Pope Francis stated in an interview that he thinks the Catholic Church is too focused on gay marriage, abortion, and birth control. This comes as a big surprise to many, since the Catholic Church has a reputation for being conservative – and to some, close-minded.
“The church has sometimes locked itself up in small things, in small-minded rules,” Pope Francis said. “The people of God want pastors, not clergy acting like bureaucrats or government officials.”
This is not the first time that the new pope did something shocking. Pope Francis also chooses to live in Casa Santa Maria, the Vatican guesthouse, rather than the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace because it is less isolated.
“I cannot live without people,” Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis has indeed been making waves since his papacy began six months ago, but this latest development is arguably the most progressive statement to come from the Vatican since before Pope John Paul II.
Reverend Antonio Spadaro, editor in chief of La Civiltà Cattolica, was interviewing the pope when these remarks came to light. Pope Francis said that the church has become too “obsessed” with a few issues rather than taking care of its congregation. He further criticized the church for “prioritizing moral doctrines over serving the poor and marginalized,” according to an article in the New York Times.
“It is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time…The church’s pastoral ministry cannot be obsessed with the transmission of a disjointed multitude of doctrines to be imposed insistently. We have to find a new balance, otherwise even the moral edifice of the church is likely to fall like a house of cards,” the pope said.
The opinions of the new pope have not changed any doctrines or procedures, but Francis succeeded in giving hope to liberal Catholics. After his remarks were publicized, many of them took to social media to discuss a possible return to the church.
Pope Francis did not vocalize his support of marriage equality or abortion; he stated that the position of the church on those issues is clear. However, back in July when he was asked about his opinion on gay priests, Pope Francis’s response was enough to make headlines: “Who am I to judge?” He further clarified in this most recent interview that he was referring to all homosexuals, not just priests.
While these progressive comments have invoked enthusiasm among liberal Catholics, Catholics who fall on the other end of the spectrum are now on the defensive.
“Nobody should try to use the words of the pope to minimize the urgent need to preach and teach about abortion,” said Reverend Frank Pavone, the national director of Priests for Life.
Despite his naysayers, no one can say that Pope Francis has not brought a new point of view to the Vatican, a view that many Catholics all over the world find incredibly encouraging.
“I see the church as a field hospital after battle. It is useless to ask a seriously injured person if he has high cholesterol and about the level of his blood sugar,” said Pope Francis. “You have to heal his wounds. Then we can talk about everything else.”
Clare Haggerty is a third-year student majoring in English. She can be reached at CH757342@wcupa.edu.
Thu. Oct 22nd, 2026
