Aboard the papal plane, May 7, 2019 / 04:30 pm (CNA).- Please read below for CNA’s full transcript of the pope’s May 7 in-flight press conference from Skopje, North Macedonia to Rome:
Alessandro Gisotti:
Good evening Holy Father, thank you after such intense days for being here to share a thought about this journey that was so intense and so beautiful. A short trip, inevitably a short press conference, I will not add words other than these: Holy Father you have already walked in the footsteps of Mother Teresa, a great witness of Christian love, and we have all been struck today, as you know it, by the death of Jean Vanier, another friend, brother of the least of these, another great witness. Here, before the questions I wanted to ask if you wanted to share a thought about Jean Vanier.
Pope Francis:
Yes, I knew of the illness of Jean Vanier. His sister, Geneviève Jeanningros, informed me on a regular basis. One week ago, I called him on the phone, he listened to me, but could hardly speak. I would like to express my gratitude for this testimony. He was a man who knew how to read the Christian existence from the mystery of death on the cross of illness, from the mystery of those who are despised and rejected in the world. He worked, not only for the least of these, but also for those who before birth face the possibility of being sentenced to death. He spent his life like this. I am simply thankful to him and thankful to God for giving us this man with a great witness.
Gisotti:
Thank you, Holy Father, the first question will be from Biljana Zherevska of TV Macedonia.
Biljana Zherevska, MRT: [In English] Your Holiness, it is a great pleasure to have you in our country. We feel honored by your visit. What is interesting for us is to hear from you what is your greatest impression from the two countries, what touched you the most? The persons, objects, atmosphere. What will you remember of these two countries when you go [back] to the Holy See?
Pope Francis: They are two totally diverse nations. Bulgaria is a nation of a tradition from centuries ago. Macedonia, on the other hand, has a tradition from centuries, but not as a country: as a people, that ultimately rose to form as a nation… It is a beautiful fight! For us Christians Macedonia is a symbol of the entrance of Christianity in the East. Christianity entered in the East through you all.. those Macedonians that appeared to Paul in a dream: “come to us, come to us.” He was leaving for Asia, it is a mystery that call… And the Macedonian people are proud of this, they do not lose the opportunity to say that Christianity entered Europe through us, through our door, because Paul was called by a Macedonian.
Bulgaria has had to fight so much for its identity as a nation. The mere fact that in the 1800s, I believe 1823, more or less, 200,000 Russian soldiers died to regain independence from the hands of the Turks … we think of what 200,000 means. So much struggle for independence, so much blood, so much mystique to find consolidation of identity.
Macedonia had the identity and now it has come to consolidate it as a people, with small, big problems, like its name, and this we all know. Both have Christian, Orthodox, Catholic and Muslim communities. The percentage of Orthodox is very strong in both with a small amount of Muslims and even fewer Catholics, in Macedonia more so than Bulgaria. A thing I saw in both nations is the good relationship between the different faiths. In Bulgaria we saw it in the prayer for peace. This is a normal and beautiful thing for Bulgarians, because they have a good relationship, each person has the right to express his own religion and has the right to be respected. This touched me. Then the dialogue with Patriarch Neophyte was a beauty… he is a man of God, a great man of God. In Macedonia I was struck by a phrase the president told me: “Here there is not religious tolerance, there is respect.” They have respect. In a world like this respect is missed very much. Respect for human rights, we miss respect for so many things, respect for children, for the elderly, that the mystique of a country would be respect is striking. I do not know if I answered more or less briefly.
Gisotti:
Holy Father, the next question will be asked by Peter Nanev from Bulgarian television.
Peter Nanev, BTV: Good evening. Peter Nanev, BTV Bulgaria. [In English] It is more of a personal question, as Your Holiness, you’re like a human being, from where do you find strength in your body, in your spirit in cases when you have to give even more strength for a heavily sick child?
Pope Francis: First of all I would like to tell you that I do not go to the witch… [laughs]. I do not know. I do not know, really. It is a gift from the Lord. When I am in a country, I forget everything, but not because I want to forget it, I forget it, and I am only there. And then this gives me perseverance, I don’t know, but [when] I am on the trip I am not tired! Then I am tired! After! But where do I take the strength from? I believe that the Lord gives it to me, there is no explanation. I ask the Lord to be faithful, to serve him in this work of travels, that the trip will not be tourism. I ask. All is his grace. Nothing else comes to me to say. But then I do not do so much work, huh? Thank you.
