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Growing conservative disaffection with Pope Francis appears to be taking a toll on his once Teflon-grade popularity in the United States, with a new Gallup poll showing the pontiff’s favorability rating among all Americans dropping to 59 percent from a 76 percent peak early last year. Among conservatives, the drop-off has been especially sharp: Just 45 percent view Francis favorably today, as opposed to 72 percent a year ago. “This decline may be attributable to the pope’s denouncing of ‘the idolatry of money’ and attributing climate change partially to human activity, along with his passionate focus on income inequality — all issues that are at odds with many conservatives’ beliefs,” Gallup analyst Art Swift wrote Wednesday when the survey was published. But liberal fervor for the Argentine pope, who was elected to great acclaim in March 2013, has also cooled, dropping an average of 14 points.
Some observers have predicted that many who embraced the pope’s candor and his views on a range of social justice issues would temper their ardor as they realized he would not change Church teachings on hot-button issues such as abortion or contraception or gay marriage. Another major factor is that the number of those who expressed “no opinion” about the pope or said they don’t know enough about him rose from 16 percent to 25 percent. That may be linked to fewer magazine cover stories on the pope, or more critical stories.
The poll comes just as US Catholics are set to welcome the pope this September for his first visit to the United States. It essentially returns Francis to approval levels he had in the first months after his election. The fall-off appears to be relatively recent: A Pew Research Center survey from February showed Francis’ approval rating among all Americans at 70 percent, and at a remarkable 90 percent among all Catholics. That number had been steadily increasing, among Republicans and conservatives, as well, despite their concerns that Francis was not stressing issues such as abortion while highlighting social justice themes. But the Gallup poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points for results based on the total sample, was conducted earlier this month in the middle of Francis’ visit to three countries in Latin America during which he delivered some of his most powerful remarks on economic justice and environmental protection.
That prompted Western journalists on the papal plane, with a view to Francis’ upcoming US visit, to ask whether he needs to say more about “the middle class, that is, the working people, the people who pay taxes, normal people.” Francis responded by saying that he needed to address that aspect of his message and would read his critics ahead of the Sept. 22-27 US trip. Stephen Schneck, head of the Institute for Policy Research & Catholic Studies at Catholic University of America in Washington, blamed pundits on the right and left, like Rush Limbaugh and Rachel Maddow, for “politicizing” the pope’s teachings. “He’s not a conservative or progressive, not a Democrat or Republican. So stop trying to clobber him with those yardsticks,” Schneck wrote in an email. “How many times do our pundits need to be told that he’s carrying the same message as John Paul II and Benedict XVI?”
Schneck said that as the visit approaches, he expects Francis’ poll numbers “to rebound to his strong, earlier levels — that is, if both the right and the left will stop dragging him into their partisan squabbles.” Is it too late? Has “Francis fatigue” displaced the “Francis effect”? After the Latin America trip, popular conservative Catholic blogger Elizabeth Scalia wrote a lengthy post saying she is “frankly just tired of feeling scolded.” “I love His Holiness Pope Francis, but for a while now, I have been feeling harangued by him, as he’s been harping on us to do more, and ever more, to practice mercy on the world; to welcome the stranger, to clean up the rivers, to bring about justice and peace in our time; to level the playing fields, visit the sick, and so on,” Scalia wrote.
That lament was picked up by other conservatives, such as Carl Olson, editor of Catholic World Report, who complained about what he sees as Francis’ constant “haranguing, harping, exhorting, lecturing.” “It probably doesn’t help,” Olson added, “that Francis obsesses over particular points, to a degree that is, frankly, grating.”
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The unsettling legalisation of same-sex unions by the Supreme Court of the United States on June 26, 2015, marked a stormy turning point in the history of the American people and for the Church. It was no less a thunderclap than the legalisation of abortion in 1973. The weekend following the declaration, the clergy, lay preachers, and civil authorities of diverse faith communities, spoke out loud and clear against the Court’s decision as a grave error of judgment.
