Ross Douthat is worried about Pope Francis’ leadership. Should we be, too?

It’s not an easy position for faithful Catholics to stake out,
criticizing a popular pope. But Ross Douthat is worried about where
Pope Francis is leading the Catholic Church. In his new book, To
Change the Church: Pope Francis and the Future of Catholicism, the
New York Times op-ed columnist argues that Francis’ “truces” with
the modern world—specifically his more pastoral approach on issues
ranging from divorce and same-sex relationships to
euthanasia—threaten to not only divide and weaken the church but
betray the very words of Jesus. We ask Ross whether he thinks
people in the pews share his concerns, what mercy means for
Catholics who feel hurt by Catholic teachings and what gives him
hope about the church. In Signs of the Times: a Catholic school
showcases a caged tiger at prom. Bad idea or the worst idea? Plus,
new rules for contemplative nuns, the United States’ first
African-American priest gets a step closer to sainthood, thoughts
on the new Pope Francis biopic and news from the Holy Land.
Finally, it’s Mental Health Awareness Week, so we wanted to discuss
what more the church can do to support families struggling with
mental illness. As always, check us out on Twitter @jesuiticalshow,
and send us some feedback by emailing jesuitical@americamedia.org.
You can support the show (and get exclusive swag and bonus
content!) by joining our Patreon community. Links from the show A
Catholic School in Florida Had a Caged Tiger at Its Jungle-Themed
Prom and WTF? Vatican issues new rules for communities of
contemplative nuns Runaway slave-turned-priest moves closer to
beatification California bishops: The mental health care system is
broken Pope gets an unprecedented close-up, courtesy of Wim Wenders
Pope Francis denounces spiral of violence in the Holy Land What’s
on tap? Wisconsin white wine from our very first in-studio Patreon
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