Vatican City, 29 September 2015 (VIS) –
During his return flight to Rome following his apostolic trip to Cuba
and the United States, Pope Francis answered a number of questions
posed by the journalists who accompanied him on the papal flight.
The Holy Father first commented that he
had been surprised in the United States by the warmth and
friendliness of the people. He remarked that in Washington D.C. the
welcome was very warm but more formal than in New York, where
everything was more exuberant, while in Philadelphia it was more
expressive. “Three different approaches but the same welcome”.
He also explained the reason for his
meeting with the United States episcopate in Washington D.C., where
he felt the need to express to the prelates his compassion with
regard to cases of sexual abuse. “A horrible thing”, he said,
“and many suffer because they did not know about it and are true
men of the Church, true pastors. … And I spoke to them using words
from the Bible, from the Book of Revelation: you are coming from a
great tribulation, because what happened was a 'great tribulation'.
.. I would say almost a sacrilege. … We all know that abuse has
occurred in many places: in families, in the neighbourhood, in
schools, at gymnasiums … But when a priest commits abuse it is very
serious, because the vocation of the priest is to make that boy or
girl grow in God's love, towards emotional maturity. And instead this
is crushed, it is damaged. And this must not be concealed: those who
have covered up these events are equally guilty. It is dreadful. And
the words I spoke were not intended to say, “Don't worry, it's
nothing”. Instead I wanted to say, “It has been awful and I
imagine you have wept a lot”. This was the meaning of what I said,
and I spoke firmly”.
He affirmed that he understood those
victims of abuse and their families who felt unable to forgive the
perpetrators. “Yes, I understand them. I pray for them and I do not
judge them. Once, at one of these meetings, a woman said to me, 'When
my mother discovered I had been abused, she blasphemed against God,
lost her faith and died an atheist'. And I understand her. And God,
Who is better than me, understands her. I am sure that He welcomed
her. Because what was abused, destroyed, was her own flesh, the flesh
of her daughter”.
With regard to the peace process in
Colombia, he expressed his joy at the news that an agreement between
the FARC and the government will be signed in March. “When I heard
this, I asked the Lord, 'Let us arrive in March, may we arrive with
this good intention', as some small details remain to be clarified,
but the will is present on both sides. Even in the small group; all
three are in agreement. We must await March for the definitive
accord, which is the point of international justice. I have spoken
twice with President Santos on the matter. And the Holy See is very
open to assisting as far as possible”.
Attention then turned to the
immigration crisis in Europe. “It has become a state of crisis
after a long process. This process began years ago, as the wars from
which these people flee have been going on for years. Hunger: there
has been famine for years. When I think of Africa, I think of it as
the exploited continent. … And I believe that instead of exploiting
a continent, or a country, or the land, investments should be made so
that the people can avoid this crisis. It is true, there is a refugee
crisis – as I said in Congress – on a scale we have not seen
since the last World War. … But you know what happens to walls. All
of them. All walls fall down, today, tomorrow, or a hundred years
from now. Eventually they crumble. Walls are not a solution. … The
problem remains, and with more hatred”.
Another question addressed the issue of
expectations for the upcoming Synod on the family and cases of
divorced and civilly remarried Catholics, and the recent Motu Proprio
facilitating the process of declaring nullity of marriage, considered
by some as opening the way to “Catholic divorce”. Francis said
that, “in the reform of methods and procedures, I closed the door
to the administrative route, by which divorce could have entered more
easily. And it may be said to those who consider this to be Catholic
divorce that they are mistaken, since this last document closes the
door to divorce that may otherwise enter – it would have been
easier – via the administrative route. … The Synod Fathers asked
for this: the streamlining of procedures for declaring nullity of
marriage. And I stop there. This document, this Motu Proprio, reduces
the length of procedures, but it is not a divorce as marriage is
indissoluble when there is a sacrament, and the Church cannot change
this. It is part of her doctrine. It is an indissoluble sacrament.
The legislative procedure is to show that what appeared to be a
sacrament was in fact not a sacrament, for instance, due to lack of
freedom, or lack of maturity, or mental illness. … Then there is
the problem of second marriages, of divorcees who make a new union.
It seems to me simplistic to say that the solution for these people
is that that they can share in Communion. This is not the only
solution. What the Instrumentum laboris proposes is far more. The
matter of new unions by divorced persons is not the only problem. In
the Instrumentum laboris there are many. For instance, young people
who do not get married, who do not want to marry. It is a pastoral
problem for the Church. Another problem is the emotional maturity
necessary for marriage. Another problem is faith. … The Synod
intends to think very carefully about preparation for marriage, which
is one of the most difficult aspects”.
The Holy Father also replied to a
question regarding freedom of conscience for public workers requested
to sign documents or carry out procedures contrary to their religious
convictions. “I cannot bring to mind all the cases of conscientious
objection that may exist. But yes, I can say that conscientious
objection is a human right. It is a right, and if a person is
prevented from exercising their freedom of conscience, they are
denied a right. Conscientious objection must exist in all legal
frameworks as it is a human right. Otherwise we would end up in a
situation where we select what is a right, saying 'this right that
has merit, this one does not'.
In relation to the bombing of Isis
bases in Syria by the French air force, he commented, “I do not
have a good knowledge of how the situation will unfold. I heard that
Russia took one position and it wasn’t clear yet about the United
States. I truly don’t know what to say because I haven’t fully
understood the situation. But, when I hear the word bombing, death,
blood… I repeat what I said in Congress and at the UN, to avoid
these things. But, I don’t know, I can’t judge the political
situation because I don’t know enough about it”.
He went on to answer a question on the
relations between the Holy See and China. “China is a great nation
that offers the world a great culture and many good things. I said
once, in the aircraft flying over China, that I would very much like
to visit China. I love the Chinese people. … I hope that there will
be opportunities to establish good relations. … We are in contact
and we are talking. For me to have a friend in a great country like
China, which has so much culture and has so much opportunity to do
good, would be a great joy”.
“Will we one day see women priests in
the Catholic Church?”, was another question. “No, that cannot be
done”, answered the Pope. “After discussion and long reflection
St. John Paul II, said so clearly. Not because women don’t have the
capacity. In the Church women are more important than men, because
the Church is a woman. … The Church is the bride of Jesus Christ.
And the Madonna is more important than Popes, bishops and priests. I
must admit we are a bit late in developing a theology of women. We
have to move ahead with that theology. Yes, that’s true”.
“In the United States you have become
a star. Is it good for the Church for the Pope to be a star?” was
the final question. “The title Popes use and must is 'Servant of
the servants of God'”, replied Francis. “It is different to being
a star. … Yes, in the media this word is used, but the reality is
quite different. How many stars are there whose light goes out, that
fall. It is a fleeting thing. Instead, being the servant of the
servants of God, this is good. This does not come to an end”.