Sorry, Atheists

Last week it appeared that Pope Francis had relaxed the admission standards for Catholic Heaven. In last Wednesday’s private homily he said that everyone, “even the atheists,” have been redeemed “with the Blood of Christ,” according to Vatican Radio.

“We must meet one another doing good”, he said, and speaking directly to Atheists, his advice was “do good, we will meet one another there.”

But now, the Vatican has issued a clarifying statement emphasizing the pope’s job.

From the news dispatch: “The pope’s job is more to speak well than to provide an indisputable interpretation of the Bible.”

The statement goes on to say, “his words are not spoken in the context of a theological faculty or academy.” Can the Vatican spokesman throw a pope under the bus like that?

I know the White House spokesman will sometimes clarify the president, but I thought only the pope could clarify the pope.

So I guess just “doing good” isn’t enough for Atheists to get to heaven after all. Although considering Atheists don’t typically believe in heaven, they might actually be relieved to know that the Catholic Church isn’t going to book a reservation for them after all.

I even checked Vatican Radio for the translation of the pope’s latest Wednesday sermon – no mention of Atheists, but a stern warning against Christian Triumphalism.

“Inviting those present to pray to the Lord for the grace to be a humble church.”

Although, apparently, not so humble that it would shy away from clarifying its own pope.