Pope speaks of 2 extremes: fear of progress and 'adolescent progressivism'

June 12, 2013

Pope Francis warned of two dangerous attitudes in the Church—a fear of change on one extreme, and an “adolescent progressivism” on the other—during his homily at a Mass in the Domus Sanctae Marthae on June 12.

The Holy Father was reflecting on the day’s Gospel reading, in which Jesus says: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.” The law, the Pope said, “reaches its maturity when it becomes the law of the Spirit.”

Understanding the Law as the rule of the Holy Spirit means accepting the freedom of Christianity, the Pope said. He remarked that some people fear that freedom, and would prefer to “play it safe.” On the other hand, Pope Francis continued, some Catholics respond to this freedom by accepting the popular culture, and trying to “broaden the boundaries” of Christian doctrine. “In the end, let me tell you, this is not true progress.”

While those who fear freedom want to step back into the safety of the past, those who exaggerate freedom are in danger of leaving the true Christian path, the Pope said. “We, at this moment in the history of the Church, we cannot go backwards or go off the track!"

 

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Further information:

• Pope at Mass: True progress is in trusting the Spirit (VIS)
• That adolescent progressivism (L'Osservatore Romano)