UNITED STATES
Wall Street Journal

Pope Francis has become a powerful if controversial figure since his election in 2013. He has advocated for social justice for the poor, issued an encyclical on the environment, and refused many of the opulent trappings of his office. Ahead of Francis’ visit to the U.S., WSJ’s Vatican correspondent Francis X. Rocca, who will be flying with the Pope on his visit, took questions from our readers in a Facebook Q&A. Here is part of the discussion.

Some questions and answers have been lightly edited.

Question from Christina A. Sears: As the Pope embarks on new territory for the Catholic church (as it relates to social injustice, immigrants, abortion, more tolerance of other religions, etc.), how does he handle opposition from those within the Catholic faith who are or who would like to remain more “traditional?”

Answer from Francis X. Rocca: First, it bears…