When Pope Francis spoke of “a very strong, organized, reactionary attitude” that opposes him within the Roman Catholic Church in the United States and, in comments that became public this week, warned against letting “ideologies replace faith,” some American Catholics recognized their church immediately.
“He is 100 percent right,” said the Rev.
James Martin, a Jesuit priest and commentator who is considered an ally of Francis.
The opposition to Francis within the American church now, he said, “far outstrips the fierceness of the opposition to Saint John Paul II and Pope Benedict,” the two previous popes.
When Father Martin visits Rome these days, he said, the first question many people there ask him is, “What is going on in the U.S.?”It’s essentially the same question that prompted the pope’s sharply critical remarks, which were made impromptu last month and published this week by the Vatican-approved Jesuit journal La Civiltà Cattolica.
Persons:
Pope Francis, ”, James Martin, Francis, Saint John Paul II, Pope Benedict, Father Martin, It’s
Organizations:
Roman Catholic Church, Jesuit, Vatican
Locations:
United States, Rome, U.S, Cattolica