Pope Francis Risks US Fury With Border, Conservative Bishops Comments

Pope Francis risked fury by once again calling out conservative bishops in the United States who oppose his efforts to reform the Catholic Church, as well as criticizing Texas' efforts to limit migration at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Francis made the comments during an interview with 60 Minutes that aired on Sunday evening. He discussed a wide range of topics, including Israel's war in Gaza, the Russia-Ukraine war and the border crisis.

He was asked by CBS Evening News anchor Norah O'Donnell about conservative bishops who opposed his efforts to "revisit teachings and traditions."

"You used an adjective, 'conservative,'" Francis said. "That is, conservative is one who clings to something and does not want to see beyond that.

"It is a suicidal attitude. Because one thing is to take tradition into account, to consider situations from the past, but quite another is to be closed up inside a dogmatic box."

Francis has previously addressed the criticism directed at him from some U.S. conservatives, who have particularly opposed his efforts to make the church more welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community and to give lay people more responsibility in the church.

In 2023 he dismissed Joseph Strickland, a conservative bishop in Texas who is among his fiercest critics. Strickland told Newsweek in March that he has come to terms with his dismissal, but worries that it could promote an "atmosphere of fear" within the church.

Francis also stripped Raymond Burke, a conservative American cardinal who is another staunch critic, of some Vatican privileges last year.

During the 60 Minutes interview, Francis criticized efforts by the state of Texas to shut down a Catholic charity that provides humanitarian assistance to undocumented migrants.

"That is madness. Sheer madness," he said. "To close the border and leave them there, that is madness.

"The migrant has to be received. Thereafter, you see how you are going to deal with him. Maybe you have to send him back, I don't know, but each case ought to be considered humanely."

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office sued Annunciation House in February, accusing the nonprofit of "facilitating illegal entry to the United States, alien harboring, human smuggling, and operating a stash house."

A judge ruled against Paxton in March, but his office filed a another complaint against Annunciation House this month.

Paxton's office has been contacted for comment via email.

Francis' comments sparked outrage from some on social media.

Jack Posobiec, a far-right activist, wrote on X that Francis is "wrong."

"Illegal are clearly not migrants, and no country has a moral duty to receive anyone from anywhere," he wrote. "And why do they only talk about this for Western countries?"

Another X user said they were "tired of the False Communist Pope bashing America. When is he going to open up the Vatican to millions of illegals??"

Francis "is a Marxist political activist from the 'global south' who became a priest (many such cases) and now shields himself with the still-powerful branding of Catholicism," another person wrote. "My advice is to ignore everything this fool be saying. At mass today I will pray for his soul."