Pope Francis’ new clothes: Why his progressive image is white smoke and mirrors
Excerpt follows; full article is here. All emphases added by me.
Don't buy his populist rhetoric. The new pope is every bit the sexist homophobe as his predecessors
ANNA MARCH, THE WEEKLINGS
The image of Pope Francis is that he is a breath of fresh air, more progressive on social issues than his predecessor and a kinder, gentler pope. But when the facts are examined, you see that he is none of these things. There is an enormous disconnect between who the pope really is in terms of his policies and his public relations image, as crafted by the Vatican’s PR man, previously with Fox News. The current PR mission is all about reversing the incredible decline in fundraising under the last pope from the U.S. Catholic Church in particular. Pope Francis has made any number of statements that seem to indicate change and progress that are not reflected in policy. In fact, in the wake of such comments from Pope Francis, the Vatican often makes a point to explicitly state that no church policy has changed.
While the pope transmits a populist vibe—particularly about the economy— he is an old-school conservative who, despite his great PR, maintains nearly all of the social policies of his predecessors and keeps up a hardline Vatican “cabinet.” He has done virtually nothing to change the policies of the church to match his more compassionate rhetoric. People excuse the pope, claiming that he doesn’t have much power to make changes, but this simply isn’t true. Further, it is ludicrous to suggest that a man who denies comprehensive reproductive health care (including all forms of birth control including condoms and abortion) and comprehensive family planning is a man who cares about the poor of this world. The bigotry of homophobia and sexism cloaked in religion are still bigotry and sexism. By giving to the church, American Catholics aren’t supporting “progress,” they are supporting oppression and in this way are complicit in the bigotry, sexism, and oppression of the church.
...
Another critical area where Pope Francis has continued in the tradition of his predecessor Pope Benedict is the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. In addition to praising Pope Benedict’s handling of the scandal, Pope Francis also said in March of this year, “The Catholic Church is perhaps the only public institution that has moved with transparency and responsibility. No one has done more. And yet the church is the only one that has been attacked.” According to an AP report immediately after the Pope made those statements, the Vatican “still has no blanket policy telling bishops to report abusers to police or risk being sanctioned themselves, and to date no bishop has been punished for a cover up. In addition, the harshest penalty the church hands out to abusers is the ecclesial equivalent of firing the priest.” Pope Francis continues to engage in “…. more of what we’ve seen for decades — more gestures, promises, symbolism and public relations,” according to Joelle Casteix of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP.
...
Instead, the church has the same focus on dogma over helping the poor, the same oppressive views on women and homosexuals, and the same abhorrent behavior in response to the sex abuse scandals. There is zero flexibility on contraception, abortion, gay rights, women’s role in the church. Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI were at least honest salesmen; they told you exactly what you were getting. Pope Francis is much craftier than that. He uses his charm and humility (and a strong public relations strategy) to achieve the same goal as a used car salesman: to separate you from your money. American Catholics must put their faith and money where their mouth is if they want to see real change in the church. The idea that one can remain an active member of the church and expect ideological change only encourages the current pope to continue the practice of saying one thing and doing another. And why not? His numbers are up. The Catholic Church’s numbers are up. And it stands to reason that donations from American Catholics follow his favorability numbers and rise dramatically.
...
= new reply since forum marked as read
Just listening to that made me think of all my PF on my iPhone ( I had a greatest time to listening all of their music that night ) so to you 
From "Holy Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith."
When in Rome, visit their world headquarters! Easy to find from the Via Veneto/Spanish Steps. You can stop off on your way to the big shopping street Via Condotti...appropriately enough...
They really want to believe.
But why are apologists constantly jumping to his defense?
It's even more disgusting that LGBT DUers are bullied every time they point out the pope's hypocrisy.
The Church uses all of its money and influence to persecute a minority, the new pope doubles down and we're not supposed to complain about it here?
Forgot my place for a minute there.
Bad bmus 
More Catholics than LGBT members.
I get it now, thanks. 
Last edited Tue Sep 16, 2014, 03:17 PM - Edit history (1)
Pope Fabulous merely utters the most sophomoric declarations of altruism and folks just go all gooey!
No one seems to notice that astonishment and surprise that kindness and "love thy brother" is >GASP< coming from the Catholic church is an hysterical joke! "Why I never knew Catholicism entertained such sentiments!"
...and slaughtering bunches of godless heathens like the Aztecs and Incas.
But we're not supposed to mention any of that, so I won't. 
I toured the Vatican Museum. Like most tours, mine ended in St. Peter's Square. Our tour guide pointed toward the obelisk in the Square, and told us that was the very spot where early Xians were martyred by the Romans.
He didn't mention some more recent history of St. Peter's Square - that in Oct. 1943, it was the place where Italian Jews were rounded up for transport to the concentration camps. Right under the nose of Pope Pius XII. I helpfully pointed that out, but the tour guide didn't seem to appreciate it very much. (I figured it was the end of the tour anyway, so they couldn't kick me out.)
You just have to have patience. On my Roman holiday, I had the great fortune to speak to many Italians about Pope Francis. They told me, "Badate a' fatti vostri!" Which means, I think, "Relax, brosef. He's working on it."
Things are gonna change any minute now. Any... minute... now...
