The pontiff's detractors, by Nahal Toosi, Politico (September 20, 2015)

Vice President Joe Biden calls him the "most popular man in the world." But not everyone thinks Pope Francis is a saint.

The 78-year-old pontiff's visit to the United States is so highly anticipated that Republicans and Democrats in Congress may even pretend to get along for a few hours. For some activists, however, it's a chance to chide the Vatican on issues ranging from the clerical sex abuse scandal to the canonization of a controversial Franciscan friar.

As Francis prepares to meet with President Barack Obama and address Congress this week, the church's detractors are preparing to stage news conferences, small protests and other shows of dissent. Along the way, they are finding that — unlike his less-beloved predecessor, Benedict XVI — it's tough to take on Francis.

"Relative to Benedict, this pope is a public relations genius," said David Clohessy, executive director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "The assumption is that he’s fixing the abuse crisis. And if people are open-minded and listen and eventually concur that, no, he’s not fixing it, the next line we hear from many Catholics is, 'But by golly, he’s gonna!'"

Francis has taken several steps to address the sex abuse scandal that has so damaged the church. He has set up a commission to advise the Vatican and agreed to create a tribunal to prosecute bishops who fail to protect parishioners from abusers. He also has begged for forgiveness from abuse victims.

Clohessy and others say such as steps are window dressing at best, focusing more on the idea of healing than the need for prevention and accountability. The activists would like to see bishops being ousted over their roles in covering up abuse, as opposed to simply quietly resigning. They hope to argue their case to the public through support group meetings, news conferences and leafleting events ahead of and during Francis' visit to D.C., New York and Philadelphia.

Along the way, they may stumble on activists deeply unhappy with Francis for his decision to canonize the 18th century missionary Junipero Serra, which he is set to do during a Mass on Wednesday in D.C. While Serra is considered a towering figure in establishing Catholic missions in California, many Native Americans hold him responsible for the enslavement and deaths of numerous indigineous people — and emblematic of the dangers of colonialism.

Antonio Gonzales, director of AIM-WEST, a group opposing the canonization, said it was disheartening to see Francis — who has labeled the killings of Armenians under Ottoman rule a genocide and recognized the Palestinians' right to a state — agree to make a saint of Serra.

"We’re hoping he wakes up," Gonzales said. "We’re hoping that those who have misguided him take a second look themselves."

Although Francis has not changed church doctrine against abortion and homosexuality, he has emphasized those issues less than Benedict and the previous pope, John Paul II. It was not immediately clear whether any pro-choice or feminist organizations planned to demonstrate during Francis' visit — requests for comment from various groups were not answered — but gay rights organizations are planning to have a presence, especially during Francis' stop in Philadelphia.

The pontiff is visiting the City of Brotherly Love to attend the World Meeting of Families, a major Catholic gathering that has drawn criticism for its limited opening to gays and lesbians. Equally Blessed, a coalition of Catholic gay rights groups, is planning a series of events to run parallel to the conference.

John Freml, a coordinator with the group, said that ongoing discrimination within the church over sexual orientation — the firing of gay teachers from Catholic schools, for example — shows that bishops remain hardline against gay rights, even if the pope takes a softer tone.

"Given that lay Catholics support LGBT people in higher numbers than the general population, while seeing their bishops behave so cruelly, we receive quite a bit of sympathy," Freml said.

Among those most perturbed by Francis' papacy so far are conservative Catholics who have struggled with some of his more left-leaning statements. The pope has spoken out against unbridled capitalism, staunchly supported tackling climate change and sounded what some conservatives, at least in the U.S., view as socialist tones.

Regardless, it's unlikely conservative Catholics will hit the streets to protest the head of the church they love. Instead, some are trying to urge the media to be more balanced in how they cover Francis, saying that he's not as liberal (at least not the American version of liberal) as he might seem.

"What we are concerned about, and striving to set straight, are some of the misinterpretations of the pope’s words, or selective quoting that changes the apparent meaning or context of his words ...," said Rick Hinshaw, a spokesman for the Catholic League. "So no, we will not be protesting or dissenting against the pope while he is here; we’ll be found defending him and the teachings of the church he leads."

Among those most pleased with the pope are environmental activists. They hope to capitalize on Francis' calls for action against climate change and his framing of protecting the earth as a moral issue. A coalition of faith, environmental and other allied groups will hold a demonstration in favor of tackling climate change on the National Mall as Francis speaks to Congress on Thursday.

Francis is known to be somewhat unpredictable, especially when out on the streets or in crowds, and Vatican watchers warn that his official schedule is probably more of a guide than a limit. For one thing, he's expected to hold a private meeting with sex abuse survivors, as Pope Benedict did when he visited the United States in 2008.

If Francis wants, he can walk a few meters outside his resting place in Washington, the Vatican's embassy, and meet a man who has spent much of his life protesting clerical sex abuse.

John Wojnowski began standing outside the embassy, known as the Apostolic Nunciature, in the late 1990s to demonstrate against the Catholic Church's protection of pedophile priests. The 72-year-old says he was himself a victim of such abuse decades ago.

Wojnowski is a daily presence in the late afternoon and early evening on Massachusetts Avenue, holding up signs denouncing the Holy See. He says he will keep up his protest even when Francis is in town.

"I'll be there, and if he wants to talk to me, he can talk to me," Wojnowski said.