Gisotti:
He will now address a question. We remain in Eastern Europe, Silvije Tomasevic of Croatian press and television, Vecernij List.
Silvije Tomasevic, Vecernij List: The national Orthodox Churches are not always in agreement among them, for example, they have not recognized the Macedonian Church. But when they have to criticise the Catholic Church they are always in unison, for example the Serbian Church does not want Cardinal Stepinac to be canonized. Your comment on this situation?
Pope Francis: In general, the relationships are good, they are good and there is good will. I can tell you sincerely that I have met men of God among the patriarchs. Neophyte is a man of God, and then him that I carry in my heart, a favorite, Ilia II of Georgia is a man of God, that has been good to me, Bartholomew is a man of God, Kirill is a man of God. They are great patriarchs that give witness. You can tell me. But everyone, we have defects. Everyone. But in the patriarchs I have found brothers and some… I do not want to exaggerate, but I would like to say the word ‘saints’ and this is important.
Then there are historic things between our Churches, some old things, for example today the president was saying to me that the Eastern schism began here in Macedonia.
Now the pope comes for the first time, to mend the schism I do not know, but to say we are brothers, because we cannot adore the Holy Trinity without hands united as brothers. This is not only my conviction, also the patriarchs’, everyone.
Then there is a historic world… you are Croatian? It was seeming to me I sensed the aroma of Croatia. The canonization of Stepinac is a historic case. He is a virtuous man for this Church, which has proclaimed him Blessed, you can pray [through his intercession]. But at a certain moment of the canonization process there are unclear points, historic points, and I should sign the canonization, it is my responsibility, I prayed, I reflected, I asked advice, and I saw that I should ask Irenej, a great patriarch, for help. We made a historic commission together and we worked together, and both Irenej and I are interested in the truth. Who is helped by a declaration of sanctity if the truth is not clear? We know that [Stepinac] was a good man, but to make this step I looked for the help of Irenej and they are studying. First of all the commission was set up and gave its opinion. They are studying other sources, deepening some points so that the truth is clear. I am not afraid of the truth, I am not afraid. I am afraid of the judgment of God.
Gisotti: There is time for another question. Joshua McElwee.
Josh McElwee, National Catholic Reporter: Thank you so much, Holy Father. In Bulgaria you visited an Orthodox community that has continued a long tradition of ordaining women deacons. In a few days you will meet with the International Union of Superiors General*, that three years ago requested a commision for women deacons. Can you tell us something you have learned from the report of the commission on the ministry of women in the early years of the Church? Have you made some decision?
Pope Francis: I did not hear the first part of your question.
McElwee: [repeats a part of the question.]
Pope Francis: The commission was made, it worked for almost two years. They were all different, all toads from different wells, all thinking differently, but they worked together and were in agreement until a certain point. But each of them then has her own view that does not agree with that of the others. And there they stopped as a commission and each is studying [how] to go forward.
For the female diaconate, there is a way to imagine it with a different view from the male diaconate. For example, the formulas of female deacon ordination found until now, according to the commission, are not the same for the ordination of a male deacon and are more similar to what today would be the abbatial blessing of an abbess. This is the answer of some of them. I’m speaking a little from the ear, from memory.
Others say that it is a female deacon formula, but they argue that it is not clear. There were female deacons, but was it a sacramental ordination or not? And that is discussed, it is not clear. That they helped in liturgy, in Baptisms by immersion, when the woman was baptized the deaconesses helped, also for [unclear] the woman’s body. Then a document came out where diaconesses were called by the bishop when there was a matrimonial argument for the dissolution of the marriage or divorce or separation. When the woman accused her husband of beating her and the bishop called the deaconesses to look at the woman’s body for the bruises and so they testified in the judgment. These are the things I remember.
But fundamentally, there is no certainty that it was an ordination with the same form, in the same purpose as male ordination. Some say there is doubt, let’s go ahead and study. I am not afraid of studying, but up to this moment it does not proceed.
Then it is curious that where there were deaconesses it was almost always a geographic zone, especially in Syria. And then in another part, it does not touch or nothing. All these things I received from the commission. Each one continues to study, and [they have] done a good job, because up to a certain point [they were] in agreement. And this can be an impetus to go ahead and study and give a definitive answer, yes or no, according to the characteristics of that time.
An interesting thing. Some theologians of a few years ago, 30 years ago for example, said that there were no deaconesses because women were in the background in the Church, not only in the Church. Always women… But it is a curious thing: in that period there were so many pagan priestesses, the female priesthood in pagan cults was ordinary in that day. As it is understood as a female priesthood, a pagan priesthood in women, it was not done in Christianity. This is being studied also. They have arrived at a point, now each of the members is studying according to her theory. This is good. Varietas delectat.
