|
 Francis also denied reports that he would name a woman
cardinal, said there was good progress in cleaning up Vatican
finances and confirmed that he would visit Israel and the
Palestinian territories next year, La Stampa said.
Last month, American radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, who has
a huge following in the United States, railed against the pope
for written comments made on the world economy.
Limbaugh, who is not Catholic, said that parts of the document
were "pure Marxism coming out of the mouth of the pope" and
suggested that someone else had written the papal document for
him. He also accused the pope of going "beyond Catholicism" and
being "purely political".
Asked about the accusations, which sparked a debate in the media
and blogosphere last month, Francis, a member of the all-male
Jesuit order associated with progressive social policies, said,
"Marxist ideology is wrong. But in my life I have known many
Marxists who are good people, so I don't feel offended."
He has also been criticized by other conservatives.
In last month's document, seen as a platform for his papacy,
Francis attacked unfettered capitalism as "a new tyranny" said
an "economy of exclusion and inequality" had proven to be deadly
for many people around the world.
In his response to the critics, Francis said he was not speaking
"as a technician but according to the social doctrine of the
Roman Catholic Church, and this does not mean being Marxist". He
said he was just trying to present a "snapshot of what is
happening" in the world today.
In another document last week, Francis said huge salaries and
bonuses were symptoms of an economy based on greed and called
again for nations to narrow the wealth gap.
[to top of second column] |
 CONSERVATIVE CONCERN Conservatives in the 1.2 billion member Church have expressed
concern and disappointment about some of the pope's
pronouncements, such as when he said he was not in a position to
judge homosexuals who are people of good will sincerely seeking
God.
Asked about speculation that a woman could be among
the new cardinals he will appoint early next year, he said: "I don't
know where that idea comes from. Women in the Church should be
valued, not 'clericalised.'"
In other parts of the interview, Francis also said a
committee of eight cardinals from around the world who are advising
him on changes to the Vatican structure would make its first formal
recommendations to him in February but that reform would be a
"lengthy task".
He said that reform of the Vatican's sometimes murky finances was
"on the right path" and expressed satisfaction that last week a
Council of Europe committee called Moneyval gave the Vatican a good
evaluation of its efforts to abide by international financial
standards.
He said he had not yet decided what to do about the Vatican bank,
which has been touched by scandals over the decades. In the past he
has not ruled out closing it.
Francis said he was "getting ready" to go to the Holy Land next year
to mark the 50th anniversary of when Pope Paul VI became the first
pope in modern times to visit there.
He has been invited by both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to
make a visit, which is expected to take place in May or June.
(Editing by Louise Ireland)
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