POPE FRANCIS ON BRINGING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH INTO THE MODERN WORLD OF THE 3RD MILLENNIUM.............

In his first major sit down interview with the mass media after six months as the Successor of St. Peter and Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Roman Catholic Church, published by the Jesuit Magazine, America; the Italian publication, La Civilta' Cattolica;  and fifteen other publications around the World, Pope Francis has admonished the Church about obsessing on select dogmas such as Abortion, Gay Marriage, and Contraception, and the need to focus on Mercy towards all persons, underscoring that the Church must be a larger inclusive community not a small chapel of select members.  Focusing on  Healing the Church and the divisions in Humankind, the Holy Father spoke openly about how often the Catholic Church has, "locked it self up in small things, in small minded rules",  Pope Francis declares the necessity to minister with pastoral sensitivity towards all people with affirmation for the dignity of the human person. Catholics, other Christians, non Christian religious believers, and Atheists, without exception, as creatures of a loving, compassionate, embracing, God.  Pope Francis as the Servant of the Servants of God is not being either radical or  reactionary in the words he spoke and pronouncements he made in this 12,000 word interview with the Italian, American, and global media, instead he was being inclusive in reaching out to the faithful and unbelievers alike, building bridges of reconciliation, renewal, and reform, for the Universal Church in the World of the 21st Century, so as not to become a museum of the Catholic Church of a former time and place.  God fortify Pope Francis for the duration of his leadership as the Vicar of Christ to honestly solidify Gospel Values by challenging all of us to Live and Share the Truth of God's Mercy and Love with the, "New Balance", of which this Holy Father speaks.............Fr.  Troy David