Peggy Noonan: Pope Francis, “His combination of tradition and compassion may be just what the church needs.”

Good column.

Noonan: Pope Francis Looks Outward

"If you take over a company your question is: 'Can I get people
aligned together on a mission instead of going in different directions?
Can I pull people together in a fundamental mission?' " He thinks some
of the pope's "personal behaviors and example, which have been so
winning," might help bridge divisions.

That may happen. Francis so far seems to embody the best hopes of
both sides—for tradition but open for action, for the truth and for the
poor. He may come to remind people that they have more in common than
perhaps they understood.