Evangelizing Sweetly:

The Method of Pope Francis

Check out what Sister Mary Ann Walsh has to say about Pope Francis' great appeal to people. This article appeared on the HuffPost Religion site:

 

Pope Francis' Late Night Appeal

 

Sister Mary Ann has got it exactly right. She has analyzed how Pope Francis is appealing to people and helping to evangelize. 

 

As a person who is passionately against proselytizing, I find Pope Francis' method of demonstrating and discussing Catholicism highly attractive—so much so that if he were a priest in my neighborhood, I'd end up going to Church just to hear what he had to say! It might not make me a completely devout Catholic—because I still have those progressive views that are so important to my soul—but I would be exposed to—and understand better—a great deal of valuable Catholic thought and feeling.

 

Much of what the Pope is saying is very illuminating and inspiring. His kind of evangelizing is gentle and does not violate anybody's soul. It simply shows what is suggested and invites people to think and feel about it. This is exactly the way I believe all religious leaders should act and speak.

 

Pope Francis is inclusive. He demonstrates kindness and understanding. Instead of fire and brimstone, he offers Heaven. Instead of hatred, he illustrates love. This, after all, is really what Jesus Christ was all about. It's true that He had anger when He chased the money changers out of the temple, but, for the most part, he offered sweetness and healing along with his theological teaching. The Pope is doing the same thing.

 

I still have great problems with some parts of Catholic theology regarding gays and women, but I have never felt so close to Catholicism as I do now, ever since Pope Francis was elected. I actually feel that I now have Catholicism as part of my eclectic religion. I would look to this pope as a spiritual guide in many ways. He comes to my mind in many situations.

 

I never planned to blog about a pope. That was not even anywhere in my thoughts—ever! Yet, ever since I saw that man looking at the crowd in St. Peter's Square for the first time after his election, I knew that something magnificent had occurred. Something different and very unique had come to the Catholic Church. So, now, here I am blogging about Pope Francis. Here I am thinking about Catholic ways of being. Here I am, just like Sister Mary Ann notes.

 

Am I being evangelized? Maybe. But I don't mind at all. I am enjoying it.