Has Pope Francis Failed?

At The New York Times, Matthew Schmitz, who is an editor at First Things, examines why Pope Francis, despite his popularity, has failed to bring Catholics back to the church. Schmitz writes, “Francis is a Jesuit, and like many members of Catholic religious orders, he tends to view the institutional church, with its parishes and dioceses and settled ways, as an obstacle to reform.” Schmitz argues, “Such denunciations demoralize faithful Catholics without giving the disaffected any reason to return. Why join a church whose priests are little monsters and whose members like to throw stones? When the pope himself stresses internal spiritual states over ritual observance, there is little reason to line up for confession or wake up for Mass.”

Read at The New York Times

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