OK, defenders of all things troubling in the present papacy. You told me I’m not allowed to believe that Pope Francis scorned the spiritual bouquet he received; you said that I could not believe he told Tony Palmer and Rt. Rev. Greg Venables and Brian Stiller and Antonio Scalfari and Rabbi Abraham Skorka that they don’t need to convert and/or he doesn’t want to evangelize them; that I’m not allowed to believe he told Marie Collins that she doesn’t have to come to Mass to be part of the Church; that I can’t believe he told Jacqueline Sabetta Lisbona that she could receive communion despite being in an adulterous marriage; and you insisted that I mustn’t believe he told Archbishop Jan Graubner that the traditional Latin Mass is just a fashion that doesn’t need much attention.
You said because none of this came directly from the pope’s mouth to your ears that it was “hearsay” and not trustworthy, no matter how credible the witness.
So guess what? That means you don’t get to believe this and tell everyone the matter is settled.
Steve Skojec is a husband, father, storyteller, writer, and podcaster who dabbles in photography, filmmaking, and graphic design. His commentary has has appeared at outlets such as The New York Times, Foreign Policy, USA Today, The Washington Post, Fox News, and The Washington Times. He lives in Arizona with his wife Jamie and their many children.