Pope Francis has called for a change to the way the Catholic Church is perceived in the wider public eye, saying that it is time to call off the witch hunts against gays and abortionists and no longer concentrate on what he called "small-minded rules." Instead, the head of the Catholic church has urged his congregation to follow the charitable principals of Jesus Christ and has call for an end to the discussions of what is and isn't sin.

His comments came as a breath of fresh-air to some more liberally-minded Catholic, but despite calling for a reduced interest in certain Catholic preoccupations, he lamented that his and the Churches' views on same-sex relationship, contraception and abortions was still very much the same. Pope Francis may not appear as immediately traditional and obsessed with papal doctrine as his predecessor, but his beliefs towards the grey areas of Catholicism were very much similar to bygone ideals.

Pope Francis
Pope Francis has emerged as a popular figure with his modern views

"A person once asked me, in a provocative manner, if I approved of homosexuality. I replied with another question: 'Tell me: when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person?'" Pope Francis said in a recent interview with America magazine. "We must always consider the person. Here we enter into the mystery of the human being. In life, God accompanies persons, and we must accompany them, starting from their situation. It is necessary to accompany them with mercy."

With comments like this, the Pope is exemplifying himself as a caring pastor, rather than a ruling figure, and this is the kind of perception of the church that he wants to reintroduce as the general perception of Catholicism. The dogma of the church needed matter, as Francis has said that "we must always consider the person," and not what the church has already determined. He held on to the Catholic belief that homosexuality is sinful, but a relationship between two same sex people is a noticeable thing that must have higher reason behind it.

His comments about abortion and contraception weren't as open-minded, but he continued his preaching of ending persecution and promoting love to one's fellow man. As head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis will be a controversial figure for the entirity of his reign, however his recent comments have come as a relief to believers and non-believers alike as it has hopefully signalled an end to discussing the boundaries of the faith, and an introduction to discussing mercy and love.