"Part of the explanation is that Francis has welcomed open debate in the church – certainly one of the biggest changes he has made in his four years."

And, Francis' openness "has allowed deep-seated tensions within the church to surface,” the Rev. Russell Pollitt, a South African Jesuit, recently wrote. "Tensions have always existed – even though some would never dare to admit this. The difference is that under Francis’s leadership these tensions have not been pushed under the proverbial carpet.”

This is the Church as it should be - full of discussion, openness, disagreement.  This is real life.  What makes it seem so outlandish is the contrast of the openness of Francis to the closed, silenced, shut Church of JPII and BXVI and others before him.  Truth is - Catholics disagree on issues big and small.  I suspect they always have but what we get to do now is admit it when we disagree.