To clear up this muddy question, I fell back to the faculties which the local ordinary of the diocese in which I am exercising my ministry has granted to me. The faculty permits me to prepare couples for marriage and to officiate at marriages, as required by Canon Law. It does not allow the same from me for ceremonies that do not fit canonical requirements.
Marriage, as instituted by God, is a faithful, exclusive, lifelong union of a man and a woman joined in an intimate community of life and love. They commit themselves completely to each other and to the wondrous responsibility of bringing children into the world and caring for them. The call to marriage is woven deeply into the human spirit. Man and woman are equal. They are created different from each other for the good of the other. This complementarity, including sexual difference, draws them together in a mutually loving union that should be always open to the procreation of children (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 1602–1605).
According to the above definition of marriage, and in keeping with my religious beliefs, I am not obliged, de jure, to either prepare people for or officiate at any form of union that falls short of the Catholic meaning of marriage. As is admitted in the majority Supreme Court opinion, “The First Amendment ensures that religious organisations and people are given proper protection as they seek to teach the principles that are so fulfilling and so central to their lives and faiths, and to their own deep aspirations to continue the family structure they have long revered.”
As logical as my position may be, a bone of contention remains. In his dissenting opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas remarked, “Religious liberty is about freedom of action in matters of religion generally, and the scope of that liberty is directly correlated to the civil restraints placed upon religious practice.” Consider Christian-owned businesses such as event venues, wedding photographers, bakeries, and florists; they are expected to render their services to both homosexual and heterosexual couples without discrimination—not just in day-to-day dealings, but also in marriage ceremonies. This was the case with a seventy-year-old flower-shop owner, gentle-hearted Barronelle Stutzman, who was sued by a regular customer on grounds of discrimination because she politely refused to provide flowers for his gay wedding due to her religious beliefs.
The Supreme Court’s ruling hinges on an expansive redefinition of marriage in an attempt to degrade it to a mere abstract political concept. Justice Thomas, again in his dissent, highlighted this conflict: “In our society, marriage is not simply a governmental institution; it is a religious institution as well. Today’s decision might change the former, but it cannot change the latter. It appears all but inevitable that the two will come into conflict, particularly as individuals and churches are confronted with demands to participate in and endorse civil marriages between same-sex couples.… The majority appears unmoved by that inevitability. It makes only a weak gesture toward religious liberty in a single paragraph.… And even that gesture indicates a misunderstanding of religious liberty in our Nation’s tradition.”
Given that this conflict is a reality now that cannot be ignored, another question that parishioners are asking is, “What do we do now?” My response is to stand up for your faith, to trust in God, to love one another, and above all, to fast and pray.
Stand up for your faith
The solidarity expressed so far among Catholics, Evangelicals, and other faith communities in decrying the Supreme Court’s ruling is eloquent testimony of their witnessing for the sanctity of marriage. But this is just the beginning of a long and painful journey, which brings to mind one of the Church’s hymns that is popular in Cameroon: “Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross. Lift high his royal banner. Ye must not suffer loss. From victory unto victory, his army ye shall be, till every foe is vanquished and Christ be Lord indeed.” There is good reason to begin a “March for Marriage” every June 26! There is an African proverb that says, “When you pray, move your feet.” This means we should combine prayer with action toward the cause of our demands.
Speaking at a worship service on Sunday, June 28, Chief Justice Roy Moore of Alabama’s Supreme Court announced, “Welcome to the new world. It’s just changed for you Christians. You are going to be persecuted according to the U.S. Supreme Court dissents.” The President of our own Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, released a statement that included a call to courage and perseverance:
“I encourage Catholics to move forward with faith, hope, and love: faith in the unchanging truth about marriage, rooted in the immutable nature of the human person and confirmed by divine revelation; hope that these truths will once again prevail in our society, not only by their logic, but by their great beauty and manifest service to the common good; and love for all our neighbours, even those who hate us or would punish us for our faith and moral convictions.
