Disagreeing with Pope Francis

**** For the record, my views on this topic have evolved or even changed and I do hope to do a response video... to myself when the time is right. *****

I became a Catholic right around the time Pope Benedict XVI was elected and one of the most frustrating experiences for me as a new Catholic was the media’s consistent portrayal of him in ways that were fairly inaccurate.

For Benedict, they saw him as a conservative and so whatever they reported about him was an attempt to reinforce that interpretation. And Catholics like me, I think, rightly complained about this constant portrayal or Benedict and the Church for how inaccurate it usually was.

Unsurprisingly, the same thing happened when Francis was elected but on the opposite end of the spectrum. He was cast as a liberal and if you are a casual observer of news coverage, you’d have no reason to think that he was anything but a champion of the left.

At first, the same Catholics that laboured to correct deceptive coverage of Benedict would often jump at the opportunity to correct the inaccuracies about Francis and produce the appropriate context that the media neglected to balance out their one sided portrayal.

But after a while, it seemed like those voices grew silent while a new trend of subtle criticism and even hostility towards Pope Francis began to emerge in certain corners of Catholic Media.

So where this became a more relevant concern for me was in my own surprising experience of finding myself disagreeing with the Pope. The more headlines I read, the more I couldn’t help but be influenced by that constant one sided portrayal.

Take for example his recent comments that equated wasting food with stealing food right off of the table of impoverished people.

To compare the accidental mismanagement of food resources that can occur from trying to keep a family of children fed to maliciously stealing from people who are already destitute seemed like it was unbelievably sophistic and hurtful to those of us that are trying our best.

So in an attempt to gain some perspective, I’ve started to do my best to go back and read actual statements that he’s made in their proper context as well as to listen to the common complaints that are being made against him by his critics to see if they truly measure up.

One of the more common complaints about Pope Francis, among his critics, is that he lacks clarity when he speaks. The claim is that if he spoke with more definitive precision, there would be less confusion and diversity in interpretation which can lead to the spreading of misinformation.

It seems like they want every statement from the Pope to be entirely without the possibility of differing interpretation. As I thought about it, I realized that if we held Jesus to that same standard, we would have likely found ourselves on the wrong side of that story.

We modern Catholics benefit from generations of theological clarification of everything that Jesus said so we’re used to a lack of ambiguity, but the people that heard Jesus preach did not have that same benefit and Jesus said all kinds of things that were ambiguous and open to interpretation.

Jesus’ own disciples even questioned him about his use of parables as a teaching mechanism and he replied by quoting Isaiah saying that the hearts of the people are calloused and they do not hear with their ears and they have closed their eyes. I think Jesus is pointing out that we have to encounter the mysteries of God with our hearts as much as our minds.

Jesus used metaphorical and poetic language often and he even used hyperbole to exaggerate or emphasize his point. He said things like, “among those born of women, none is greater than John the Baptist.” Taken literally, we’d have to assume that John was greater than Jesus.

If using exact language to avoid confusion is what we expect from our religious leaders, then I think we’re in the wrong religion because the guy who started it all didn’t seem to agree with that notion.

In my experience of finding myself disagreeing with Pope Francis, I’ve decided to respond in a few ways. The first is to not jump to conclusions about headlines framed by secular media. The second thing is to give him the benefit of the doubt. Too many people are jumping to the worst possible interpretation of the things he says. Lastly, I’m learning to accept that there is room for disagreement and diversity under the umbrella of orthodoxy.
At the end of the day, even if I disagree with Pope Francis about a few things, I’m certain that I agree with him on the majority of things. That should be a good enough reason for me to consider myself on his side.

Please comment with your ideas about the video and if you find it interesting, please share it and subscribe.

