Taming “The Constant Francis”

Seriously, I’m beginning to feel like all I do is read, write, and dialogue about Francis, all day long and all night; other work is slipping deadlines — book reviews; interviews; transcriptions; writers who need beatings; editors who also need beatings — all because of The Constant Francis whose impact on American Catholics is overstuffing my in-boxes, my comboxes, my social media threads.

I will need to tame this Constant Francis or I’m never going to get anything else done. I literally spent hours today talking Francis with people who are either still hanging by the rafters and howling that he’s ruining everything, or coming to figure out that triumphalist “piss on you, guys, we’ve got our pope, now” is both inaccurate and unfair to Francis and unhelpful to the work of the Holy Spirit.

Don’t get me wrong; I love talking Francis. But I am tempted, today, to boil everything down to what I have decided (at the prompting of Simcha Fisher) is my life motto: Just kiss it up to God and calm your ass down”, if for no other reason that I can then get other work done.

So, having applied my new motto, I’m providing you with some good stuff others are writing about Francis (and a new translation of the Scalfari interview) so the conversation can continue: Constant Francis Less One Voice for the rest of the day:

Let’s start off with Gerard Nadal (who is no one’s idea of a “flaming liberal”, Catholic or otherwise, and would be first to admit it), who has written three pieces in quick succession, all of them Must Reads:

His first I linked to a day or so ago, but if you missed it: Pope Francis: Rupture vs Change (“He. Is. Peter.”)

The second: Ongoing Fallout, Part I: wherein he explores “the face of true evangelism”

The third: Ongoing Fallout, Part II: discussing Francis’ thoughts about unemployed youth and the elderly, which offended so many.

In terms of fealty to the church, appreciation of Benedict and commitment to pro-life issues and so forth, Nadal is not second to anyone else, so if you need to know that in order to feel you can trust him, there you go. Don’t miss his pieces.

Fr. Dwight Longenecker: has been processing Francis out in the open for all to see, and braving some snarks for it. Today he talks about getting used to Francis in unusual terms.

Archbishop Charles Chaput: Thoughtful remarks on the Spadaro interview

For those concerned about all the “hippie talk” they’re hearing, Frank Weathers, former Jarhead, asks, If a Doctor of the Church says it, then why can’t Pope Francis?

Fr. James V. Schall, SJ: Bergoglio and the Ultimate Questions

Joseph Susanka, who never pipes up about anything, says Chew before swallowing!

Francis Beckwith: Am I the Prodigal Son’s Brother?

Calah Alexander: kind of echoes Jesus in this piece, when he said “fear is useless, what is needed is trust”.

Katrina Fernandez, who has not been a happy camper, is making a very sound prayer

Father Robert Barron: the field hospital is open

Kathy Schiffer has more on that proselytizing line that also upset some.

Melinda Henneberger, on the Comity Factor of Francis and what it’s worth.

Quidquid recipitur ad modum recipientis recipitur: A Conjectore on Francis and the Atheist

Deacon Greg has relevant words from a Servant of God

Dr. Gregory Popcak: on the Hierarchy of Truth and other things.

Meanwhile, this is interesting: the Curial Reform Agenda Priority is Putting Families First