Philip Shenon

And this comes at a particularly important moment for McCarrick because he's now facing mandatory retirement age of 75. He wants to remain in his post. And so the concern is that he made this big secret gift to the pope in hopes of staying in place in Washington. And in fact, that's what happened. He was then allowed to remain in his post for another couple of years.

And this comes at a particularly important moment for McCarrick because he's now facing mandatory retirement age of 75. He wants to remain in his post. And so the concern is that he made this big secret gift to the pope in hopes of staying in place in Washington. And in fact, that's what happened. He was then allowed to remain in his post for another couple of years.

And this comes at a particularly important moment for McCarrick because he's now facing mandatory retirement age of 75. He wants to remain in his post. And so the concern is that he made this big secret gift to the pope in hopes of staying in place in Washington. And in fact, that's what happened. He was then allowed to remain in his post for another couple of years.

I should point out that Benedict and his aides denied that was any sort of a quid pro quo. But McCarrick remained in place in Washington, a decision made by the pope shortly after McCarrick presents the pope with a quarter million dollars.

I should point out that Benedict and his aides denied that was any sort of a quid pro quo. But McCarrick remained in place in Washington, a decision made by the pope shortly after McCarrick presents the pope with a quarter million dollars.

I should point out that Benedict and his aides denied that was any sort of a quid pro quo. But McCarrick remained in place in Washington, a decision made by the pope shortly after McCarrick presents the pope with a quarter million dollars.

The comparison was made pretty early on that Francis was much like John XXIII in that he was talking about sort of an end to the closed fortress authoritarian church. He wanted to move the church toward, you know, declarations of mercy and tolerance, that he wanted to put the church out of the business of heresy hunting.

The comparison was made pretty early on that Francis was much like John XXIII in that he was talking about sort of an end to the closed fortress authoritarian church. He wanted to move the church toward, you know, declarations of mercy and tolerance, that he wanted to put the church out of the business of heresy hunting.

The comparison was made pretty early on that Francis was much like John XXIII in that he was talking about sort of an end to the closed fortress authoritarian church. He wanted to move the church toward, you know, declarations of mercy and tolerance, that he wanted to put the church out of the business of heresy hunting.

And he also, I think, delighted millions of Catholics by sort of rejecting all the sort of pompous trappings of the papacy. He refused to and continues to refuse to live in the papal palace. He lives in a small guest house. He refused the big Mercedes sedan that popes had traditionally used.

And he also, I think, delighted millions of Catholics by sort of rejecting all the sort of pompous trappings of the papacy. He refused to and continues to refuse to live in the papal palace. He lives in a small guest house. He refused the big Mercedes sedan that popes had traditionally used.

And he also, I think, delighted millions of Catholics by sort of rejecting all the sort of pompous trappings of the papacy. He refused to and continues to refuse to live in the papal palace. He lives in a small guest house. He refused the big Mercedes sedan that popes had traditionally used.

By giving up the trappings of power, he's got a moral legitimacy that has a lot of appeal to millions of Catholics.

By giving up the trappings of power, he's got a moral legitimacy that has a lot of appeal to millions of Catholics.

By giving up the trappings of power, he's got a moral legitimacy that has a lot of appeal to millions of Catholics.

Little has changed in terms of formal doctrine. And I think one great concern about Pope Francis is since he hasn't made these sort of substantial changes in church teachings, a future pope could just reverse them as easily as Francis put them into place. But Francis has gone out of his way to reach out to gay Catholics, to divorced Catholics.

Little has changed in terms of formal doctrine. And I think one great concern about Pope Francis is since he hasn't made these sort of substantial changes in church teachings, a future pope could just reverse them as easily as Francis put them into place. But Francis has gone out of his way to reach out to gay Catholics, to divorced Catholics.

Little has changed in terms of formal doctrine. And I think one great concern about Pope Francis is since he hasn't made these sort of substantial changes in church teachings, a future pope could just reverse them as easily as Francis put them into place. But Francis has gone out of his way to reach out to gay Catholics, to divorced Catholics.

He's made it much easier for divorced couples to get annulments that allow them to remarry. He's also allowed them to receive communion, which had been denied to divorced Catholics for centuries. He made it possible a couple of years ago for priests to offer blessings at gay weddings, even though that decision created an awful lot of scandal among conservative Catholics around the world.

He's made it much easier for divorced couples to get annulments that allow them to remarry. He's also allowed them to receive communion, which had been denied to divorced Catholics for centuries. He made it possible a couple of years ago for priests to offer blessings at gay weddings, even though that decision created an awful lot of scandal among conservative Catholics around the world.