It Must Be Hard to be a Pope: The Tightrope That Pope Francis is Walking.

It must be hard to be a Pope. Especially Pope Francis. After following the conservative Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, being a more liberal, progressive Pope would be hard. Both John Paul and Benedict put in place conservative cardinals who surprised us all with the election/selection of Francis. 

From the outside of the Catholic Church looking in as an out gay Presbyterian minister, I’ve watched with awe and amazement the small, subtle moves that Francis has been making towards inclusion of women in leadership roles, as well as his friendliness towards LGBTQIA2S+ people, especially transgender people in Italy. I was well aware of his gay friends in Argentina, and how they have continued a friendship even when Cardinal Bergolio of Argentina became Pope Francis of Rome. He has withheld judgment towards gays, and defended blessing individuals in same sex coupled relationship, as long as it doesn’t look like a wedding in a church. While he has not changed dogma or doctrine regarding the Catholic Church and LGBTQIA2S+ people in terms of ordaining us, let alone letting us getting married in a Catholic Church or raising children, his attitude of welcome has been, well, welcoming after decades and centuries of being closed off. It has often been the case that a personal affinity for a group precedes a change in doctrine and dogma. Hope was born.

Then there was this “slip of the tongue” by Francis that was caught by others in a closed door meeting. From advocate.com, reported by Ryan Adamceski: "Pope Francis has issued an apology after using a homophobic slur during a closed-door discussion about gay priests. 

Anonymous bishops told Italian news outlets Courier della Sera and Italian dailies La Republica that the Pope involved a vulgar Italian term during their meeting last week, in which church officials were debating whether or not to allow out gay priests in the clergy.

Pope Francis reportedly disagreed with their inclusion, claiming that while the church should be welcoming of everyone, to be gay ad a priest would be to lead a double life. He then said that seminaries already have too much 'Frociaggine,’ which loosely translated to “Faggotness’" or “Fluffiness.” 

I’ve been called worse. And treated worse.

Here’s a link to the article: https://www.advocate.com/religion/pope-francis-gay-slur

Oh well.

We all say some things behind closed doors or confidential relationships we hope never get out of sight or range of hearing. Pope Francis is, after all, still Pope. And he is having to battle with conservatives who are ready to take back the church from the liberal and progressive trends and statements since Francis became Pope.

I regret that he said what he said, as I’m sure he regrets what he said, let alone regrets that there is much work to be done.

When listening to the head of Dignity, the Catholic LGBTQIA2S+ group in the States, Marianne Duddy-Berke, said on PBS Newshour the other night that the Catholic priesthood is fully of closeted, and some out, gay priests. Francis is right to note that there are gays in the seminaries. And in the priesthood.

Again: It must be hard to be Pope, especially Pope Francis. May Pope Francis and our friends in the Catholic Church continue to struggle to go forward, not backwards, and be a welcoming and affirming church for those of us who are LGBTQIA2S+ people, lay and clergy, men, women, and non-binary alike. May it be so. Amen.