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As is customary with Pope Francis, the return flight from his apostolic trip to Slovakia included a press conference with the Vatican journalists on board, who represent various language groups and countries.
The English-speaking contingent asked the Pope about the issue of pro-abortion Catholic politicians, inquiring even if, as a priest, he'd faced the issue of giving the Eucharist to a politician who supports abortion.
The Holy Father said that he had never been aware of having a pro-abortion politician before him to receive Communion. But he took the opportunity to reiterate the reasons why the Church is, what he called, "so hard" on the issue of abortion.
While the questioner had specifically mentioned the US political situation, the Pope, as is customary, did not go into the cases of particular countries.
However, he insisted that this issue must be handled pastorally.
Communion, the Pope said, drawing from the word itself, is for those "in the community" of the Church.
The Eucharist can't be received by those who are not in the communion, the community, "and this is not a punishment," he said, but simple because, "Communion is uniting yourself to the community."
The Holy Father went on to cite various historical situations where he said that a principle had been politicized instead of handled pastorally. The burning of St. Joan of Arc, he said, could be an example. Or the witch hunts.
What should pastors do then, he asked?
Be pastors, be pastors, and not to go and condemn, not to condemn: to be pastors. Even pastors for those who are excommunicated. […] To be a pastor with the style of God. And the style of God is: closeness, compassion, and tenderness.
Pope Francis said that he wouldn't want to "particularize" the United States, but is "giving principles." He resisted answering hypothetically:
