PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as a Congressional press secretary in Washington, D.C., an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

When I traveled recently to Europe, I flew on Delta, which allows passengers to watch movies on a screen on the seat in front of them. I chose to watch Spotlight, a movie about the Boston Globe’s investigation of misdeeds – and worse – in the Catholic Church, which were covered up by church leaders there.

The story was about priests preying on children in too-hard-to-describe sexual ways. The expose earned the Globe praise from veteran journalists who appreciated the dogged determination of reporters and editors, even against The institution of “the church” in Boston. It also opened up the reality of sexual predatory conduct as an epidemic world wide in the Catholic Church.

That was perception number one.

Number two occurred this week when I continued reading Peggy Noonan’s book, The Time of Our Lives. She devoted several chapters to her perceptions about the Catholic Church, of which she is a member. And, in a memorable reflection, commented on the appointment, now several years ago, of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio to become Pope Francis.

Noonan suggested that Pope Francis could be, excuse the word in this context, the salvation for the Catholic Church.

“This is more than strength,” she wrote about the Pope eschewing the trappings of being Pope and living a humble lifestyle. “This is not cynical humanity. This is showing that there is another way to be.

“Yes. This is a kind of public leadership we are no longer used to – unassuming, self-effacing. Leaders of the world are not garish and brazen.”

I agree.

Pope Francis’ style and ethics are to be complimented. He lives faith, doesn’t just talk about it.

More from Noonan: “He (Pope Francis) is orthodox, traditional, his understanding of the faith in line with the teaching of John Paul II and Benedict XVI. He believes in, stands for, speaks for the culture of life. He loves the poor and not in an abstract way. He gave the cardinal’s palace in Buenos Aires to a missionary order with no money. He lives in an apartment, cooks his own food, rides the bus. He rejects pomposity. He does not feel superior. He is a fellow soul.

“Could the pope’s intentions be any clearer? The Catholic Church in 2013 is falling into ruin. It has been damaged by scandal and the scandals arose from arrogance, conceit, clubbiness and an assumption that the special can act in certain ways, that they may make mistakes, but it’s understandable, and, if it causes problems, the church will take care of it.

“Pope Francis already seems, in small ways rich in symbolism, to be moving the Vatican away from arrogance.”

I cannot help but cite one last thought, which tries, perhaps inadequately or even inappropriately, to relate problems in the church to problems in politics. But, still, in politics, we need leaders who will eschew arrogance, understand that real problems need real solutions, and work with humility and honesty to find the best solutions.