An exclusive interview between Antonio Spardaro and Pope Francis during the month of August, is just now being published, and may surprise some folks. At 76, this new Pope reveals refreshingly candid, humble, and open-minded views on many subjects. Here are some highlights from the interview:
On False Righteousness
?Yes, in this quest to seek and find God in all things there is still an area of uncertainty. There must be. If a person says that he met God with total certainty and is not touched by a margin of uncertainty, then this is not good. For me, this is an important key. If one has the answers to all the questions?that is the proof that God is not with him. It means that he is a false prophet using religion for himself. The great leaders of the people of God, like Moses, have always left room for doubt.”
On Understanding Social Issues
?When it comes to social issues, it is one thing to have a meeting to study the problem of drugs in a slum neighborhood and quite another thing to go there, live there and understand the problem from the inside and study it.”
On Stepping Outside The ‘Church’
?Instead of being just a church that welcomes and receives by keeping the doors open, let us try also to be a church that finds new roads, that is able to step outside itself and go to those who do not attend Mass, to those who have quit or are indifferent. The ones who quit sometimes do it for reasons that, if properly understood and assessed, can lead to a return. But that takes audacity and courage.?
On The Perception Of Women:
?I am wary of a solution that can be reduced to a kind of ?female?machismo,? because a woman has a different make-up than a man. But what I hear about the role of women is often inspired by an ideology of?machismo. Women are asking deep questions that must be addressed.”
We have to work harder to develop a profound theology of the woman. Only by making this step will it be possible to better reflect on their function within the church. The feminine genius is needed wherever we make important decisions.”
On Homosexuality
?A person once asked me, in a provocative manner, if I approved of homosexuality. I replied with another question: ?Tell me: when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person??”
?On Creating A New ‘Look’ To The Church
“We have to find a new balance; otherwise even the moral edifice of the church is likely to fall like a house of cards, losing the freshness and fragrance of the Gospel.”
On Being Open To More Discussion/Issues?
?We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods. This is not possible. I have not spoken much about these things, and I was reprimanded for that. But when we speak about these issues, we have to talk about them in a context.”
On His Love Of The Arts
Music: “The ?Et incarnatus est? from his Mass in C minor is matchless; it lifts you to God! I love Mozart performed by Clara Haskil. Mozart fulfills me. But I cannot think about his music; I have to listen to it.”
I like to listen to him, but not all the time. The performance of Wagner’s ?Ring? by Furtw?ngler at La Scala in Milan in 1950 is for me the best. But also the ?Parsifal? by Knappertsbusch in 1962.”
Visual Arts:?Among the great painters, I admire Caravaggio; his paintings speak to me. But also Chagall, with his ?White Crucifixion.'”
Film: ?We should also talk about the cinema. ?La Strada,? by Fellini, is the movie that perhaps I loved the most. I identify with this movie, in which there is an implicit reference to St. Francis. I also believe that I watched all of the Italian movies with Anna Magnani and Aldo Fabrizi when I was between 10 and 12 years old. Another film that I loved is ?Rome, Open City.? I owe my film culture especially to my parents who used to take us to the movies quite often.”
Read the full interview?here.
The tone and ‘realness’ of this Pope fascinates me. Hearing him talk about the arts is like having a conversation with a friend. Unlike Popes in the past, Pope Francis speaks in everyday language with a beautiful twist of peace, culture, and wisdom.
Edited/Published by: SB
