The Deacon's Bench
Are we seeing a “Francis Effect” in American politics? Check out this story from today’s Boston Globe:
From the beginning, Representative Jim McGovern’s political life was entwined with his Catholic faith. As a young aide to Democratic Representative Joe Moakley in the early 1990s, McGovern led an investigation into the murders of six Jesuits and two lay women in El Salvador.
As a congressman, he has pushed for more spending on global nutrition, higher taxes on the wealthy, and other positions that, he says, derive from the Catholic Church’s mission to serve the poor. But for most of the last three decades, McGovern wondered if progressives like himself still had a place in the church.He felt “a little bit of an outcast,” he said, because of his liberal views on abortion and gay marriage.
Then came Pope Francis. “He’s saying the things I want my church to stand for,’’ McGovern said.
As the pope celebrates his first anniversary as head of the Catholic Church, McGovern and other members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation said in interviews that his pointed criticism of income inequality and his soft-pedaling of divisive social issues are having a profound impact on liberal Catholic politicians.
“I’ve had numerous conversations with colleagues around here who have been blown away by a refocus of attention on that message” of service to the poor, said Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III, whose family is freighted with a complex relationship with the church. “The emphasis has been away from that central message, and Francis’ renewed focus is refreshing.”
Representative Michael Capuano, a Democrat who supports abortion rights and gay rights, used to worry that his mother would be embarrassed if a priest ever denied him Communion once he became an elected official. After hearing Francis speak about income inequality and poverty, he instructed his staff to contact Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley, leader of the Boston archdiocese, and let him know he has a “friend here and a supporter” in Capuano.
“If the Catholic Church is emphasizing these things, I at least want to have a relationship,” Capuano said. “We now share common priorities.”
…Raymond L. Flynn, former Boston mayor and Vatican ambassador, and an antiabortion Catholic, said the pope’s approach is to respect politicians and others who support liberal social positions, while not necessarily honoring them.
“You keep your house open to people of different faiths; why wouldn’t you keep your church open to people of different beliefs and different values? The bottom line is respect,” he said.
Meantime, a prominent Catholic in the GOP, Rick Santorum, gave props to the pope yesterday on “Meet the Press”:
Although Pope Francis has been hailed for being more open to gays and lesbians within the Roman Catholic Church than his predecessors were, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) — a Catholic known for his socially conservative views — had nothing but praise for the pontiff on Sunday.
When asked by NBC’s “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd whether he is as “excited” by Pope Francis as other Catholics around the world appear to be, Santorum replied, “I am. He’s a humble man. He lives the faith out in his own personal life. … He’s here to be a shepherd; he isn’t here to be a scold. I think that’s a good thing for the church and for the world, frankly.”
Francis has not veered from the Catholic Church’s basic doctrine against homosexuality, but he has suggested he would not judge priests based on their sexual orientation…
…Santorum, however, said he doesn’t believe the pope appears to be more progressive on social issues.
“I don’t think he’s coming across as lenient at all,” said Santorum. He’s actually given speeches very much staying with the line. What he’s doing is the right thing. He’s looking at a world, he’s looking at his faithful that are really struggling right now, struggling with their faith. And he wants to focus on the central thing, which is the good news. He’s not out there saying you can’t do this and that, and we’re against this and against that.”
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