text: I must disagree with you.  Francis is not only doing his job, he is doing it very well.  He is following Jesus, who preached the reign of God.  The reign of God is not some distant future, it is "at hand" (Mark 1:15).  You might read the recent Apostolic Letter "Misericordia Miseria".  The objective is to be more responsive to the Spirit of Christ who lives in the human heart, which is a journey.
  
  Discernment is not about getting permission from a priest or bishop.  It is about coming closer to Christ.  The love of Christ is the point of reference, not the law.  As Cardinal Cupich noted in an interview more than a year ago, the process of "accompaniment" is to assist with discernment, not to preempt or supplant conscience.  The role of the Church is to encourage people on their journey toward greater responsiveness to the Spirit of Christ in the human heart.  The law is not the end of that journey.
  
  The examples you give reflect a focus on the law.  Mercy has a different direction.