Why the Pope's groundbreaking comments on gays and abortion are so smart

Francis knows what the Church needs to win back disenchanted Catholics

Pope Francis
(Image credit: (Buda Mendes/Getty Images))

Pope Francis shook the Catholic world on Thursday, stating in stark terms that the Church has erred by focusing so heavily on abortion, homosexuality, and contraception, to the detriment of traditional Christian values like helping the poor.

But while Pope Francis' candor in an interview published in 16 Jesuit periodicals worldwide (including the U.S.'s America) is striking, the biggest takeaway is that the Pope has a strategy for winning back disenchanted and isolated Catholics.

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Emily Shire is chief researcher for The Week magazine. She has written about pop culture, religion, and women and gender issues at publications including Slate, The Forward, and Jewcy.