Fordham Notes: Father McShane Discusses Pope Francis on Charlie Rose Show

Monday, September 23, 2013

Father McShane Discusses Pope Francis on Charlie Rose Show


Father McShane on Charlie Rose: The Week

If one wants to get a better understanding of what the Jesuit Pope is putting out there, who better to consult than a member of the Society of Jesus?

That’s exactly what newsman Charlie Rose did on Sept. 20, as he had a pair of Jesuits on his PBS show, “The Week,” to dissect Pope Francis’ much talked about interview with America magazine.

Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham, was joined by Father Matt Malone, S.J., editor of America.

Rose asked Father McShane to give his thoughts on the interview, and whether it offended anyone.

“I would say most of the women and men who work in the parishes and frontline ministry, receive this with unfeigned joy, with great enthusiasm of spirit,” Father McShane said, “because it speaks in terms that resonate with the lived experiences of those who are pastors, women or men. I think those who did not receive this with joy would be those who have conceived of the faith in narrow, dogmatic terms, and not in terms of what Francis says is the beginning of the faith—encounters with the Lord.”

Father McShane, who last appeared on the Charlie Rose show just hours after Pope Francis was named as Pontiff, also opined on whether the Pope is a moral center to the world.

“I think he does want to call the world to its senses,” Father McShane said. “Although he seems very off the cuff, I don’t think he does anything off the cuff. I think he reflects deeply about what he’s going to do and then gives voice to the plan that he has conceived through testing and goes forward with it. I do think he wants to have a moral voice present in the world and I think in all that he did around the Syria question, he wants to unite all religious voices.”

Watch some excerpts from the interview on the Fordham YouTube page, and follow Fordham on Facebook, where we will post the whole video when it’s available.


- Gina Vergel

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