Pope Francis cannot be the Saviour of the Church

Friday, September 19th, 2014

Within the last year, the Catholic Church has garnered a bounty of something it hasn’t seen in decades: positive attention.

The man responsible for the change in the Church’s public reputation is Pope Francis, a candid Jesuit who seems a world away from his traditionalist predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI.

His effect on the Church seems so palpable that it has a name: the Francis effect — the idea that he has brought change to the Church and, by doing so, can call the world’s wayward Catholics back to Mass in droves.

Recently, the Pew Research Center conducted a poll that revealed the promise — and the shortcomings — of the Francis effect.

According to the poll, over 80 percent of Catholics view him as the leader in a favorable change for the Church, a new direction for a centuries-old institution not exactly notorious for changing its mind on anything.

Francis’ popularity ratings hearken back to the days of Pope John Paul II, whose emphasis on interfaith dialogue and the importance of young Catholics won huge approval from believers and non-believers alike.

However, the results of the poll also suggested that regular Mass attendance, volunteer service and attendance at the sacrament of Reconciliation have not significantly increased since Pope Francis stepped into the Vatican.

Now, people are asking, “Why?”

The answer is because one man, no matter how revolutionary or wonderful, cannot save a Church damaged by decades of indiscretion and abuse in one year.

This isn’t to say that Pope Francis hasn’t had a positive affect on churchgoers.

A mountain of anecdotal evidence stands in support of Francis for creating a more welcoming Church for single mothers, for gay, lesbian and bisexual Catholics, and anybody who hasn’t really been traditionally welcomed at his or her local parish’s doors.

For many, Pope Francis drew open the dusty curtains of a rules-obsessed Vatican and let the light in. Continue reading

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