Pope’s ‘heresy’ is encouraging

Re Pope stresses conscience amid heresy

debate, Nov. 12 It’s definitely hard to believe that a Pope in the 21st century is accused of “spreading heresy” for advocating an opening up of ancient, rigid doctrine.

The Pope’s encouraging use of “conscience,” or individual thinking, over fossilized rules is too much for some of the hardened clergy in Rome. By naming his 2016 document “The Joy of Love,” Pope Francis has taken a bold step to reveal that his flock may return to the Church after a sanctioned divorce and a possible remarriage. Shocking to some in the Vatican, but everyday life to most Catholics.

The priestly protesters are only showing their own lack of faith in their congregants, who are now educated and more than able to allow a change for the better in their formerly solid dogmas.

May these conservative clergy all join the 21st century, remembering that it took the Roman Catholic Church 400 years to finally exonerate Galileo from his “heretic” proof that the Earth actually orbits around the Sun. May it not take centuries for “The Joy of Love” to be accepted and for Pope Francis to be eventually acknowledged for his daring step forward into the modern world. Della Golland, Toronto