maybe it’s radical to be so outspoken about the devil, dunno, but society surely needs a call out on that one.

 

[Inisfallen]

This Pope isn’t “radical” at all, at least not in the sense that I think the OP means. Not one bit. Nothing he’s saying is inconsistent with anything I heard from the priests who ran my high school, way back in the 70s. Of course, they were Jesuits too, so I guess they’d have a lot in common with the Pope, but still, nothing he says seems radical to me.

We do tend to forget, as American Catholics become more and more conservative, that it’s the Catechism that’s radical. Catholic teaching is, and has been since the beginning, radical.

 

[phil19034]

I take it you didn’t read what I wrote.

What spin? Pope Francis has said there is no spin.

what I mean by “spin” is what some people in the media report or what some liberals believe he has said, even though I meant something else or didn’t mean it exactly as they are taking it.

Pope Francis has never said that the media has never spun anything he has said to mean something else. When he has spoken about “no spin,” it’s been about specific interviews. Not every single news story since he’s been in Rome.

 

[Et_Cetera]

To Catholics: He shouldn’t be seen as radical
To a forum of conservatives: Probably pretty radical.

I have a pretty big idea of why he’s criticized so much on here.

 

[SonOfMan]

what I mean by “spin” is what some people in the media report or what some liberals believe he has said, even though I meant something else or didn’t mean it exactly as they are taking it.

Pope Francis addressed this and said it was not the case. These are his ideas they are reporting, not their own.

 

[Eddie_Mac]

The media were watching the last conclave, drooling at the thought that a liberal socialist Pope would be elected to counteract the emphasis placed on faith, morals, and doctrine given to us by JPII and Benedict. They thought that Pope Francis was their man.

They forgot about the Holy Spirit.

 

[SAVINGRACE]

Meet the new Pope, he is the same as the old Pope.

For some reason the media is hypnotised by this Pope and imagine him to something other than Catholic.

They are not going to be happy when they find out he IS truly Catholic. By then hopefully the Holy Spirit would have done whatever it is that it does.

 

[phil19034]

Pope Francis addressed this and said it was not the case. These are his ideas they are reporting, not their own.

The pope was referring to specific interviews, not everything the media has ever said.

 

[SonOfMan]

The pope was referring to specific interviews, not everything the media has ever said.

No, it was a generalized statement. He says its very clear these are his ideas, not the media’s ideas, i.e. no media twisting of words. To continue to claim “media spin” is akin to conspiracy theorism.

- As a Pope you are different because you speak with utmost clarity, you are completely straightforward, you don´t use euphemisms and don´t beat about the bush, the course of your papacy is extremely clear. Why do you think some sectors are disoriented, why do they say the ship is without a rudder, especially after the latest extraordinary synod of bishops on the challenges posed by the family?

• Those expressions strike me as odd. I am not aware of anybody using them. The media quote them. However, until I can ask the people involved “have you said this?” I will have brotherly doubts. In general people don´t read about what is going on. Somebody did say to me once, “Of course, of course. Insight is so good for us but we need clearer things”. And I answered, “Look, I wrote an encyclical, true enough, it was a big job, and an Apostolic Exhortation, I´m permanently making statements, giving homilies; that´s teaching. That´s what I think, not what the media say that I think. Check it out, it´s very clear. Evangelii Gaudium is very clear”.

lanacion.com.ar/1750350-pope-francis-god-has-bestowed-on-me-a-healthy-dose-of-unawareness

 

[whipp711]

Pope Francis is not a radical. He’s a Harlem Globetrotter. #90 in the program!

Srsly, social and regular media is so “knee jerk” these days. Facebook went wild with a Willie Nelson was dead posting that sent millions into mourning.

We probably need to listen and watch the Pope over a period of time to get a real feel and understanding of his thoughts and actions. I don’t think labels work for the Pope.