What, No Habit? |
(Rome) Some Catholic media are eager to want to prepare a moment of "joy" for the Pope at every opportunity. One could sometimes be confused with the behavior of cajoling or adulation. The Osservatore Romano stumbled about it, because it responded with great zeal a few days ago.
First it was the Austrian Mission Bishop Erwin Kräutler, who always strives at home to stay remarkably close to the to the Left "half of the empire." He did publicly declared what he had discussed with Pope Francis in a private audience and raised here by blurred dividing lines the impression that the Pope shares his opinion to a certain extent. The latter remains unproven, as it to is neither a statement of the Pope's nor a statement of the Vatican.
Then followed the Brazilian Frei Betto, who prides himself, to have the best contacts with the Cuban regime among all the Liberation Theologians. This gave the same consenting impression of the Pope, as previously Amazon Bishop Kräutler had, and wished for his part, a "rehabilitation" of the atheist idol Giordano Bruno. Again, there was no statement of the Pope and no opinion from the Vatican, which would confirm or deny free Betto's assertion.
The two incidents conveyed the impression together with previous similar incidents that Pope Francis demands no stop to such high-handedness in public. An attitude that raises further questions about them, is whether the Pope is simply indifferent to what others spread about his actual or perceived views. Or if they all report truthfully and the Pope actually raises towards them the impression of approval. Which raises the fundamental question of what position the Pope really takes. But that seems to be the biggest mystery of the entire pontificate.