2013-07-30 – Pope Francis exhibited tiredness and confusion on the flight home from his first foreign trip as pope when he answered a reporter’s question about gays in the church and responded, “who am I to judge?” The Vatican promised to “straighten him out when he gets home.”

At issue was the 1463 encyclical of Pope Schmendrick IV that deleted all portions of scripture that commanded or counseled compassion or mercy. The encyclical, entitled “Sagíttent Primo, Post Requires” (“Shoot First, Ask Questions Later”), excised such passages as “love your neighbor” or “let any one of you who is without sin cast the first stone.” The encyclical was adopted in the run up to the Spanish Inquisition.

The Vatican was quick to reassure American Catholics that the Pope had no intention of adopting “don’t ask, don’t tell” as church policy.