Gisotti: Holy Father, thank you for your availability. The press conference finishes here, at this point, because in a little while they will serve the dinner. And so, thank you to you all. Especially during this trip when we woke up at night to move [from place to place].
Pope Francis: I would like to say one thing about the trip: Something I found much consolation in and which has touched me profoundly during the trip. Two extreme experiences. The experience with the poor today here in Macedonia at the Mother Teresa Memorial. There were so many poor people, but to see the meekness of those sisters: they were caring for the poor without paternalism, but as children. But a meekness, the ability to caress the poor, the tenderness of these sisters. Today, we are used to insulting each other. One politician insults the other, one neighbor insults the other, even in families they insult each other. I cannot say that it is a culture of insult, but the insult is a weapon in the hand, even to speak ill of others, slander, defamation, and to see these sisters that care for every person as Jesus. It hit me, a good young man approached and the superior told me, ‘this is a good boy’ and caressed him and she said it with the tenderness of a mom and made me feel the Church a mother. It is one of the most beautiful things to feel the maternity of the Church. Today I felt it there.
I thank Macedonia for having this [inaudible]. Another extreme experience was the First Communion in Bulgaria. I was moved because my memory went back to October 8, 1944, to my First Communion, when they sang [the hymn] ‘O santo altare custodito dagli angeli’ (who here remembers it?), I saw those children that open themselves to life with a sacramental decision. The Church guards the children, they are limited, they have to grow, I am promised, and I lived it very strongly, I felt in that moment those 249 children were the future of the Church, they were the future of Bulgaria. These are two things that I lived with much intensity I wanted to communicate. Thank you very much, pray for me. I do not want to leave without speaking about these days, the centenary of trips. They are roses from Bulgaria, a small thought to mark the 100th trip.
They tell us that now there will be whiskey.
[…]
By 
This event more than anything else made me lose respect for Pope Leo. He gave credence to a complete fraud of a LARPing female bishop who advocates for heretical and gravely evil things. What for? Receive her in a private audience as a courtesy, perhaps. But to put on such a public show that appears to validate her claim to ordination and office? Preposterous and scandalous. Pope Leo, I respect you no more.
His strange actions are on all fronts:
Counter-Islamists Accuse Vatican of Promoting ‘Islamophobia’ Regime Catholics Join in Protesting Holy See’s and U.S. Bishops’ Use of Ideological Term
A global organization monitoring Islamism has reprimanded the Vatican for embracing the disputed term “Islamophobia” while turning a blind eye to the threat of Islamic ideology, Sharia, and the persecution of Christians in Muslim nations.
The Center for the Study of Political Islam International (CSPII) issued a strongly worded statement on April 23 after the Vatican condemned the “persistence of Islamophobia” in an intervention at the United Nations marking the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
Is there no end to their appeasement of Islam?
“While framed as a defense of universal liberty, the Vatican’s intervention adopts a highly contested political term—‘Islamophobia’—without addressing the ideological and legal dimensions of Islam that generate legitimate public concern,” CSPII warned.
https://www.meforum.org/fwi/fwi-news/counter-islamists-accuse-vatican-of-promoting-islamophobia-regime
“First of all, I think it’s very important to understand that the unity or division of the Church should not revolve around sexual matters,” he said. “We tend to think that when the Church is talking about morality, that the only issue of morality is sexual, and in reality, I believe there are much greater and more important issues, such as justice, the equality, freedom of men and women, freedom of religion, that would all take priority before that particular issue.”
His pontifications prioritize Marxist Liberation Theology, not Holy Scripture or even St. Augustine, the patron of his order:
Romans 1:26-27
26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a]
10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. AND SAINT AUGUSTINE:
“Those sins which are against nature, like those of the men of Sodom, are in all times and places to be detested and punished. Even if all nations committed such sins, they should all alike be held guilty by God’s law” (Confessions 3.8).
An Imam, a woman Protestant “Bishop” and a Pope all entered a bar at the same time. Which one of these three was Catholic.
(Gold Medal of the Day to anyone who gets the answer corret)
Not a one for $1000, Alex.
Well, if the pope was Pius V, it was the pope. Then again, maybe there was good Irish bartender too.
Is that real gold?
