Pope Francis Is a Ray of Hope for Struggling Catholics

At times, I have been a struggling Catholic, a joyful Catholic, a conflicted Catholic.

A few months ago, when I cut ties with my longtime parish, I added a new adjective: A “homeless” Catholic.

I joined a long line of parishioners leaving our beloved home, a once-engaging community devoted to social justice that walked in the steps of a man named Francis long before he was pope. Our parish had grown increasingly gloomy around the edges, its spirit deflated by new leadership that valued strict adherence to doctrine above all else.

As my friends and fellow parishioners exit in this trying hour, the words I hear from them again and again are these: This pope, the one coming to the U.S. in a little over a week, he gives us hope.