Former Sen. Rick Santorum has lashed out at the media for twisting the words of Pope Francis into sensational talking points, including the pontiff's notorious quip that Catholics need not breed "like rabbits."
"I don't have a problem with the pope when he talks about the doctrine of the church. He's brilliant, he's amazing … he's so clear, he's so conviction oriented," Santorum said Friday on "The Steve Malzberg Show" on
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"The issue is what the media will do with some phrases that are out there."
Earlier this week, Santorum, a conservative Catholic, bristled at Francis' cautioning of Catholics to avoid breeding "like rabbits," an off-the-cuff remark he made to reporters.
In an interview with Hugh Hewitt, Santorum said when Francis speaks as leader of the Catholic Church: "I'll certainly pay attention. But when he speaks in interviews, he's giving his own opinions, which I certainly will listen to, but from my perspective, that doesn't reflect the idea that people shouldn't be fruitful and multiply."
"There are phrases out there that can be just taken out of context … It's not what he said if you read the context of what he said and you read everything around it. It's perfectly fine," Santorum told Steve Malzberg.
"It's just that the casualness of the conversation leads many who would love to see division. It leads them to take those [comments] and then run with them in a direction that the pope certainly didn't intend.
"And that's why it's hard, because I know the pope's heart. I read his encyclicals, I read his statements and they're brilliant, they're perfect, they're right."
But Francis will then say words that allow "people to twist them," according to Santorum.
"That's why it's hard to listen to because I know it's hard and yet, he'll say things I know he means innocently," he said. "I know they're innocent, but it can be taken by those who are, well let's say, not so innocent, to try to twist what his meaning really is."
Santorum — who is the CEO of EchoLight Studios, which produces family-friendly movies such as the PG-13 rated drama "Seasons of Gray" — has been outspoken on issues facing Catholics.