None, as in 0.00, of these pagans, heretics, and apostates
The Holy Father refers to the Anglicans distinctly and correctly as a “communion” and not as a “church,” and then we also read of its: “…significant theological and ecumenical divides… particularly regarding the ordination of women and sexuality.”
In the first instance, the vocabulary reflects the clarity of Vatican II and the follow-up “Dominus Iesus” (August 6, 2000) regarding the absence of valid Holy Orders in “ecclesial communions” that have historically amputated themselves from the sacramentality of the Apostolic Succession. In the second instance, within the Anglican ecclesial communion some 80 percent of Anglicans do not recognize Canterberry’s (female…and laywoman) Mullally nor the Anglican blessing of gay “marriages.”
Meanwhile, in the Catholic Church a similar divide lingers over the doublespeak half-blessing of gay couples as “couples” (Fiducia Supplicans). A wording slippery slope predictably now being fully Anglicanized by der Synodal Weg. And, which was called out early by the Catholic Church in all of continental Africa, and in Poland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Peru, Kazakhstan, and parts of Argentina, France and Spain, and by others.
But, yes, to Pope Leo’s steps of “hospitality” as a form of “ministry”…
But how, exactly, to fully witness and evangelize a fallen world now in freefall? It’s almost as if words matter, and as if marginalized Natural Law—moral theology and sexual “ethics”— is the canary in a coal mine.
The Church has to inform even declare that in spite of hospitality some things are deviations from truth and well-being and remain integrally un-Christian that can’t attain the “being Christian together”.
Tell them to look at the muddles in their own “societies” and their own patterns in psychological badgering that hard or soft don’t make anything right and can’t.
What’s there to talk about?
You’re a confused man Brother. Phony gestures of solidarity with influential “Christians” forcefully advocating crimes against humanity is a crime against humanity in itself.
Forgive them, Father, for they should know better. And shame on the author for calling her archbishop. In charity, she’s a confused woman. It’s not different than calling her a man or husband, for that is what an archbishop is: the manly husband of his bride the (local) church.
Since Robert Prevost chose to insinuate himself into American politics, I no longer have faith in him as a spiritual leader (NB I am NOT saying that Robert Prevost is not the Pope).
An extremely unfortunate (to use a very mild term) event. I agree that as a courtesy the pope could have had a private meeting with her. But the big hoopla surrounding this visit just gives impetus to indifferentism – one faith as good as another. The treatment given to her makes it seem that she has valid orders.
I mean no offense to women, but in her full “bishops” garb she looks like someone going to a Halloween costume party.
Surely, for the 2 people in the photograph, DAVID AXELROD IS THE WAY.
Classic damned if you do damned if you don’t. Although, at closer exam, is that in the end false?
Protocol demands Leo Meets with a woman who represents a Church fallen into the embrace of radical progressive irreligiosity. Anglicanism no longer represents Christ’s revelation to the world. In a real sense its religiosity is on par with the German ‘Catholic’ Synodaler Weg.
Benefit in Leo XIV meeting with Mullally is the image of magnanimity. An expected politeness. That the Catholic Church is big enough to be tolerant. After all, the Church meets with Muslim leadership.
Then there’s the opposing perception of tolerance that borders on complacency, a form of accommodation. Accommodation to worldly values was evident in Leo’s predecessor. Leo claims discipleship.
If weighed in the balance the difference here is a Church that once validly, at least in common beliefs with Catholic Christianity, represented Christianity. That has changed. Anglicanism now represents the digressive process of the repudiation of what Christ revealed to the world. In that context, particularly in consideration of a like tendency to dilute Christ’s message within our Church it would have been better to offer a polite refusal. Perhaps a compromise proposal to privately meet with Mullally if and when the Pope visits Britain.
@Donald. The Supreme Governor of the Church of England is the King or Queen of England. This impetus for the beginning of the C of E was Henry VIII’s desire to commit adultery, which he did. She was later beheaded and Henry married a third time. My guess is the Holy Spirit was not around for Henry’s second and third marriages
BY the time of Henry VIII’s third marriage to Jane Seymour, his first two wives were dead, so he was canonically free to enter a new union. He didn’t pursue reconciliation with Rome then because he’d already confiscated the monasteries.
A long-winded retired and resident Monsignor made a rare appearance at the ambo in my parish, but then put us all at ease: “As Henry VIII said to each of his six wives, I won’t keep you long…”
Please clarify: Were his first two wives dead because he had them murdered? If so, I not certain he’d be “free” to marry another.
