I see the amiable example that he is setting as an example of what Walter J. Ong, S.J. (1912-2003), refers to as "open closure" for each person to cultivate. As Ong uses this term, the "closure" part of the expression refers to what the person holds as principles that he or she is not willing to change. Pope Francis holds the church's teachings as such principles that he is not willing to change. Nevertheless, he is willing to engage in encounters with people who do not agree with him about the church's teachings. Thus in this way, he is "open" to encounters with other people who hold different views.
Ong develops his thought about open closure in his essay "Voice and the Opening of Closed Systems" in the book Interfaces of the Word: Studies in the Evolution of Consciousness and Culture (Cornell University Press, 1977, pages 305-341). Fortunately, this book is now back in print and available on a print-on-demand basis from the publisher -- and through Amazon and other online book sellers. This one essay is worth the price of the book.
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