Since the 1980s, in the hearty middle of Pope John Paul the Great’s leadership, we’ve been writing at the Media Research Center about how the secular liberal media reports on the Catholic church. If it helps the Left, it's happy news. If it opposes the Left, it's a horrible obstruction.
When Pope Benedict died at the end of 2022, reporters called him "God's Rottweiler" and NBC's Anne Thompson said he looked "cartoonish." The breaking news on the late Pope Francis was much more positive, he was "inclusive" and "reformist" and was "throwing doors open." This is how liberal reporters describe someone they feel is an ally. The headlines demonstrated the point:
The Wall Street Journal: "Breaking: Pope Francis, who sought to refocus the Catholic Church to promote social and economic justice rather than traditional moral teachings, has died."
The New York Times: "After decades of conservative leadership, Francis tried to reset the course of the Roman Catholic Church, emphasizing inclusion and care for the marginalized over doctrinal purity."
The Columbus Dispatch: "Pope Francis, 88, a humble reformer who sought to make the Catholic Church more inclusive much to the ire of some conservatives, has died"
The Bulwark: “A Pope Who Preached Decency in Indecent Times”
The Hill: "Pope Francis, the trailblazing Catholic leader known for his human-rights advocacy and sharp political edge, died Monday...Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), a devout Catholic, lionized Francis, portraying him as the perfect embodiment of the gospel of Matthew..."
Listening to the BBC News Hour in the car this morning, one pope trope was that unlike other popes, Pope Francis had a "common touch." We know Benedict was bookish, but John Paul II didn't have a "common touch"? John XXIII? Reporters sound like they've forgotten already. Or never knew.
It's only natural for reporters to leap on the OPTICS of Pope Francis -- he arrived in a humble car -- and not on the church teachings. Because that would require some homework.
NBC's Anne Thompson relentlessly noted in each hour of Monday morning's coverage that Francis "moved the Catholic church way from the culture wars" and toward "love and mercy, throwing back the doors of the church to all."
Pope Francis did not bend on church teachings against abortion and opposed transgender ideology. Conservative opposition to abortion on demand and gender-mutilating surgeries is described as "Culture wars" Advocating for abortion on demand and gender-mutilating surgeries is the side of "Love and mercy." Advocating for the unborn babies is not the antonym of "love and mercy."
Enjoy the podcast below, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