[BrianHoldsworth]

Now, 5 years later, I'm revisiting the content of this video. A lot has happened since then and a lot more context informs my thoughts on this pontificate. I will say, for now, I'm far less eager to excuse the objectively poor leadership in the Church today, including Francis' pontificate. At this point in his Papacy, I was far more eager to give the benefit of the doubt. As a matter of charity, that still is my first impulse, but I also recognize the considerable problems in his behaviour and opinions (that get distributed as if they are magisterial). In short, take what I have to say in this video with a grain of salt and not as something that is fully reflective of my thoughts today.

[coldforgedcowboy]

The job of the Pope is to bring clarity and unity to the teachings of the Catholic Church not confusion and disunity which is where we seem to be with Pope Francis. I think most Catholics who take their faith seriously are pretty frustrated with this aspect Pope Francis' Papacy because our job of doing apologetics and evangalisation that much harder.

[dariogagliano]

I'm not sure if it is fair to equate some of the Pope's ambiguous statements with that of Jesus. Jesus had a specific purpose for speaking in parables, sometimes to ensure certain people didn't understand him, sometimes to test the apostles. Pope Francis on the other hand has not yet responded to some very important questions regarding Church teaching (such as with Amoris Laetitia), and he's even received criticisms from a lot of high profile clerics (one of which recently was an American who was forced to resign after releasing his letter to the public). Also, Christ gave Peter a mandate to "feed and tend" to us, his sheep. So while we should give the Pope the benefit of the doubt, and give due deference to his office as Peter's successor, I do think he also has a responsibility to try to clarify himself with the faithful are concerned, especially when the media is so ready to pounce on everything he says.

[SaleSarajlija]

Brian, I can't believe this! We have identical stories. I, too, became Catholic during Benedict XVI and I, too, have significant disagreements with the current Pope Francis, yet I still love the Catholic Church and remain part of it. What concerns me that people/media who usually praise Pope Francis are the same people who have been and still are the enemies of the church. Pope Francis's tendency to want to be liked by everyone in spreading of his globalist message (which is very often in opposition to the fundamental teachings of the church) is concerning. Those people, unfortunately, are not flocking to the church. On the contrary, they are hoping that Pope Francis will tarnish the heart of the Church in order to "modernize" it to the liking of secular/atheist/globalist elites. This has nothing to do with being liberal on some issues. I am. I chose to ignore some of his controversial messages as the Church has existed long before Pope Francis and will exist after him. Instead, I focus on practicing and living my Catholic faith daily. Thank you for your videos.

[jerryuallera]

Pope Francis is very "selective" in his ambiguity..
He is ambiguous and inaccurate only on certain topics.. but at the same time he knows very well how to be understood when he talks of other topics: capitalism, ecology, social justice etc.. How's that?
He can't respond to the "dubia", but He can rebuke Cardinal Sarah for not implementing "Magnum Principium".
But what I question is not the Pope's selective ambiguity.. my first concern is that I can't recognize in Him a devout man of prayer, a man of God.. instead I see in Him only a smart politician and a good administrator.
I would like to say more, but my English doesn't allow me to go any further.

[andiamolireforexcrypto]

It's gone beyond causing confusion and being misunderstood. He's made himself very clear on the proper interpretation of Amoris Laetitia and that is the problem amongst many. Having said this brother​, I like your stuff. Keep posting and hang on tight, it's about to get far worse.

[robertdipaula]

Remember in the Old Testament the people always got the shepherds they deserved that's how God works most of the time people are looking to point fingers at Pope Francis but the majority of us catholics don't realize that it is because of are infidelity to God that we have issues in the church.
especially the hierarchy. God bless

[feaokautai]

Media who is inaccurate about POPE FRANCIS. Regardless what the media is saying POPE IS RIGHT.

[matthewbateman]

I am a new Catholic as well (just Confirmed Aug. 2017), but my heart is eager and all in like you. I have to say, thank you for a level, thoughtful video.

[AnimaChristisalvame]

This video is 4 years old. I have only had problems with Francis since he started undermining the Traditional Latin Mass in Traditiones Custodes.

