Pope Francis on Communication & Mercy | National Catholic Reporter

Pope Francis on Communication & Mercy | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: Jesus also said that he came to bring division, not peace.  It is an act of mercy to admonish the sinner, even and especially if that sin is being committed by the Church.  Mercy comes not only in forgiving wrongs but in delineating whether an act is even a sin - which is a challenging change for the Church, which has been less consistent in all things than it likes to think.  For instance, until the pietousness of the first millenium, bishops married and men married each other under the Rite of Bachus and Sergio.  In the early Church, women were apostles with their husbands and benefactors, such as St. Priscilla who may have been the Benefactor of Rome before Peter ever hit town.  Yet we never quite give her credit for founding the Roman Church.  It is not enough for the Church to preach mercy - it must be open to seeking forgiveness and accepting it.  It only takes a few minutes on the Internet to see that there is much to atone for.  The promise of Francis is that he just might take the Church down this path.