Suburbanites express excitement, skepticism over pope's first U.S. visit
Pope Francis fervor is reaching a fever pitch for suburban Catholics as the pontiff set foot on American soil for the first time Tuesday.
Pope Francis-themed T-shirts reading “WWFD” and “Love like Francis” and other papal memorabilia are selling like hot cakes online, while pope stories are being shared on Facebook like cat videos.
Francis also is considered somewhat revolutionary in his approach to addressing sensitive matters, such as poverty, climate change, homosexuality, marriage annulment, and divorce — causing the biggest ripples since the reforms of Vatican II.
“He recognizes struggles and difficulties people encounter,” said Sister Faustina Ferko of St. James Parish in Arlington Heights. “He meets people where they are and loves them where they are. That's such a gift to our church in this day and age.”
Francis — the first Latin American and Spanish-speaking leader of the Catholic church — is only the fourth pope to visit this country. His six-day, three-city tour (Philadelphia, New York and Washington) started Tuesday, and many say there is an excitement not felt since Pope John Paul II's visit to Chicago in 1979.
But comparing Francis to John Paul II is challenging, said the Rev. Richard Rosinski, pastor of St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Elgin, who was studying at Cary-Grove High School when John Paul II visited Chicago.
John Paul II led the church for two decades and “for many people, he was the only Holy Father they knew in their life,” Rosinski said.
Yet, he added, this pope is stirring people's hearts through his preaching of the gospel like no other pontiff before him. “What he is saying is not 'new,' but I think he is saying it at a time in our human history when all people need to hear it, clearly said again,” Rosinski said. “He speaks the gospel with love and passion. ... Sometimes just hearing it where we are makes you stop and think ... yes, that's what we believe.”
Despite the undeniable excitement, not all are embracing Francis.
Some of his remarks have caused a stir among conservative Catholics, many of whom are quick to point out the pope has not departed from church doctrine. Further, some activists say he has not taken strong enough of a stand against pedophile priests.
Like he's here
Those who cannot make the pilgrimage to the East are marking the pontiff's visit through other means.
Students at St. Margaret Mary Catholic School in Algonquin are doing their own prayer vigil and pope-themed classroom activities. Students will be sporting Pope Francis wristbands and watching live TV coverage Friday of his New York visit.
“We are pumping it up because for these children it's the first time that a pope would be visiting during their lifetime,” said Assistant Principal Alison Mallo. “There is a great excitement about Pope Francis because priests at our parish are Franciscan priests, so there is a lot of talk about St. Francis at our school.”
Francis' humility, his love of animals and all creation tie in with the message of St. Francis of Assisi, the 11th-century Italian Catholic friar and preacher who spawned several Catholic orders.
“When you watch his facial expressions, it just really warms your heart,” Mallo said. “Even though the pope is not coming to Algonquin, with the technology that we have these days, we're going to make it feel as much like he is actually here.”
Beyond Catholics
The pontiff's message of environmental stewardship, helping the poor and underprivileged, and calling for interfaith unity and peace appeals to many outside his flock.
His “Laudato Sii” encyclical — a papal letter sent to all Catholic bishops — calling for action addressing climate change endeared him to environmentalists. In it, Francis talks about the need to protect the most vulnerable from the ravages of global warming.
He is bringing that message to Washington, where he is expected to call on faith-based organizations to rally for action on climate change at 11 a.m. today at the National Mall and address a joint session of Congress at 10 a.m. Thursday.
Even fallen-away Catholics are enthusiastic about what Francis has to say.
“I have never experienced a pope like this who is so outspoken,” said Mary Alice Masonick of Elgin, a member of the Fox Valley chapter of Citizens' Climate Lobby. “It's really exciting because he is so influential to so many people around the world.”
The group lobbied lawmakers over the summer, pushing for legislation that would help reduce carbon emissions.
Francis also has spoken against fracking and overconsumption.
“I am not Catholic any longer, or Christian, but I love his message,” Masonick said.
The pope's outreach to the underprivileged and forgotten masses resonates with the Muslim community, said Azam Nizamuddin, a Bloomingdale attorney and adjunct professor of Islamic studies at Loyola University in Chicago.
“He's also taken a different direction in terms of interfaith dialogue by trying to work out issues with people from different religious traditions, particularly with the Muslim and Jewish community,” said Nizamuddin, who co-chairs the interfaith committee for the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago. “He is forward-looking when it comes to relations between people. He doesn't dwell on the past.”
Nizamuddin said he would like to see the pope visit an American mosque during his tour, showing interfaith cooperation in action.
“That would go a long way,” he said.
Not all are fans
While Francis is a “rock star” to some, the adulation is not universal among Catholics.
His statements on some issues, such as climate change, have caused concern in conservative Catholic circles. Critics are quick to note he hasn't changed church doctrine on such issues as abortion and same sex marriage.
“He calls himself a true son of the church, which means he agrees and supports the doctrines of the church,” said Mary Anne Hackett, president of Catholic Citizens of Illinois, a conservative group. “Because of his very open and smiling personality, people are reading into things that aren't really there.”
Hackett said she disagrees with Francis on climate change, taking exception with his encyclical that argued humans are partly to blame and need to take action to prevent it. She said the pope shut out dissenting views from a Vatican conference on the topic.
“I don't think it's wrong of him to say how he feels,” she said, “but it's not something you need to believe like doctrine.”
Where John Paul II energized a generation of Catholic youths, it remains to be seen whether Francis can inspire the next generation, especially since the U.S. Catholic church has lost millions of members during the past 14 years after child sex abuse scandals that tarnished its reputation.
David Clohessy, executive director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said Francis hasn't done enough to rebuild that trust.
“He certainly has done a great deal in terms of church governance, finances and morale,” Clohessy said. “Sadly, regarding the abuse cover-up crisis, he has done painfully little. At this point he hasn't shown the courage to defrock, demote, discipline or even clearly denounce a single bishop out of 5,100 on the planet for concealing child sex crimes.”
Clohessy said talk alone doesn't cut it anymore. “Words don't protect kids,” he said. “Catholic officials have dealt with abuse and cover-up privately for centuries, and they have talked about abuse and cover-up publicly for decades.”
Clohessy's organization is calling on the pope to order bishops to post predator priests' names on websites, which 15 percent of U.S. bishops already have done.
“He could order U.S. bishops to start lobbying for, instead of against, better child safety laws, especially the statute of limitations (on sex crimes),” Clohessy said. “He could turn over every single Vatican document about every single predator priest to law enforcement and aggressively help police and prosecutors. The church is a monarchy.
“This is the one area in which he has almost limitless power but refuses to use it. Catholics aren't dumb. If they see real reform, they will come back. ”
• Daily Herald staff writers Christopher Placek and Melissa Silverberg contributed to this story.