Pope Francis joked that some within the Church hoped he wouldn’t survive his latest colon operation, and denounced vocal Orthodox critics for doing “the devil’s work” by undermining the Roman Catholic Church.
Francis made the remarks this month throughout a gathering with members of the Jesuits, a Catholic non secular order, in Slovakia. They had been reported on Tuesday by the Jesuit journal La Civilta Católica.
When requested about his well being by one of many Jesuits, Francis was quoted as answering: “Still alive. Although some people wanted me to die.”
“I know there were meetings even between bishops who thought the pope was in a much more serious position than what was being said,” he stated. “They had been getting ready the conclave (to elect a brand new pope). This will occur. Thank God, I’m positive.”
Francis, who was elected pontiff in 2013, underwent colon surgical procedure on July 4, and spent 11 days within the hospital. He has since resumed a full work schedule.
Addressing a few of the challenges going through the church, Francis hit out at conservatives, saying that “turning back is not the right way” and that it was necessary to maneuver on.
He denounced a “major Catholic television station”, which he didn’t identify, saying he was continuously attacking them.
“I personally may be subject to attacks and insults because I am a sinner, but the church does not deserve it. This is the work of the devil,” he stated.
In latest years, Francis has been the middle of criticism from a small however highly effective variety of American conservatives sad along with his stance on varied non secular points in addition to social issues starting from immigration to local weather change.
He is featured usually on the US-based Catholic tv community EWTN.
The Pope acknowledged that criticism from clerics inside the Church angered him at instances.
“I sometimes lose patience, especially when they make decisions without entering into actual dialogue. I can’t do anything there. However, I move on without entering their world of thoughts and fantasies,” he stated .
He warned in opposition to clerical “rigor” and stated that God wished society to be free.
The Catholic Church teaches that gay tendencies aren’t sinful, however gay acts are, however Francis has most likely been extra pleasant in direction of homosexual individuals than some other pope.
“We are afraid to go along with people of sexual diversity,” the journal quoted him as saying, including that clergy ought to assist homosexual {couples}.
However, he cautioned in opposition to the rise of “gender ideology”.
“It is dangerous because it is intangible in relation to the concrete life of a person, such that one can decide at will and when it will be man or woman,” he stated.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
