The leader of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston acknowledged Friday that recent remarks by Pope Francis calling for the church to be more compassionate on social issues including abortion and gay marriage have captivated the broader culture.
In a posting on his blog, Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley responded to an interview with Francis that appeared recently in Jesuit publications, in which he said that the church has become too focused on condemning abortion, gay marriage, and contraception.
“The Holy Father’s interview . . . has certainly captured the attention of the worldwide media, in particular because of his comments on abortion and other social issues,” O’Malley wrote.
Francis said in the interview that the church should emphasize compassion over “small-minded rules.” He added that he embraces church doctrine, which holds that abortion and gay relationships are sinful, but “it is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time.” He said of homosexuality, “When God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person?”
On Friday, O’Malley signaled agreement with Francis when he wrote that despite the church’s emphasis on parish work, social services, education, and health care, “people can sometimes have the impression that all the church’s focus is on moral questions, particularly those concerned with sexuality.”
O’Malley continued: “There is a danger of reducing Christianity to some sort of a moral system. We are much more than that.”
Francis’ interview has fascinated the Catholic world, and some observers believe it represents a major shift in the faith’s approach to expressing its values. The Rev. James Bretzke, a Boston College theology professor, recently told the Globe that Francis’s comments indicate he “believes he has to reconfigure the tenor of the church.”
In Friday’s posting, O’Malley included an excerpt from a speech that he gave last month in which he praised Francis’s emphasis on tenderness and showing concern for all people, especially the most vulnerable.
He said during the speech that while some believe Francis should say more about abortion, “I think he speaks of love and mercy to give people the context for the church’s teaching on abortion. We oppose abortion, not because we are mean or old-fashioned, but because we love people.”
Also responding to Francis’s interview was Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of Providence, who criticized the pontiff for not speaking out on abortion. On Friday, Tobin was more conciliatory. “Being a Catholic does not mean having to choose between doctrine and charity, between truth and love,” Tobin said in a statement. “It includes both. We are grateful to Pope Francis for reminding us of that vision.”
Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York said in a statement released Thursday that the interview confirms Francis “is a man who profoundly believes in the mercy of a loving God, and who wants to bring that message of mercy to the entire world, including those who feel that they have been wounded by the church.”
Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com.