A NEW ERA AT THE VATICAN?

Pope Francis during a papal audience in St. Peter's Square of Vatican
City in Rome, Italy on Sep 18, 2013 (Photo by Rex Features/AP Images)

Pope Francis called the Catholic Church's focus on homosexuality,
contraception, and abortion "small-minded" and suggested that the
future of his faith rests on finding "a new balance" that puts less
emphasis on controversial social issues and more on emphasising
forgiveness and community.
"The church's pastoral ministry cannot be...
obsessed with the
transmission of a disjointed multitude of doctrines to be imposed
insistently," he said in an interview published by a Jesuit outlet.
"We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and
the use of contraceptive methods. This is not possible," Francis told
Rev. Antonio Sporado, S. J., editor in chief of La Civiltà
Cattolica.The Pope did not go so far as to question Catholicism's
positions on the issues. "The teaching of the church…is clear and I am
a son of the church." However, he said, "it is not necessary to talk
about these issues all the time."
Since he became Pope in March, Francis, the first Jesuit Pope, has
made social justice and ministering to the poor a priority. From
remarks about the ills of the modern financial system to an Easter
visit to a juvenile detention center, he has presented a stark
contrast to his predecessor Benedict the XVI.
Pope Francis has also developed a habit of making telephone calls to
church members who have written him letters asking for counsel. He
recently phoned a woman who was worried about becoming a single
mother, promising to baptize her child if she could not find a priest
willing to do it.
While some religious leaders, particularly in the United States, have
criticised the Pope for not speaking out on these issues sooner,
progressive groups hailed his statements. "The pope's statements are
like rain on a parched land for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
Catholics and their supporters,"a statement released by Equally
Blessed, a coalition of Catholic groups that works on LGBT issues.
"Pope Francis has sent a clear signal that the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops and organisations like the Knights of
Columbus need to end their multimillion dollar campaign to marginalize
LGBT people in the church and the wider society and commit themselves
to gaining a deeper understanding of the lives, beliefs and ministries
of LGBT people, their families and their friends."
Francis also spoke in the interview about the role of women in the
church, although he did not suggest any specific changes. "We must
therefore investigate further the role of women in the church….The
feminine genius is needed wherever we make important decisions."
Without a broad vision for the church, Francis said, "even the moral
edifice of the church is likely to fall like a house of cards, losing
the freshness and fragrance of the Gospel.