Catholics are still on the conservative end of the religious spectrum, though, so evangelical leaders make Pope Francis appear even more progressive than he is. They're like the perfect foils for him.
The pope is a jesuit. They usually are scholars and work in science. The pope is a chemist. Jesuit schools teach evolution and all that. Basically looked at like secular liberals by conservative catholics.
The current pope is a Jesuit, and Jesuits are typically among the more progressive Catholics. But Catholics in general are among the more conservative Christians, which is the point the comment you replied to was making.
It's like American Democrats are on the global right wing of politics. Bernie and AOC being more left wing doesn't change the fact that Democrats as a whole are neoliberals.
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