For their part, a joint statement organised by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention reads, “While we believe the Supreme Court has erred in its ruling, we pledge to stand steadfastly, faithfully witnessing to the biblical teaching that marriage is the chief cornerstone of society, designed to unite men, women, and children. We promise to proclaim and live this truth at all costs, with convictions that are communicated with kindness and love.”
In God We Trust
Paradoxically, this battle for same-sex marriage is a battle against God, to whom the founding Fathers entrusted this great nation and succeeding generations with the motto: “In God We Trust.” And it is the same God whose blessings are implored again and again by political leaders when they say, “God bless America.” Regardless of how the Supreme Court rules on same-sex marriage, abortion, immigration, or other issues, God remains sovereign. The numerous attempts so far to erase Him from the public square have been futile. It is therefore no coincidence that on the very Sunday following the legalisation of gay unions, the opening prayer at Mass (as found in the Roman Missal) all over the world read: “O God, who through the grace of adoption chose us to be children of light, grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error, but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth.”
O yes! God is not dead, so there is no cause for alarm! His sovereignty is eminent:
Why do the nations conspire? Why do the people plot in vain? The kings of the earth brace themselves and the rulers together take their stand against the Lord and his anointed.…Now therefore, earn wisdom O kings; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Sere the Lord with fear and fall at his feet; lest he be angry and you perish when His anger suddenly fares. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him (Psalm 2).
Love One Another
Though the initial reaction of outrage and panic were expressive of the gravity of the offence, we must transcend a hostile approach to maintain our Christian identity at this sobering time: “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). To nurse thoughts of anger or hate against the government and people who disagree with our religious and moral precepts in general is evil. I have come across young people from African countries where the mere thought of gay rights is an abomination, yet they now identify as gay themselves. I equally encounter and serve the spiritual needs of American people who not only practice a homosexual lifestyle, but also speak out in favour of gay-marriage rights. These too, are God’s creatures, and after the example of the Good Shepherd, they deserve God’s love and care. When I speak about the divine plan for men and women and other related issues with LGBT proponents, I also listen carefully to what they have to say. Love is our mission and the truth must be spoken with charity.
For the purposes of a clean fight, we should not lose sight of our own sinfulness and our need for repentance. This is in fact the best time to address our own sins, as we mourn for the sins of the whole nation. American Baptist pastor Warren Wiersbe is quoted as saying, “Truth without love is brutality, and love without truth is hypocrisy,” and I agree. One without the other is detrimental to all.
Fast and Pray
Fasting and prayer are more important than speeches and protests. There is no better time than now to heed St. Paul’s call: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:16), especially if we are to be engaging in discussions about gay marriage. Sodomy, sexual perversion, and immorality were the root cause of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the antidote to sin is prayer and the sacraments. The Church’s present suffering in the United States is a painful wound inflicted on the entire body of Christ, and prayers for healing are warranted. While this intention should be constantly a part of the faithful’s prayer in Churches across the globe, it should also become an integral part of family prayers.
Conclusion
Indeed, marriage is a basic human and social institution. Though it is regulated by civil laws and Church laws, it did not originate from either the State or the Church, but from God. Therefore, neither the State nor the Church can alter the basic meaning and structure of marriage. Marriage can only be the union of a man and a woman and ought to remain defined as such in matters of law. In a manner unlike any other relationship, marriage makes a unique and irreplaceable contribution to the common good of society, especially through the procreation and education of children. The union of husband and wife becomes, over a lifetime, a great good for themselves, their family, their communities, and society. Marriage is a gift to be cherished and protected.
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The life of Father Salvatore Mellone, who died on Monday, was moving to thousands of people. He was to have at least two more years of seminary when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, but by special permission and the blessing of Pope Francis, he was ordained nevertheless. Fr. Mellone, who died June 29 at the age of 38, had been a priest of the Archdiocese of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie for two and a half months. With his failing health, he was able to say Mass daily, baptize a child, and console the other sick persons at his hospital.
