The
Associated Press reports via
Yahoo News that public opinion about Pope Francis has turned much less positive, in the last 17 months. Then 76% approved, today 59% do. Mostly the people reporting being less positive were Republicans (no surprise) and Roman Catholics (surprise).
Many American Catholics are more closely affiliated with their political party than their faith.
Catholic conservatives have also expressed discomfort with Francis' style and emphasis.
The article reports American Catholics experience Francis' sermons as:
Often haranguing, harping, exhorting, lecturing and grating.
Pope Francis has been speaking to (and for) a huge audience of poor third-world Catholics. American Catholics are not poor, and mostly hear him saying, "Why aren't you giving most of your hard-earned wealth to the poor?" His is not a popular message, one the affluent normally find themselves able to ignore with ease.
