Friday's CBS This Morning heralded how supposedly, "Pope Francis is already being described as one of the most progressive popes in modern times"
after six months as Bishop of Rome. Charlie D'Agata asserted that the
pontiff is "the friendly face of the Vatican, the people's pope", and
played up how Francis' apparent "spirit of spontaneity, openness, and inclusion has courted controversy...It includes extending an olive branch to the gay community." [MP3 audio available here [1]; video below]
On Wednesday, NBC Nightly News also underlined how Pope Francis seemingly "has
changed the tone in a church plagued by the sex abuse scandal,
emphasizing Church teaching on helping the poor and social justice....it's
not just what the new pope says that's a sign of a changing church –
it's what he does – getting close to people...enjoying the crowds that
flock to him."
Anchor Charlie Rose introduced D'Agata's report by emphasizing the
Pope's personal style: "Francis is bringing more big changes just by
keeping things simple." The CBS correspondent picked up where Rose left
off, and outlined the specific differences between Francis and Pope
Emeritus Benedict XVI:
CHARLIE
D'AGATA From his first day on the job, Pope Francis made it clear
things were going to be different around the Vatican....At his
inauguration, he decided against the bullet-proof, air-conditioned
Popemobile, instead opting for the open-top version and making stops
along the way....This is the friendly face of the Vatican, the people's pope.
Instead of moving into the lavish Apostolic Palace of his predecessor, Pope Benedict, Francis opted for an understated guesthouse room.
He finished his first Mass at St. Peter's Square on an informal
note...[and] stepped out of the church and into the street like any
ordinary priest, catching nervous security guards off-guard....And when
1,400 Harley-Davidson motorcycles lined a route in Rome, Pope Francis
came along and blessed them all and their owners.
Of course, the Apostolic Palace wasn't built by Benedict XVI, but a
16th century pontiff, Pope Sixtus V, and has been used by the successors
of St. Peter for centuries. Also, while Pope Francis doesn't live in
the papal apartments inside the palace, he still uses other facilities
in the building.
D'Agata ended the segment with his "one of the most progressive popes
in modern times" line. This labeling is beyond premature. Early in his
papacy, Francis seconded [2]
the findings of a doctrinal critique of a dissenting coalition of
American religious sisters, which was released during Pope Benedict's
tenure. The left-wing Daily Beast decried the Argentinian pontiff for this move: "For all the renewal that Francis promises, the cold, hard reality is still that the Catholic Church is still one of the most misogynistic organizations around, no matter how popular the new pope might be."
Exactly a week earlier on CBS This Morning, correspondent Mark Phillips hyped [3] Pope Francis' prayer and fasting vigil for peace in Syria as a "religious street protest". Phillips also all but hinted that the pontiff had "taken sides"
with Russia's Vladimir Putin and against President Obama in the
international debate over military strikes in the Middle Eastern
country.
Back on Wednesday's NBC Nightly News, Jansing gave a similar list to the one given by D'Agata of the Pope's "new management", as anchor Brian Williams put it:
CHRIS JANSING: In St. Peter's Square today, a huge and enthusiastic welcome for Pope Francis' weekly audience. In the six months he's been pope, crowds have quadrupled – drawn by his warm and welcoming style, and a new openness....Pope Francis has changed the tone in a church plagued by the sex abuse scandal, emphasizing Church teaching on helping the poor and social justice....Today, in a surprising open letter to an Italian newspaper, Pope Francis extended a hand to agnostics and atheists. And it's not just what the new pope says that's a sign of a changing church – it's what he does – getting close to people, kissing babies, enjoying the crowds that flock to him....A different take on the priesthood, as Pope Francis shapes a new Catholic Church.
The full transcripts of Charlie D'Agata's report from Friday's CBS This Morning and Chris Jansing's report from Wednesday's NBC Nightly News:
09/13/2013
08:12 am EDT
CBS This Morning
CHARLIE ROSE: This month marks the six-month anniversary of the election of Pope Francis. Right from the start, the former archbishop of Buenos Aires made history. He is the first man in centuries to replace a pope who resigned.
As Charlie D'Agata reports, Francis is bringing more big changes just by keeping things simple.