Two days before his April 16 ordination Fr. Mellone received a phone call from Pope Francis. “The first blessing that you’ll give as a priest, you’ll give to me. Salvatore, I’m with you. You ‘ll be ordained and you’ll celebrate Mass,” the Pope assured him over the phone. At his ordination, Fr. Mellone said, “Today I feel myself carried on the shoulders of Christ; and as a priest I’ll wear the stole with Christ, for the salvation of the world. Moreover, to celebrate just one Eucharist, for me will be a real participation in the priesthood of Christ.”
Fr. Mellone's funeral Mass was said June 30 by Archbishop Giovanni Battista Pichierri of Trani at Most Holy Cross parish, where the priest was ordained. A statement from the Trani archdiocese shortly after the priest's death noted that he had a recurrent expression for “the many people who came to visit him over the last few months: 'to be a priest is beautiful.'” “Despite his illness, he always warmly embraced everyone who came to see him. He listened to what everyone had to say. He consoled everyone.”
According to the archdiocese's statement, Fr. Mellone was born in Barletta, fewer than nine miles from Trani, on March 9, 1977. Both are located in Italy's Apulia province, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. He came from an observant family, and was deeply involved in the life of the Church as a youth, entering seminary in 2011. “Within the community he became a man of prayer, of deep spirituality, and of great cultural openness,” the archdiocese recounted. “During the last year Father Salvatore spent a lot of time in hospitals and despite his heartbreaking pain, he always found the time and the right words to encourage and inspire hope.”
“During the last days of his life, when his sight was going bad, he said that he had learned to pray with nature. With his weak voice, he constantly prayed to the rhythm of life that came into his room from the balcony,” the statement concluded.
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Samuel Kleda, Metropolitan Archbishop of Douala since 2009 and Chairman of the Cameroon National Episcopal Council has called for a nationwide mobilization against homosexuality. "Christians and all people of good will must be mobilized to bar the way to homosexuality. It is an abomination ", the man of God declared recently. Archbishop Kleda denounced the popularizing of homosexuality on the African continent by European and American associations.
The prelate's position is largely shared by all Cameroonian Catholic Church which is obedience to God rather than US and European law makers. The Archbishop wondered aloud "How will we live in a world where men marry men and women marry women, and want to simultaneously ensure procreation? In the same vein, Cardinal Christian Tumi, said "homosexuality is a crime against humanity." Such statements meet with the approval of all the faithful in a country where homosexuality is condemned by the law.
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As many as one million people from the Catholic faith from across Latin America have joined Pope Francis in a huge open-air mass in Ecuador. During his speech to the large crowd in the Samanes Park in the southwestern port city of Guayaquil on Monday, the Pope pleaded to the people to fulfill the “social debt” toward the institution of family, which he called the backbone of society. “Family embodies a great social wealth that other institutions cannot substitute. It must be helped and strengthened,” said the pope.
The hot weather in the city forced firefighters to spray the crowd with water to keep them cool while many shielded themselves from the sun with umbrellas. Many had camped out all night ahead of the event.
Pope Francis’s visit to Ecuador comes as part of a tour of Latin America. He is set to visit other countries in the region, including Bolivia and Paraguay. However, while Pope Francis is the first leader of the Roman Catholic Church to come from South America, he will not be visiting his home country of Argentina in the current tour. This is the first such visit by a leader of the Catholic Church to the region in three decades.
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President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit to Kenya sent a small group of protestors to the streets on Monday. Their message to him: Don’t advocate for gay rights in Kenya.About 35 people attended the demonstration organized by The Evangelical Alliance of Kenya in Nairobi, the country’s capital.
Alliance leader Bishop Mark Kariuki said at the protest homosexuality goes against the country’s moral values and sends the wrong message to youths. The event followed a statement by Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto on Sunday, who said same-sex couples should leave the country, as the government will never legalize gay marriage.
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