Abstract
Francis I must be a PR executive's dream. Since becoming Pope in March, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, has dominated the world media. He was named person of the year by both Time magazine and the US gay magazine, Advocate. He has appeared on the front cover of Rolling Stone magazine. The beaming Pope has received the sort of coverage previously reserved for rock and sports stars.
Pope Francis's achievement is all the more impressive when we consider where the papacy stood under his predecessor Benedict XVI. Its reputation was low, racked by corruption in Vatican ranks, the continuing child abuse scandals and the impression of an institution that was a couple of centuries out of date with its attitudes on gender and equality.
What has been amazing is the way Pope Francis has been welcomed across the board from right to left. In Britain few would be surprised at the coverage given to the activities of the Pope by the likes of the Times and Telegraph. Both newspapers have kept up specialist correspondents working on religious issues, with faith (mainly Christian) writ large on their pages. More surprising is the favourable coverage that Pope Francis has received from liberal titles like The Guardian and The Independent. Both papers tend to be at best sceptical about Catholicism and at times downright hostile. So it came as a surprise when Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland declared that in place of Barack Obama, “the obvious new hero of the left is the Pope”.
Then there was a Christmas editorial from The Independent: “Francis has refused to tone down his sharp criticism of the distorting effects of modern capitalism, and has championed the cause of the poor in a manner that other international leaders could and should learn from.”
Doctrinally there is little difference between Pope Francis and his predecessor, but in terms of good publicity the two men are poles apart. Pope Francis always appears relaxed before the world's media, even enjoying the opportunity to talk to reporters. A Jesuit, he has brought his humble way of living to Rome. He lives in a simple apartment outside the Vatican offices and drives a second-hand car. His rhetoric has also repeatedly addressed the needs of the poor, something given greater resonance by his humble existence. The new Pope has moved to effect change, appointing a permanent council of eight cardinals from around the world to oversee reform of the Vatican. He has also set up a child sex abuse committee to look into abuse in the Church.
However, it has been more his words than his deeds that seem to have captured the world's media. He has repeatedly condemned the present form of capitalism, calling on the Church to walk with the poor. He has been accused of Marxism, causing some powerful business leaders to withdraw the financial support they would have given the Church. While previous popes such as John Paul II persecuted liberation theologians, with their socialist take on the poor, Pope Francis has shown tolerance. That has also been evident in his language on gay people. In place of Pope John Paul II's claim that homosexuality was “intrinsically evil” comes, “if a homosexual person is of good will and is in search of God, I am no one to judge”.
The media appeal of the pope means that virtually anything he does makes news. Take a recent week: “Pope Francis's peace doves attacked by crow and seagull”, “Pope Francis tells Francois Hollande: ‘We share a saint’”, “Pope Francis ‘is great’, claim jailed mafia bosses”.
This newsworthiness gives him free rein to speak about a whole range of subjects. In the past, it has been the cry of liberals in the Church that all the hierarchy wanted to talk about was abortion, contraception and gays, which happened to be all the media wanted to report on concerning the Church. When popes or bishops said something about the war in Syria or the economic crisis, no one was interested. Now, if Pope Francis says it, it is reported.
There does, however, appear to be a struggle between Right and Left to claim ownership of the pontiff. The Left looks to his various pronouncements, based on the social teachings of the church, on capitalism, the poor, refugees, war and peace. The view of the Right was best summarised by Catholic Herald editor Luke Coppen, who argues that this pope is a conservative figure who has not moved from the strict doctrine of the Church, but that there are those on the Left taking elements of what he says out of context to suit their own agenda. On the gay issue, for example, Coppen puts Pope Francis's comments in the context of Article 2358 of the Church's catechism, calling for gay people to be treated with respect, compassion and sensitivity. “In simply restating Catholic teaching, however, Pope Francis was hailed as a hero,” says Coppen, who refers to the liberal view of the new pope as “fantasy Francis”. “Whenever he proves himself loyal to Catholic teaching — denouncing abortion, for instance, or saying that same-sex marriage is an ‘anthropological regression’ — his liberal fan base turns a deaf ear.”
Joe Kelly, editor of Catholic weekly The Universe, also takes issue with some papal perceptions. “Francis isn't coming to advocate any pseudo-Marxist revolution — this guy is definitely not an Oscar Romero [the former Archbishop of El Salvador who was killed in 1980 for his advocacy on behalf of the poor], whatever some might like to think. Yes, he is for a focus on the poor and marginalised, but he wants us to embrace and to feed them, not go off and lobby parliament on their behalf,” says Kelly.
Jo Siedlecka, editor of the online news service, Independent Catholic News, thinks that he is “a natural communicator in touch with contemporary thinking and able to explain Christianity in an attractive way. He is warm. He smiles and makes jokes — that's why he is getting so much media coverage,” she says. “He has star quality. This may be a honeymoon period, but I think the media will continue to cover Pope Francis as long as he keeps coming out with such great quotes. I wish we had more religious leaders like him.”
What cannot be doubted is that Pope Francis is good business — he sells newspapers. He is saying things that find an audience internationally He is a moral voice, not afraid to speak out. People want to hear what he has to say. A real test will come though, when another scandal hits and how he handles it.
The test for many as to whether this pope is merely a good orator or a true reformer will be structural change in the Church. Will he address the issues of an out-of-date institution that still treats women as second-class citizens and gays as outcasts? If he does, then there can be said to be real change. That would make him unpopular with some of those who have done well out of the previous way of running things. It will be interesting to see how the media persona of the pope progresses. Surely he won't be able to go on pleasing all of the people all of the time, which has been the story of his papacy so far.