Pope Francis. Can the Media Stop Going Crazy?

Pope Francis has given several interviews to the media where they do the usual. Let's not parse the Holy Father's words to hear what we want to hear. The simple truth is this:

1. abortion is intrinsically evil but we look at these women with compassion. We help those in most need so they don't feel they have to resort to evil. We call them back and offer them the healing power of Jesus.Pope Francis has NOT changed Church teaching. Pope Francis cannot change Church teaching. (It's not his job anyway). People might find ways to twist his words or insinuate he meant something he did not.

2. Same sex persons cannot marry. Same sex marriage is a falsehood.The only way to accept same sex 'marriage' is to redefine marriage and then it has no meaning at all.Again,Pope Francis has NOT changed Church teaching on homosexuality.

The Catechism states: "Sexuality affects all aspects of the human person in the unity of his body and soul. It especially concerns affectivity, the capacity to love and to procreate, and in a more general way the aptitude for forming bonds of communion with others.

2333 Everyone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity. Physical, moral, and spiritual difference and complementarity are oriented toward the goods of marriage and the flourishing of family life. The harmony of the couple and of society depends in part on the way in which the complementarity, needs, and mutual support between the sexes are lived out. 2334 "In creating men 'male and female,' God gives man and woman an equal personal dignity."119 "Man is a person, man and woman equally so, since both were created in the image and likeness of the personal God."120

2335 Each of the two sexes is an image of the power and tenderness of God, with equal dignity though in a different way. The union of man and woman in marriage is a way of imitating in the flesh the Creator's generosity and fecundity: "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh."121 All human generations proceed from this union.122 2336 Jesus came to restore creation to the purity of its origins. In the Sermon on the Mount, he interprets God's plan strictly: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."123 What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.124

The tradition of the Church has understood the sixth commandment as encompassing the whole of human sexuality. It states specifically about homosexuality:

"2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,141 tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."142 They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection."

Pope Francis is saying nothing that the Church doesn't already teach. Homosexual acts cannot be approved under any circumstances.The homosexual person can be accepted with respect,compassion and sensitivity. Compassion does not mean approval. Nor does it mean condemnation of the person-we are all called to repentance and can experience the healing love of Jesus and His Church.

Is there anything Pope Francis has said that contradicts what the Catechism states?

Anyone who THINKS Pope Francis has or will change Church teaching re matters of faith and morals are badly mistaken and hearing what they want to hear.Catholics know it's not possible.The Pope speaks infallibly when speaking ex cathedra re faith and morals. If they don't know they SHOULD know.Perhaps he has a different way of approaching the topics from his predecessors but there is definitely a continuity of the teaching and outreach.Pope Francis may be the Pope who leads the way for the New Evangelization Popes John Paul II and Emeritus Benedict CALLED for.For a terrific article on Pope Francis interview i HIGHLY recommend the analysis on Father Z's Blog: http://wdtprs.com/blog/2013/09/pope-francis-comments-on-homosexuality-in-the-big-interview/

Can the media stop going crazy every time Pope Francis speaks about these issues? Doubt it.