As I follow the news about the ministry of Pope Francis, Iâ??m often struck by the way in which people project their personal expectations on his ministry. People seem to expect him to function like a progressive Protestant or hope that he will.
That, it seems to me, is unrealistic. His training and orientation to the world is decidedly Catholic, which should be no surprise, and he was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II. His position in the Catholic Church also requires far more of him than the average Protestant leader. He doesnâ??t bear responsibility for a national denomination, nor is his relationship with the rest of the world akin to a loose partnership. He is part of and at the top of a hardwired, international church. The decisions he makes might resonate one way with parishes in North America, although truth be told, there will be a lot of variety. But no matter how welcome a decision might be here, it will inevitably register in other ways around the world, and as Pope, he is obligated to take those differences seriously.
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