Divorced Catholics, gay Christians, atheists in heaven: the mystery of what Pope Francis really believes

 Pope Francis seems to delight in saying controversial things that hint at (but don't announce) a change in an unpopular aspect of Catholic teaching. This thrills the liberal media and forces conservative Catholics to rush out "explanations" that deny that Francis has said anything new. Well, now he's done it again. 

Pope Francis on Monday called for "another way" of treating divorcees who remarry – a thorny issue since Catholics who wed a second time are currently not allowed to receive Holy Communion at mass.

Catholic faithful should "feel at home" in parishes and those who have remarried should be treated with "justice", the pope was quoted as saying by Romasette, the local newspaper for the diocese of Rome.

"Our duty is to find another way in justice," he said. Meaning…? One new way of treating divorced and remarried Catholics would be to allow them to receive Holy Communion, as happens unofficially in many parishes, but the Pope doesn't say that such a gesture is on the cards.

Likewise, on his journey back from Brazil,Francis told journalists: “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge? We shouldn’t marginalise people for this. They must be integrated into society.”

That indicates that the Pope accepts the reality of celibate gay priests. Does it also mean that celibate gay men can be ordained, as in theory they cannot at the moment? We don't know. nd for lay people, what sort of "integration" did Francis have in mind?

Also, atheists in heaven. The Pope said in May that they could be let in if they'd followed their consciences, and added later that God would "forgive" their unbelief. This is stretching Catholic doctrine to its absolute limit and perhaps a bit beyond. A Vatican spokesman promptly rowed back, insisting that people who do not believe in God "cannot be saved". Which wasn't what the Pope had said.

Gays, divorcees and atheists are understandably confused about these messages from the See of Peter; so are devout heterosexual Catholics. Me, too. Pope Francis seems to be indicating a direction of travel without saying how far – if at all – the Catholic Church is prepared to move. Strange times.