Hi, this is my first post here. I read about what Pope Francis said yesterday and wanted to see what actual Catholics thought about it so I ended up here. After reading this thread I thought you guys might like to have some perspective from the type of person Pope Francis was probably trying to reach with his interview, a lapsed Catholic.
I was extremely uplifted by what he said yesterday. The fact is that the issues he brought up really are the main reasons I am not an active Catholic anymore. From my point of view, the Church has been overly focused on pointing out and chastising sinners in the world. I know most of you will disagree with me there, but that is just how it has felt to me. It was completely refreshing to hear that Pope Francis wants to move away from that.
To be clear, I completely understand that he did not change the positions on abortion or gays or anything else. But the change in emphasis and tone is a huge deal to me.
I would like to consider myself pro-life but I definitely do not fit into the typical pro-life attitude. Honestly I feel like a lot of Catholics might categorize me as pro-choice, maybe that is true I don’t know. I can only tell you what I believe. I believe abortion is wrong and a sin but at the same time I do not believe in demonizing those who seek and get abortions. The people who get abortions do not realize it is wrong, or even more tragically do realize it is wrong but feel so lost and hopeless that they go through with it anyway. The idea of standing in front of an abortion clinic protesting someone in that condition is terrible to me. I believe in stopping abortions by offering people hope, not by shaming them or treating them like criminals. In the past I felt my viewpoint was completely unwelcome in the Church so I left.
Basically Pope Francis’ comments have made me consider attending Mass this Sunday for the first time in several years. It felt like he was honestly inviting someone like me back. I haven’t decided whether I’ll actually go yet, but I’m excited about the future of the Church now.
The people in front of abortion clinics are rarely protestors. They are praying, offering counseling, and help. You should check it out. You could not ask for a kinder, more caring group of men and women. Try to pass legislation curtailing abortion, and you’ll see protestors. Did you see the over the top anger shown when Texas tried to pass restrictions on abortion clinics? Now that is hateful protest.
And condemning a heinous act is not condemning an individual. We have discussions on here all the time condemning policies in the public sphere. There is a prominent topic on the front page of the world news condemning the reduction in food stamps. Should I be hurt that someone is criticizing a republican belief, since I am a conservative? Of course not.
There were endless topics about George Zimmerman, and many condemned his actions. Is that wrong? Should they have not condemned either man;'s actions, because you perceive it as an attack on an individual?
Had people stood against the sin committed in Nazi Germany, would we have been chastised, or would that have been okay?
For some reason, abortion and legitimizing homosexuality are the two areas where Catholics are told to stop being hateful, or judging people, or not caring about them and coaxing them with love.
Were the Nazis, or George Zimmerman, or Trayvon Martin, or politicians not as deserving of that loving embrace?
Good for you. Don’t be put off by the way some Threads seem to go for a while. Just think of us as a big family of small children , we may not always agree, but we are one family with the same Father and Mother, whom we all love. And when someone falls over in the playground, the others gather to help and console (see prayer intentions). 
The Church has been preaching this same message on mercy and forgiveness and hope. The difference is now the media recognizes it, so to fit their agenda they try to make it seem as if mercy and forgiveness are antithetical to calling out abortion and homosexual activity as sins.