Pope finds paganism in ‘the air we breathe’

October 08, 2024

» Continue to this story on Civilta Cattolica

CWN Editor's Note: In a September 28 meeting with his fellow Jesuits in Belgium, Pope Francis compared secularism with paganism.

“We do not need a statue of a pagan god to talk about paganism,” the Pope said; “the very environment, the air we breathe is a gaseous pagan god!”

The Pontiff advised Jesuits to find ways to dialogue with pagans, as the best form of evangelization. He said: “For goodness sake, never confuse evangelization with proselytizing!”

The Pope’s remarks, recorded during his visit to Belgium, were published in La Civilta Cattolica. In response to other questions, Pope Francis said:

• —that he himself had introduced a cause for the beatification of the late King Baudouin of Belgium;
• —that the Eastern Catholic churches have preserved the tradition of synodality, which was lost in the Latin Church. “And now we have come to the Synod on synodality, where things will be clarified precisely by the synodal method.”
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  • Posted by: Randal Mandock - Oct. 09, 2024 6:18 PM ET USA

    About 3 decades ago, I was confronted with confusion over the distinction between evangelization and proselytization. I wanted to volunteer to serve as a Catholic at a Biily Graham convention that was coming to town. The guidelines for Catholic participation were strict: under no circumstances were we to say anything that would suggest the good of the Catholic faith. We were to probe about any religious history or affiliation of whoever we encountered; then send them on their way. No thanks.

  • Posted by: feedback - Oct. 09, 2024 4:15 AM ET USA

    Francis is a symptom of Church in deep crisis. It started with Benedict's resignation.