Pope Francis concluded a controversial visit to Belgium on Sunday by beatifying a 17th-century mystic during a Mass in Brussels. His trip was marked by tension due to his traditional stances on women and abortion, which sparked unease in a country grappling with secularizing trends.
Pope Francis is cheered by faithful as he arrives to preside over the Sunday mass in King Baudouin Stadium, in Brussels Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. – Pope Francis wrapped up a troubled visit to Belgium on Sunday with a Mass to beatify a 17th-century mystic, afterof one of Europe’s most storied Catholic universities by doubling down on his traditional views on women and abortion.
But the rector of the Dutch campus told Francis that the abuse scandal had so harmed the church’s moral authority that it would best reform if it wants to regain credibility and relevance. Rector Luc Sels suggested that opening up greater roles for women – including the priesthood – and being more welcoming to LGBTQ+ Catholics would be a good place to start.
Francis, an 87-year-old Argentine Jesuit, said he liked what they said. But he repeated his frequent refrain about women being the “fertile” nurturers who complement men, and that regardless “the church is woman.” Valentine Hendrix, a 22-year-old international relations masters student at Louvain, told reporters that students had hoped that Francis might respond positively to their appeal. While others applauded at the end of Francis' remarks, she refused and said his comments on abortion and women’s role meant that he had “given up on a committed dialogue.
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