Philip Shenon

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.

In the course of his career in the church, Francis has often talked of abortion as being a sin, but he's also talked of the need to offer the women seeking abortions a sense of mercy and forgiveness. In terms of birth control, I must say, given what I now know of this history, I find it remarkable he didn't lift the ban on birth control because it would be easy to do.

In the course of his career in the church, Francis has often talked of abortion as being a sin, but he's also talked of the need to offer the women seeking abortions a sense of mercy and forgiveness. In terms of birth control, I must say, given what I now know of this history, I find it remarkable he didn't lift the ban on birth control because it would be easy to do.

In the course of his career in the church, Francis has often talked of abortion as being a sin, but he's also talked of the need to offer the women seeking abortions a sense of mercy and forgiveness. In terms of birth control, I must say, given what I now know of this history, I find it remarkable he didn't lift the ban on birth control because it would be easy to do.

It would be embraced by most of the most influential theologians in the church. But for whatever reason, it remains in place to this day.

It would be embraced by most of the most influential theologians in the church. But for whatever reason, it remains in place to this day.

It would be embraced by most of the most influential theologians in the church. But for whatever reason, it remains in place to this day.

After Pope Benedict died a couple of years ago – Francis moved quickly to move out a lot of churchmen who were seen to be associated with Benedict, you know, arch conservatives. And, you know, Francis selects everybody. He is the absolute monarch. He can choose all of the personnel around him.

After Pope Benedict died a couple of years ago – Francis moved quickly to move out a lot of churchmen who were seen to be associated with Benedict, you know, arch conservatives. And, you know, Francis selects everybody. He is the absolute monarch. He can choose all of the personnel around him.

After Pope Benedict died a couple of years ago – Francis moved quickly to move out a lot of churchmen who were seen to be associated with Benedict, you know, arch conservatives. And, you know, Francis selects everybody. He is the absolute monarch. He can choose all of the personnel around him.

Over the course of his papacy, he has remade the College of Cardinals, which is the body that will choose his successors. You know, 80% of the cardinals who will vote in the next conclave to choose the next pope are men who were put there by Francis.

Over the course of his papacy, he has remade the College of Cardinals, which is the body that will choose his successors. You know, 80% of the cardinals who will vote in the next conclave to choose the next pope are men who were put there by Francis.

Over the course of his papacy, he has remade the College of Cardinals, which is the body that will choose his successors. You know, 80% of the cardinals who will vote in the next conclave to choose the next pope are men who were put there by Francis.

So I think there's a feeling that even if Francis hasn't been the dramatic reformer people had hoped he would be, he's put in place in the College of Cardinals a group of men who will choose a successor who may have had the same agenda as Francis and may feel empowered to do much more to achieve it.

So I think there's a feeling that even if Francis hasn't been the dramatic reformer people had hoped he would be, he's put in place in the College of Cardinals a group of men who will choose a successor who may have had the same agenda as Francis and may feel empowered to do much more to achieve it.

So I think there's a feeling that even if Francis hasn't been the dramatic reformer people had hoped he would be, he's put in place in the College of Cardinals a group of men who will choose a successor who may have had the same agenda as Francis and may feel empowered to do much more to achieve it.

I think he faces a lot of justifiable criticism for having not done nearly enough about the child sexual abuse crisis. He had a checkered record on that in Argentina. I think we have several instances now when it's clear he was very slow to act. against churchmen known to be sexual predators, including men who would be described as his friends.

I think he faces a lot of justifiable criticism for having not done nearly enough about the child sexual abuse crisis. He had a checkered record on that in Argentina. I think we have several instances now when it's clear he was very slow to act. against churchmen known to be sexual predators, including men who would be described as his friends.

I think he faces a lot of justifiable criticism for having not done nearly enough about the child sexual abuse crisis. He had a checkered record on that in Argentina. I think we have several instances now when it's clear he was very slow to act. against churchmen known to be sexual predators, including men who would be described as his friends.

And I think there's been a general sense of disappointment that he hasn't done much more on that front.