DENVER — It is no secret that the pontificate of Pope Francis has been a challenge for Church leaders to navigate, and the bishops of the United States are no exception. A man often called the Pope of surprises, who has encouraged Catholics to “make a mess,” the pontiff’s spontaneity, new approaches and willingness to rebuff traditional consultative mechanisms has, more than once, seemed to catch American bishops off-guard.
But for the most part, America’s Church leaders have been careful to emphasize their unity with Pope Francis. The bishops have mostly expressed strong public support for Francis, even while offering widely differing takes on the meaning of his teachings, especially regarding the interpretation of the apostolic exhortation
Amoris Laetitia.
Although some sitting American bishops have privately expressed reservations about the Pope’s leadership, none had deemed it appropriate to publicly correct the Pope.
Ecclesiastical culture emphasizes fraternity, harmony and the appearance of getting along, and the American bishops have seemed to stress those values during the Francis pontificate.
In 2013, Archbishop Charles Chaput told a reporter, “I’ve never been critical of the Holy Father and would never speak ill of him.” That sentiment might have been considered a universal commitment among America’s bishops.
At least until this weekend, when Cardinal Sean O’Malley issued a strong criticism of some recent comments from Pope Francis.
More
