Putting Our Best Foot Forward

Key Insights

Invitation, Not Pressure

Respect

Quotations

"'Who am I to judge' may end up being the most-quoted five words spoken by a modern pope," said John Thavis, author of the best-selling book The Vatican Diaries and who covered the Vatican for 30 years for the U.S.-based Catholic News Service.

"Pope Francis has realised the simple truth, that when the Church preaches on pelvic and political issues like birth control, abortion and same-sex marriage, many people stop listening. So instead of repeating the rules and revving up the 'culture of death' rhetoric, he's focusing on another essential side of Christianity, mercy and compassion. And of course, that's much more inviting," Thavis said.

Much the same point was made by a senior Vatican official, who asked not to be named.

"What is the benefit of hammering on about issues where the position is already well known, either embraced or not?" he said.

"What is the immediate association we want in people's minds when the Catholic Church is mentioned? A stern governess, or one who teaches the same values by being approachable, kind, understanding and patient?"

It's about "putting people before dogma", said Paul Vallely, author of "Pope Francis - Untying the Knots".

It's also about changing perceptions, without moving on substance.

"Pope Francis clearly wants to change the image of the Church from that of a top-down organisation that issues edicts and runs by rules to a more populist model of a Church of evangelisers," said David Gibson, a U.S.-based Catholic author of several books who once worked at the Vatican.

"In viewing all people as sinners - like himself, as he notes - and making no distinctions but stressing the pursuit of holiness and doing good, Francis is very much in line with where Catholics in the pews tend to be, and their clergy, too," he said.

Unlike Benedict, who was either a professor or Vatican official most of his life, Francis has always been a pastor.

"He knows what Catholics in the trenches think," said John Allen, correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter, a U.S. publication, and author of several books on the Vatican and the Church.

"He wants to lift up the rest of the Church's teaching, especially its social gospel. Doing so may invite a lot of people, beginning with alienated Catholics, to take another look," Allen said.

"Pope seeks to align church hierarchy with the pews"
Reuters