Pope, there it is!

In the six months since his election as the 266th pope of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has already made several comments that have revolutionized the way his flock views many social issues. This week, he has done it again.

In an interview that was published in 16 Jesuit magazines worldwide, the Pope spoke out against the Church’s frequent assault of issues such as gay rights and abortion.

“We have to find a new balance,” he said. “Otherwise, even the moral edifice of the Church is likely to fall like a house of cards, losing the freshness and fragrance of the
Church.”

If only this pope had been wearing the big hat during election season last year, we may have experienced a very different outcome.

The Republican primary process looked more like a Bible study than a political debate, and now the Holy See is saying that maybe those issues that caused such a ruckus were overstated.

We don’t remember Rick Santorum’s stance on fiscal policy. We remember his stance on abortion, and that his outspoken disregard for homosexuality led to his name becoming a synonym for bodily fluids.

We remember Michele Bachmann claiming that God was driving her political campaign against gay marriage and abortion.

Whether or not these individuals are Catholic, each of them used religion as a significant portion of their campaign, and thus need to take into account all of the religious authorities speaking out on such social issues.

It is these politicians’ insistence on using these social issues as the basis for their ideas about America that exhausted not only the American public’s patience, but also the Pope’s.

It is important to note that the Pope is not saying that Christians should throw away all their beliefs on social issues.

He isn’t saying priests will start performing gay marriages. He isn’t saying women can become priests. He isn’t saying abortion is now acceptable.

What he is saying is that there are an immense number of religious doctrines that better demonstrate one’s faith.

The most significant point that the Pope brings up is when he said, “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge.”

It is a beautiful thing that the most respected religious authority in Christianity is willing to come forward in such a public way in favor of being a good person.

Christianity is a religion based in loving thy neighbor and feeding the hungry. The Pope knows that and is ready to lead his congregation in the right direction.

­— azoot@indiana.edu
Follow Austin Zoot on Twitter @austinzoot12.