[CBS News Graphic: "The People's Pope: Francis Elected Six Months Ago Today"]
CHARLIE D'AGATA (voice-over): From his first day on the job, Pope Francis made it clear things were going to be different around the Vatican.
POPE FRANCIS: Buonasera ("good evening" in Italian).
D'AGATA: At his inauguration, he decided against the bullet-proof, air-conditioned Popemobile, instead opting for the open-top version and making stops along the way. From this week, he'll be spinning around the Vatican in another car, a donated 30-year-old four-door with 186,000 miles on the clock. This is the friendly face of the Vatican, the people's pope.
Instead of moving into the lavish Apostolic Palace of his predecessor, Pope Benedict, Francis opted for an understated guesthouse room. He finished his first Mass at St. Peter's Square on an informal note, telling the faithful – (clip of Pope Francis speaking in Italian) 'enjoy your Sunday, and have a good lunch.' He stepped out of the church and into the street like any ordinary priest, catching nervous security guards off-guard. One had to hold back an overenthusiastic nun. And when 1,400 Harley-Davidson motorcycles lined a route in Rome, Pope Francis came along and blessed them all and their owners. He was mobbed during his visit to Brazil, where the beaches of Rio turned into a Carnival of the faithful.
But that spirit of spontaneity, openness, and inclusion has courted controversy, too. It includes extending an olive branch to the gay community, when he said, if someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?
POPE FRANCIS: Buona Pasqua! ("Happy Easter!" in Italian)
D'AGATA: Just six months into his papacy, Pope Francis is already being described as one of the most progressive popes in modern times. For 'CBS This Morning', Charlie D'Agata, London.
NORAH O'DONNELL (live): Fascinating. I think this pope is going to make more news, too, as he continues to reform the Vatican, and try and be the people's pope.
ROSE: Yeah, and there's a sense that people like him.
O'DONNELL: Absolutely! Absolutely – yeah.
09/11/2013
07:10 pm EDT
NBC Nightly News
BRIAN WILLIAMS: After some startling words from a top official at the Vatican on the issue of celibacy, there's a question getting a lot of attention tonight: is the Catholic Church possibly ready to make a big change, where it comes to one of the most sacred vows made by priests? The very question is further indication the Vatican is under new management these days.
Our report tonight from NBC's Chris Jansing.
CHRIS JANSING (voice-over): In St. Peter's Square today, a huge and enthusiastic welcome for Pope Francis' weekly audience. In the six months he's been pope, crowds have quadrupled – drawn by his warm and welcoming style, and a new openness. Case in point: the suggestion from his new number-two that the idea of married priests is open to discussion. It's already got people talking.
CARDINAL TIMOTHY DOLAN, UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS: This pope is saying, hey, we've got a gem here. Am I open to listening to people talk about it and – and wondering about how we can make it more effective? You bet.
JANSING: Nobody expects to see married priests anytime soon. But for this pope, subjects like this aren't off the table.
JANSING (on-camera): Pope Francis has changed the tone in a church plagued by the sex abuse scandal, emphasizing Church teaching on helping the poor and social justice.
JANSING (voice-over): His weekend peace vigil against the war in Syria drew more than 100,000 people, while thousands more around the world fasted and prayed. Today, in a surprising open letter to an Italian newspaper, Pope Francis extended a hand to agnostics and atheists.
And it's not just what the new pope says that's a sign of a changing church – it's what he does – getting close to people, kissing babies, enjoying the crowds that flock to him. And many of the trappings are gone. He drives a twenty-year-old Renault with 190,000 miles on it. He calls the faithful out of the blue to respond to their letters.
KATHLEEN SPROWS CUMMINGS, UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME: I think we're seeing, so far, a pope who is less interested in closing doors than he is in opening windows.
JANSING: But what about married priests? There are actually a few already, who married first, and then, converted to Catholicism. Father Scott Hurd has a wife and three kids.
FATHER SCOTT HURD: Some people are aware of the exception, and some people are floored. Some people will even say things like, oh, they let you keep your wife? (laughs)
JANSING: A different take on the priesthood, as Pope Francis shapes a new Catholic Church. Chris Jansing, NBC News, New York.