Katharine of Aragon wasn’t murdered – though I don’t imagine being put under terrible stress for years helped her health.
WIKIPEDIA has a graphic showing the lifespan of Catharine of Aragon relative to Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour. If you wish to do all the reading needed you will see there is clear evidence that the King was involved with Seymour during the life of his wife and during his adultery with Boleyn. A pattern with all the future women -constantly abusing women.
It could possibly be that while he was involved with Boleyn before Catherine had died, he was also involved with Seymour.
Henry VIII had an illegitimate child Henry FitzRoy born 1519, by Elizabeth Blount. He died 1536. She died 1540. Apparently the King had kept up relations with her for as many as 8 years until she got married to another in 1522.
I think Henry VIII had a kind of “confidence: he could and would have a male heir for whom he would arrange the inheritance of the Kingdom at any cost. He demonstrated he had no respect for women which fell also onto his true wife and sacrament, hatred that gave him into rage at the Church and murder.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wives_of_Henry_VIII
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Blount
Pope Prevost will only NOT meet with those for whom Catholic orthodoxy is preeminent in their spirituality.
I succumbed to Francis-Fatigue with the previous occupant of Peter’s Chair. I now sense an incipient case of the same syndrome with the current one. I guess it will remain for orthodox laity to preserve the patrimony of the Catholic faith. Our prelates are not up to the task. They’re too busy jumping into bed with Moloch.
Finally, in refusing to meet with the SSPX while meeting with and praying the Liturgy of the Hours with Ms Mullally mean that what she represents is acceptable and that the SSPX does not?
Add to this that an entire national Church now called the Synodaler Weg drifting off into something akin to congregationalism our Christian world has become a bewildering wilderness. Fortuitously and miraculously it appears Protestant converts to the faith are presenting, as evident in the editors of Catholic websites a growing light in the enveloping darkness.
We might muse, did the Reformation contain some mysterious alter purpose to be revealed centuries later among a unique corps of men with the complete sense of analytic freedom to research and discover where and what the truth is?
Quote: Finally, in refusing to meet with the SSPX while meeting with and praying the Liturgy of the Hours with Ms Mullally mean that what she represents is acceptable and that the SSPX does not?
Yes. It is a fake and easy “unity” which is not based in Christ that feels good and comfortable.
I do not idealize trads and know only basics about SSPX but they are straight Catholics. They have their own temptation, of swapping Christ with various “trad things” and many already went for that, refusing to criticize PL in exchange for his preservation of their little “trad ghetto”. But SSPX seems not to belong to that category, at this point at least. They will fall however if they begin to put their “traditionalism” above Christ, being attached to it more than to Our Lord.
The true basis for unity, Christ, exposes the fake unity based on “niceness” and “all-acceptance”. Hence, the true unity together with Christ must go away. This is, in a nutshell, what is happening now. This process will speed up and increase in magnitude.
As I see it, the would and the Church are tested now re: Christ, their attitude to Him (and to the Truth and true Love, for those who do not believe in Him but have conscience). Only putting Him above and beyond anything and clinging on Him will do.
Finally, in refusing to meet with the SSPX while meeting with and praying the Liturgy of the Hours with Ms Mullally mean that what she represents is acceptable and that the SSPX does not?
Add to this that an entire national Church now called the Synodaler Weg drifting off into something akin to congregationalism our Christian world has become a bewildering wilderness. Fortuitously and miraculously it appears Protestant converts to the faith are presenting, as evident in the editors of Catholic websites a growing light in the enveloping darkness.
We might muse, did the Reformation contain some mysterious alter purpose to be revealed centuries later among a unique corps of men with the complete sense of analytic freedom to research and discover where and what the truth is? That God might turn the tables on Satan and draw some good from evil?
I look at the CofE episcopacy as children playing dress-up. The old saw “smells and bells”.
Some years ago a coworker, an attorney who did pro bono work for the Episcopal community, conceded his concern for the future of it, and this was before its surrender to new temporal powers.
Very sad indeed. Yes the Pope is a very kind and good man, and yet I wonder what the great English martyrs of the 1535-1681 period view this? They took would look and react with sadness. Would the pope meet someone who dressed up as Napoleon, of course not! And yet he gives this woman who dresses up as a “bishop” and whose orders were declared by his named predessor as null and utterly void!!!?? With respect, Holiness I would have used the time by meeting with the SSpx that with this clown, who actually didn’t think it was worth her time to vote in the recent parliament decision to bring in infanticide! Again, such a sad photo 😢