BRUSSELS -- Pope Francis wrapped up a troubled visit to Belgium on Sunday with a Mass to beatify a 17th-century mystic, after dashing the hopes of one of Europe’s most storied Catholic universities by doubling down on his traditional views on women and abortion. Francis was celebrating a Mass under a spectacular sun in Brussels’ sports stadium before heading back to Rome. The stadium is named for King Baudouin, whom Francis had praised for having abdicated for a day in 1990 rather than give his assent to a parliament-approved bill legalizing abortion.
Francis’ unscheduled visit to pray at the king’s tomb and declaration that the legislation was “homicidal” were among several gestures in this once staunchly Catholic country that unnerved its secularized young people , many of whom have turned away from the faith. Nevertheless, the stadium — which had a capacity of 37,000 for the Mass — was nearly full for Francis' Mass. The crowd roared when Francis arrived in his popemobile and stopped to kiss babies passed up to him.
Sunday's Mass was to beatify Spanish nun Ana de Jesus, who made a vow of chastity at 10, entered religious life the following year and helped St. Teresa of Avila reform the Carmelite religious order. The Vatican is holding her up as a model of someone who lived through a time of scandal and brought people back to the faith.
Francis’ visit to Belgium was always going to be difficult, given the country’s wretched legacy of clerical sexual abuse.
