Pope Francis Has "Shattered the Caricature of the Church"

By Caitlin Macneal
Talking Points Memo
December 29, 2013

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/pope-francis-cardinal-dolan-catholic-praise


Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, on Sunday praised Pope Francis for changing the way the world views the Catholic church.

"This pope has successfully, finally shattered the caricature of the church that his predecessors have tried hard to do," Dolan said on ABC's "This Week." "What's that caricature? That the church is kind of mean and dour and always saying no and always telling us what we can't do and always telling us why we should be excluded. He's saying, no, come on in, the church is about warmth and tenderness."

Dolan said that Catholic leaders were surprised by how effective Pope Francis has been at improving the image of the church.

"What we were after was a good pastor with a track record of solid administration but fatherly warm, tender care for the sheep, for his people," Dolan said. "And, boy, we got that on steroids with Pope Francis. He's the world's parish priest."

Dolan defended Pope Francis against criticism he faced after denouncing trickle-down economics.

"What he says is that the dollar is money, if the economy becomes our God, that's idolatry," Dolan said. "There's only one God and money ain't it, Okay? Money is morally neutral. It's how we use it that makes it sinful or good."

Dolan said that Pope Francis probably shrugged off criticism about his economic views, just as he reacted to being named Time Magazine's Person of the Year.

"He said, 'Time magazine? I'm more worried about timeless things.' Okay? So that's the way he is," Dolan said. "He shrugs and says, 'Well, thanks. Who cares?'"