[bumponalog]

My issue with Pope Francis are less to do with things like how wasting food is bad, but when we blatantly promotes anti Catholic positions.

[richardmcleod]

Watch the videos of Father Josiah Trenham of St. Andrews Orthodox Church in Riverside, Calif, if you want to have clarity between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches.

[Jacob-hrvf]

This hit me in the feels. I can no longer defend him. And I doubt you feel the same now as when you did when you made this.

[ca]

Love this video. I feel sorry for ANY but we Catholics must follow the authority of the Church. .. it will NEVER be overcome.. God bless

[fbrlajes]

What's your thoughts on Amoris Laetitia?

[kellyrendon]

Pope Francis is a true Christian Catholic sent by God to our faith. Why are we possessing the spirit of the Pharisees ...?
Why are we disagreeing what Pope Francis is telling us...?
This things were never seen in the Church! Now, everyone wants to talk without any knowledge.
Be careful people, The best way to sow a bad seed is through a good heart speech. We are here to love each other NOT TO ATTACK EACH OTHER.
May God free us from criticizing his chosen one and may God's grace reach all sinners.

Luke 5, 32
"I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

1 John 4
1 My dear friends, not every spirit is to be trusted, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets are at large in the world.
2 This is the proof of the spirit of God: any spirit which acknowledges Jesus Christ, come in human nature, is from God,
3 and no spirit which fails to acknowledge Jesus is from God; it is the spirit of Antichrist, whose coming you have heard of; he is already at large in the world.
4 Children, you are from God and have overcome them, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
5 They are from the world, and therefore the world inspires what they say, and listens to them.
6 We are from God; whoever recognises God listens to us; anyone who is not from God refuses to listen to us. This is how we can distinguish the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood.
7 My dear friends, let us love one another, since love is from God and everyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.
8 Whoever fails to love does not know God, because God is love.
9 This is the revelation of God's love for us, that God sent his only Son into the world that we might have life through him.
10 Love consists in this: it is not we who loved God, but God loved us and sent his Son to expiate our sins.
11 My dear friends, if God loved us so much, we too should love one another.


AMEN, AMEN, AMEN

[texaslocoman]

Pope Benedict might have been forced to resign by the liberal cardinals

[marietheresa]

We love him and pray for his conversion. but today in 2019 we know his motives are. Not good for our church

[kikaromero]

I have never read anything from our Pope that leads me to any sort of confusion or disagreement. In regards to the point that you mentioned about the waste of food and stealing from the poor, I strongly believe that Pope Francis point was and still is to make us realized how much food we waste, as we might go to a restaurant pay for a plate and then just eat a bit of it and trash the rest... as for at home it might apply the same, as sometimes we make more that what we already know we will eat and instead of saving it for the following day, or go and share it with a homeless person, instead we trash it...or we buy so much food that we think we will use to prepare our meals for the week or so, but in reality we end up letting some rotten in our fridge because we either take decisions of not cooking that day or other plans pop up... I strongly believe Pope Francis was calling us to be more conscious about our brothers in need, to realize that every bit of food we take we should ask our Lord to give same to those in need, and understand that if we have more that we ought to eat we should share it with others before we let it go to waste. Our Pope is simply following and teaching Jesus’s example and teachings. To best understand many things Pope Francis is saying and doing I recommend anyone to read “The Life of St. Francis of Assisi and The Treatise of Miracles” by Brother Thomas of Celano. Also life of St. Mother Terese of Calcutta, St. John Paul II The Great... when we read the life of the saints, it’s easier to see what God is working on and through His Vicar on earth... and division and confusion will definitely not be the case. Blessing to you, your family and your work.

[jamesconboy]

I believe Pope Francis was referring to the wanton waste of food we see on an industrial scale with Countries reaching quota's. Also by raising awareness of the sin of wasting food is surly a good thing.
I believe all great religions have a lot to say about wasting food and resources after all it is common sense.
God Bless all.