he created a second type of marriage for everyone else so their unions may be officially blessed by the church

The church doesn’t have the power to create different types of marriages and neither does the pope. I do not believe the nature of the change made is being described or reported accurately. It is being oversimplified.

Francis has actually been a very progressive pope, making great strides to make the church a more welcoming place.

I agree. I think a lot of changes he has made are good. I think this change is good. I think reporting on it has been dumbed down to the point of being incorrect.