Pope suggests Catholics go “parish-shopping”

In a CBS interview with anchor Norah O’Donnell that will air next month, Pope Francis encourages lapsed Catholics to shop around for a parish where they will feel welcome. That advice is understandable, but the way in which he offers it is less so. The Pope seems to take it for granted that if a Catholic leaves the faith, it is because “the priest doesn’t seem welcoming.” In that case, if he finds another parish with a cheerful friendly pastor, the problem is solved. But what about those many Catholics who leave the Church because they have lost their faith?