Hi, Thomas —

I assume you are talking about the Pope's dialogue with international journalists on Monday,
July 29 on a flight back to Italy from Brazil after finishing his first international trip. Francis is keeping the issue of life in the news. Read the article below in bold. (By the way, the next day he gave a talk to gynecologists on the issue of the sanctity of life.)

While I personally thought he used a poor choice of words when replying to the reporters on this issue, if you go back and read the interview in context (something that is critical for a proper understanding), what he was saying is analogous to this:

If a man has been at war and he comes in off the battle field with five wounds, four of which are broken bones, the doctor is not going to ask him why he has let his cholesterol go so high or why he has allowed is blood pressure to go through the roof.

No, he is going to mend the critical wounds, establish a good relationship with the healed man, then tell him, as a doctor, that a high cholesterol and blood pressure are only going to hurt him in the future.

His point, though I thought he could have handled it better, is we, as a Church have to emphasize the positive option the Church is rather that letting the mainstream media stereotype us as the Church of No. If the Church teaches a specific prohibition, it is only for our own spiritual good, though our human nature may tempt us to respond like whining children.

The Catholic Church loves gay people in the true sense of the word love. She loves them too much to be quiet on this issue and allow them to remain in an additive lifestyle — one their bodies were not physiologically designed for. Nevertheless, She will always respect anyone's free will to do dumb things, even against their own biological/physiological nature.

The same is true with those who have had an abortion. The Church loves the sinners but hates the sin.

• Why else would the Church have so many post-abortion programs all across the United States to help and aid those who made a bad choice, probably under duress?

Finally, as one who strives to be a practicing Catholic, I would like to thank the main stream media for bringing this issue up the way they did.

• Why?

Because now I can clarify what the Church teaches on when and where the Holy Spirit protects the Holy Father on issues of faith and morals:

• Is the Holy Father protected on issues of who will win the:
  
  • World Series?
    
  • Stanley Cup?, or
    
  • NFL Championship?
  • NBA Championship? <No, Sorry Las Vegas.>
    
• Is the Holy Father protected on issues of faith and morals when having personal discussions with fellow priests? <No.>
  
• Is the Holy Father protected on issues of faith and morals when talking to T.V. and news journalists on planes or anywhere? <No.>
  
• Is the Holy Father protected on issues of faith and morals when he is talking to the Christian faithful, as a whole, from the Magisterium of the Church on an issue that has been divinely revealed? <Yes!> (CCC 888 to 891)
  
  
• When the Holy Father speaks infallibly, does this mean he will always say the most holiest thing? <No.>
  
  It could be ambiguous. Infallibly is a negative safeguard or protection that he and his predecessors have been given by Christ Himself, not to teach anything publicly to the Church that is contrary to faith and morals.

• Pope Francis Has Not Diluted the Pro-Life Teachings of the Catholic Church

I hope this clarifies what we believe about the pope and the papacy.

Mike