Pope Francis Calls Church Conservatives Suicidal: O Pope Francis has suggested that his conservative critics in the United States have a “suicidal attitude”, as he stated in an interview with CBS News. During the interview, Francis was asked about criticism coming from “conservative bishops” in the US who oppose his more progressive papacy and his efforts to reform the Catholic Church. When answering, the Pope paused when using the word “conservative”, explaining that, in his view, a conservative is “one who clings to something and doesn't want to see beyond it. It's a suicidal attitude.”
Francis emphasized the important difference between taking “tradition into account” and being “locked inside a dogmatic box”. For him, a Catholic Church that is merciful and open to all must be like a “field hospital” ready to heal the wounds of a suffering humanity. However, during his pontificate, the Argentine pope has faced attacks from some members of the Church who see him as a break with tradition and resist his call for reform, including the inclusion of LGBTQ+ Catholics.
In addition, Francis has faced internal reactions to his outspokenness on the situation of migrants and the need to tackle climate change. In the United States, some of the most fervent opponents of the Pope's progressive approach stand out, arguing that they want a pope who lays down the law and presents doctrine in a clear and unchanging way.
The Pope has not hesitated to speak out about his critics, describing some of his opponents in the US as “backward” and claiming that they have replaced the faith by ideology. In recent months, Francis has taken more assertive measures to deal with opposition, including sanctioning one of his fiercest critics, US Cardinal Raymond Burke. He also dismissed a bishop in Tyler, Texas, who accused the pope of undermining the Church's central teachings.
Francis“ remarks to CBS come at a time when attention is focused on an extreme socially conservative trend in the US Catholic Church. An example of this is Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker's recent graduation speech at a Catholic school, where he described Pride Month as ”evil" and suggested that the women would find greater satisfaction as housewives.
These internal tensions reflect the ongoing challenges faced by Pope Francis in his attempt to transform the world. Church in a more inclusive and compassionate institution, aligned with the needs and realities of the contemporary world.
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