"Referencing the Gospel story of the women accused of adultery that Jesus refuses to condemn, Francis repeats: "With the adulteress, Jesus played a bit dumb, he lets some time pass, writes on the ground. And then he says: 'Let the first of you who is without sin throw the first stone.'"

"What was the moral code?" the pope asks again. "It was to stone her. But Jesus sidestepped, he sidestepped the moral code. This makes us think that one cannot speak of 'rigidity.'"

The four cardinals' challenge to Francis stirred up a lot of attention when it was made public last November."

This reaches the heart of the matter.  The Gang of Four are upset that they, and people like them, will have too hard a time throwing stones.  Throwing stones, and wearing expensive Baroque era garb, seems to be their reason for being in the church.  No wonder they can't stand Pope Francis.  He is taking away their fun.