homeWorld

Pope Francis 'rejects a conflict' with ultra-conservative critics

Pope Francis made it clear that he's not flinching over criticisms of the Catholic Church's ultra-conservative wing and neither is it his style to attack them.

"I don't chop off heads," said the Vatican pope during an interview with Joaquín Morales Solá of La Nación in Argentina released Sunday, July 3.

Pope Francis talks during a special audience with nuns of Rome's diocese in Paul VI hall at the Vatican May 16, 2015. REUTERS/TONY GENTILE | Photo from REUTERS/TONY GENTILE

He added, "That was never my style. I've never liked doing that."

The Argentine pontiff just acknowledged that some church members are simply going to go against everything and clarified that's not the way he envisions the Church.

"They will say no to everything," said Pope Francis. "I continue on my way without looking over my shoulder. I repeat: I reject the conflict. I want a Church that is open, understanding, that accompanies wounded families."

The pope also used a famous analogy taken from carpentry to illustrate how problems could be resolved.

He said, "Nails are removed by applying pressure to the top. Or, you set them aside to rest when the age of retirement arrives."

Although the interview did not mention any particular organization or group, Catholic Herald previously reported that the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) criticized "a large number of pastors, including the Pope himself" for breeding confusion among the faithful in teaching doctrinal errors.

The pope's interview with Solá also centered on questions concerning Argentine President Mauricio Macri. The pope's decision last month to return Macri's donation for the Argentine educational foundation supported by the Vatican, Scholas Occurentes -- on the basis that the donated sum contained the figure 666 -- only highlighted the unfriendly relationship between the two Argentine leaders.

It is also widely believed that tensions between the two started when Macri's center-right government arrested Milagro Sala, a popular community activist whose association with the pope goes way back when he was still known as Jorge Bergoglio.

"We had some other problems, which we spoke about privately and which we resolved privately," shared the pope.