Don’t Tell the Press: Francis Is Using Them

In this morning’s column , Elizabeth Scalia gives the context for Pope Francis’ recent statements regarding homosexuality:

On the return to Rome, the Holy Father—perhaps feeling energized by a spectacularly successful event that saw an estimated three million souls gather for Mass at Copacabana Beach—surprised the media with an eighty-minute Q-and-A that resulted in screaming headlines and more than a few clenched jaws.

She argues that his remarks had a redemptive purpose missed by the triumphalist media headlines indicating the the pope had endorsed homosexuality among the priesthood:

Nothing Francis actually said about homosexuality was new. In fact, in these two quotes Francis is doing nothing more than pronouncing long-standing Catholic teaching on homosexuality, sin, and the mercy of God.

Let that sink in for a moment: A pope is teaching the Christian faith, and the press is accurately quoting him, in blazing headlines that everyone will read.

Read the full  On the Square  here .