Pope Francis

I'm not an expert on Catholicism and I have walked away from all religions, but you have to have some admiration for Pope Francis. I may be wrong but I'm guessing that Pope Francis was effusive in his praise of nuns, in the presence of the all male American bishops and cardinals, as a way of supporting the nuns and rebuking the church leaders in America.

Nuns have been the front line workers with the poor and marginalised in America. They have lived a westernised form of Liberation theology against the right wing American Catholic leadership. Nuns have put up with withering criticism from out of touch leaders. Ordered to conform and not stray from rigid Catholic doctrine. Bishops felt that nuns were straying too far to the left.

The reality is that the nuns do the dirty work for the Catholic church in America. Original feminists, business leaders and school administrators. They are far closer to the people and it is clear that they have much support in the Catholic community at large.

I don't think it was a coincidence that the largest cheers for Pope Francis were when he praised nuns. It was the polar opposite of when Pope John Paul II shook the Liberation theology priest in Central America many years ago.

It is no wonder that the extreme right wing Cardinal Law is critical of this pope. The same reason he was demoted when Francis assumed office.

The next pope may return the Catholic church to the far right policies of JPII but for know Francis is a breath of fresh air.