Pope Francis' interview (part 1)

Here are 10 important points that came out of Pope Francis’ interview printed in various Jesuit magazines and journals last week. The interview was conducted in August by Fr Antonio Spadaro, SJ. Here are the first 5 points, with the other 5 appearing in tomorrow’s post.

His living quarters - "I chose to live [in Santa Marta], in Room 201, because when I took possession of the papal apartment, inside myself I distinctly heard a ‘no.’ The papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace is not luxurious. It is old, tastefully decorated and large, but not luxurious. It is big and spacious, but the entrance is really tight. People can come only in dribs and drabs, and I cannot live without people. I need to live my life with others.”

On Pope Benedict’s resignation - "Pope Benedict has done an act of holiness, greatness, humility. He is a man of God."

Healing without being legalistic - "I see clearly that the thing the church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds and to warm the hearts of the faithful; it needs nearness, proximity. I see the church as a field hospital after battle. The church sometimes has locked itself up in small things, in small-minded rules."

Fr Antonio Spadaro SJ during the interview with Pope Francis

Merciful, not rigorous - "And the ministers of the church must be ministers of mercy above all. The confessor, for example, is always in danger of being either too much of a rigorist or too lax. Neither is merciful, because neither of them really takes responsibility for the person. The rigorist washes his hands so that he leaves it to the commandment. The loose minister washes his hands by simply saying, ‘This is not a sin’ or something like that. In pastoral ministry we must accompany people, and we must heal their wounds."

On respecting homosexuals - "A person once asked me, in a provocative manner, if I approved of homosexuality. I replied with another question: ‘Tell me: when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person?’ We must always consider the person. Here we enter into the mystery of the human being. In life, God accompanies persons, and we must accompany them, starting from their situation. It is necessary to accompany them with mercy. When that happens, the Holy Spirit inspires the priest to say the right thing."