So - Robert Mickens is fired from his long time employer, The Tablet, for sending tweets wondering about whether a certain cardinal will live until "The Rat's funeral"

By "The Rat" he meant Pope Benedict (Ratzinger)

He is promptly hired by the National Catholic Reporter, so we can only assume they see nothing at all wrong with hiring a reporter who PUBLICLY, on twitter, refers toPope Benedict as "The Rat"

CBS then features Mickens as their lead "expert" on the Vatican and Pope Francis. Apparently, CBS sees nothing wrong with an "expert" who freely calls Pope Benedict "The Rat".

Way to stay classy, CBS!

CBS used to be classy?

"No discussion" about things some people won't shut up about? Ha ha ha! I think "absolutely no discussion" actualllly means "absolutely no one important will do what we say, although the mere fact that we are saying it means that it is true, right, and good."

60 Minutes has become pathetic.

Has become? This comment would have fit nicely in 1986 around the time of the Audi "unintended acceleration" hatchet job/fabrication.

Amazing how people think everything must change with the culture, as if to say, "I was OK being married to my spouse for life, but now that the rules are off, I don't want to do it anymore."

If you're envious of the sinful and hedonistic, then get out of the church. Go. Go have your "fun" and (as Neal Morse put it) "gladly wear the chains."

Well said.

I'm reminded of the many times I've heard someone complain that 'so and so doesn't listen to me'. The truth of the matter is that so and so heard you perfectly, thought it through, and decided that what you suggested was a bad idea. And told you why it was a bad idea in great detail.

Can't agree more. Sad to say I am beyond the big 3 networks for "news" any longer. They are propaganda of the left - pure and simple. They can't even be objective to show both sides of an issue or report on things they don't agree with, (ex the recent LARGE March for Life). If you go to those junk sources for news you might as well be living in a communist country.

Principal interviewees? I don't recall that the program interviewed anyone besides Mickens. Incredibly shallow "journalism."

Also, I would feel a lot more positive and secure about Pope Francis' agenda if he could put it as succinctly and clearly as Weigel does. Weigel is right that "scratching the 60's itch" doesn't really advance the Church's efforts to teach the Gospel effectively in our times, but is Francis pointing that out to them?

Pray for our pope that he may surround himself with holy men and women and continue (as our last two popes) to steer our church and it's people toward the safety of our God through his commandments meant to protect us. After the failure in the sexual revolution how will making people feel comfortable in their sin lessen sin?

I'm glad George Weigel responded to the interview.

All such attacks against the Church should be challenged and he is more than qualified and dignified to do it, but I would be surprised if 60 minutes offered an opposing dialog. God bless him.
How anyone could see any mainstream program as credible any longer surprises me. Another one, the National Catholic Reporter (a misnomer, it's an attacker of all that is Catholic) is trash.

Popes were very wise to avoid the media. Popes were wise to defend the teachings of the faith. This Pope decided to step out of those boundaries and he is paying the price of misinterpretation when it is expendable. The Pope for what ever reason is probing the grey areas and it is dangerous out there.

I can only pray that George Weigel's assessment of Pope Francis' intentions are correct. Let's hope that that is what he wants to do.

Pope Francis is attempting to change dogma by changing pastoral practices while remaining silent on sin.

It is good that Pope Francis is inviting all people of the Church to both speak openly and to listen with respect.. Both Bishops and people. That is the only way to come to a “Sensus Fidei” about what the whole Church is thinking and believing.

In particular it is good to realize the fact that Paul 6 and Humanae Vitae encourages couples to use the virtue of Prudence and practice Responsible Parenthood. The idea that Catholics don’t have to “breed like rabbits” is straight out of Humanae Vitae.

In approving the use of Natural Family Planning, Blessed Paul 6 accepts that our knowledge of the Natural Law concerning Human sexual biology has developed, so that we now recognize and accept that a woman is open to conception and therefore “open to the transmission of life” only for a few days of her monthly cycle.

Parents are encouraged to exercise “Responsible Parenthood” and engage in sexual activity at times when they have done everything possible to assure, and have the full intention of achieving, that the individual sexual act will not result in pregnancy and is not “open to the transmission of life”.

Sure, there's been discussion about Church dogma, but Pope Francis is attempting to change the pastoral practices of the Church. He remains silent about the sinfulness of these practices.

Mr. Weigel makes good point about the media over-emphasizing the clamoring for sexual liberalization, crowding out the unanimity about life, for example. However the magnification of one comment by Mickens is a poor focus, instead of simply trying to offer more eminent yet accessible parties who could have helped explain everything to the reporters (and assist to edit the final production), more accurately.... Such as Mr. Weigel?!!.... As it stands, next time, they can happily make the same mistakes again.