One of my neighbors, whom I'll call Madame LeBlanc, had been very nice to some of my visitors during the summer, when I was away and they locked themselves out. I bought her a box of good chocolates to thank her. When I knocked at her door with the present, she looked slightly embarrassed, hesitated, and then invited me in for tea. Our newest neighbor, a foreigner, was there, along with three or four very proper-looking French women. The new foreigner and I were wearing jeans, but all the others were in knee-length skirts with sensible shoes and cashmere cardigans. They sipped at tea from flowers-and-gilt-decorated porcelain cups as I sat down for a few minutes.
They were having an ardent discussion about the new Pope, Francis I. I saw the new neighbor, who is a Protestant, look mystified. Why were these women so upset with the Pope?
The French bourgeoisie is very Catholic. To what extent they are truly religious, I can't say, but for example, most of the top private schools in Paris are Catholic, the upper class goes to church (or pretends it does) more than the other urban classes, and every family seems to be related to a priest (by the way, I am, too). France was long called "the eldest daughter of the Church." It's not really true any more, but deep down, most French people still feel strongly about the Church, one way or another.
For the past two years, the French Catholic church has busied itself with loud concern over gay marriage. There have been several huge marches sponsored by the "Manif' pour tous" movement ["demonstration for everyone"]; the marchers say that they are not against gay people, just against gay marriage. Just yesterday in the Sunday magazine of the Figaro (the most conservative of the main daily newspapers), there was an insert asking people to sign up for the movement. Archbishops of the Church have been active in fighting gay marriage, which is now legal in France. Being anti-mariage gay has become de rigueur, just as being anti-Halloween was a few years ago.
And now here is Pope Francis saying that the Church is too "obsessed" with gays, abortion and birth control, and needs to concentrate more on kindness and charity.
"The pope is confused," said one of the women. "Journalists trick him, he says things he doesn't mean."
"The media twist his words," said another. "They try to make him sound as if he thinks gay marriage is not a big problem."
"Quel scandale that we have reached this point in our society!" said a third. Everyone nodded.
"I hope you're right that he is only confused," said another. "After all, he is a Jésuite...." Her sentence trailed off meaningfully.