One, that's translated from Italian to English. I'm sorry, but that's just a fact; it's also a fact the old cliche is true: things get lost in translation.
With that in mind, it's been Catholic teaching for ages that everyone is born with a conscience, with the law on their hearts (cf CCC 1954). This is everyone, atheists included. This fact is undoubtedly to what the Holy Father was referring. That is, he was clearly saying, "everyone has the ability to know what is basically good and basically bad. If everyone just followed this ability, the world would already be a better place"
Is he a bit "loose" with his words? Does he use terms in a non conventional way? Perhaps. And maybe that is a bad thing if all it does is cause confusion and scandal. I can see that and acknowledge that's a valid concern. I'm not saying that we shouldn't care at all about him being more precise. He is the Pope after all. Perhaps he should take more care.
However, how do I "know" this is what he was saying (what I wrote above)? Because he speaks a lot like we do in Communion and Liberation, an ecclesiastical lay movement in the Church, and you can rest assured, CL is not heterodox in any way. It's just another way of speaking. It's not formal in any way. But that's the point, as ours is a movement of true evangelization, going out into the world and meeting the people at their level, speaking about real things and real needs, not theological ideas and abstract concepts.
That's what real evangelism is anyway.
Appreciate your thoughts. I like your optimism. I do hope you are accurate in your assessment.
Good post. I think others here (including myself) have been trying to communicate this, but none as successfully as you.
IOW: Do your own thing.
The Pope is a hippie from the seventies!