Clearly Pope Francis's opponents have not been the least intimidated by the papal office. Traditionalists have all but declared him a heretic and, scientific geniuses that they are, dismissed Laudato Si' as infected by "leftish ideology."

Fr. de Souza affects there is no substance to Spadaro & Figeuro's critique of religious fundamentalist politics in a country where religious fundamentalists enabled the election of an ignorant, bigoted demagogue contemptuous of democratic norms. It's really quite an incredible denial of reality.

As an aside, I'm amused MSW compares himself favorably with Michael Gerson, described earlier in the column as trenchant, morally serious and possessed of intellectual integrity. Good to know MSW doesn't suffer from bad self-image.