(National Catholic Reporter. Thomas Reese).
My column last week, in which I gave a positive assessment of Pope Francis’ interview on CBS News, got some blowback. There were the usual haters who don’t like anything that Francis does or says. Others complained that the interviewer should have asked tougher questions or pressed the pope on the treatment of abusive priests such as former Jesuit Marko Rupnik. But there was also kickback from progressives who normally like Francis, expressing surprise and disappointment at Francis’ saying “no” not only to women priests but to ordained women deacons. This crowd was further exasperated by this week’s news about Francis’ comments on gay seminarians in an exchange with Italian bishops.