Eleven years ago today [13 March], Pope Francis came out onto the loggia of St. Peter’s basilica and introduced himself to the world. In those first moments, when Francis asked us to pray for him before he imparted the apostolic blessing, and bowed his head, we knew this papacy might be different.
Francis has brought a renewed commitment to the essence of the Gospel to our church which, filled with sinners, translates as evangelical mercy. He has reminded us that our service to the poor is the measure of our fidelity. Francis has carried forth the key teachings of the Second Vatican Council. He has consistently differentiated our Catholic faith from the ideologies of our day, from racist nationalism on the right to gender ideology on the left.
Today, however, it is necessary to criticize Francis for his recent comments about Ukraine. In an interview released last week, the pope said, “I think that the strongest one is the one who looks at the situation, thinks about the people and has the courage of the white flag, and negotiates.”
There are three problems with the pope’s approach to the Ukraine situation. One is endemic: We want a pope who articulates moral issues, but no one wants a pope who advocates war or who chooses one part of the human family over another.
The second problem is that the pope’s pleas for peace, and denunciation of war, often fail to consider how they will be received.
The third problem is the hardest: The pope misjudges the value of negotiation. There may be other countries for whom negotiations with Putin might prove fruitful. Ukraine, or any other former Soviet satellite, is not one of them.
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With thanks to the National Catholic Reporter (NCR) and Michael Sean Winters, where this article originally appeared.
The Diocese of Parramatta reaffirms the wise axiom attributed to Saint Augustine of Hippo: “in essentials, unity; in non-essentials, freedom; in all things, charity.” In this spirit, Catholic Outlook publishes a variety of Catholic viewpoints. They are not necessarily the official views of the Diocese of Parramatta.
