Pope: Open the door to faith

Vatican Radio ^ | May 25, 2013

[NYer]

Ping!

[trebb]

Not a Catholic but I love this guy. Not too often one sees a “grass-roots” Pope who will eschew theologians and huge tomes to keep it simple for the true layman.

[mitchell001]

Amen. Pope Francis is correct. We Catholics must be more open and friendly.

[DaveMSmith]

I really admire this Pope. He tells stories like Jesus. I can relate to the unwed mother wanting to baptize her infant son and the marriage thing. It just seems there is a check list and the appreciation of the spiritual nature of these sacraments is lost. (BTW, my first marriage was in the Catholic Church as was my wife's). Rules, rules, rules.

Can I be added to the ping list for these Vatican Radio homilies?

[oh8eleven]

Open the door to faith
So, asking for baptismal certificates and requiring TWO parents to be married is now deemed "closed door?" Oh, those meeeean Catholics.
Sorry, but actions and choices have consequences.

[oh8eleven]

We Catholics must be more open and friendly.
WTH does that mean ... more TOLERANT ... more INCLUSIVE?
What is it that I do as a Catholic that is "closed and unfriendly?
What would YOU do specifically to be more "open and friendly?"

[Tax-chick]

This is very good.

[pax_et_bonum]

Yes! This is very good.

[Tax-chick]

He seems to be trying to jolt church members, including clergy, out of a rut! In one piece I read, he said that the Church today isn’t like the Good Shepherd who left 99 sheep to look for one ... it’s more like we’re carefully “shepherding” one, while 99 are wandering in the wilderness.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Uh = huh! Oh man, is that very true.

Plus --- and this is ironic -- you sometimes find the "shepherd" does appeal for a more inclusive attitude --- toward the separated Wolvish Brethren.

[Tax-chick]

Good point!

In everything I’ve read, Pope Francis is saying that the Church needs to go out and (viz the parable of the Wedding Feast) drag the people in ... but to give them the full message of Christ, not to leave them in paganism. “Yo, bud! Where’s your wedding garment?”

If I had to summarize, I’d say his message is “Know Christ (personally). Live Christ (radically). Share Christ (boldly).” The order is important. A person can believe “these” correct doctrines and do “those” meritorious acts, but if he doesn’t personally know Christ, he can still be a stumbling block to others.

[Big Bopper]

The poper really needs to understand God’s word, rather than posting half-correct “theology”. A real “spiritual leader”, he is not. Holy? Thanks for the evidence that paganism never fell far from the tree in Romanism. And a nice poper day to you and your fellow pagans.

[Natural Law]

"The poper really needs to understand God’s word..."

Any comparison or contrasting of the Pope's understanding of God's word to the Truth requires that you understand both God's Word and the Pope's theology. Your comments strongly suggest you understand neither.

Pax et Bonem

[steve86]

I can relate to the unwed mother wanting to baptize her infant son

I did not know about this -- I mean the difficulty the mother would run into pursuing baptism. Had never given it any thought. Although normally I'm on the "rules and correct" side, it does not seem Christian to deny baptism if that's what happens. It certainly isn't the baby's fault and its soul is in need of cleansing from original sin. I hope these innocent infants can be baptized. If not, I wouldn't hesitate for a second to send them to another Christian church, Catholic or not.

[Anoreth]

[Salvation]

**“Know Christ (personally). Live Christ (radically). Share Christ (boldly).” The order is important.**

Excellent summary.

[Tax-chick]

KEWL!!!

[Tax-chick]

Thank you.

[Big Bopper]

What a laugh and thanks for pretending you know the truth, poper is the false prophet. See, God’s scripture tells me the truth about that. So, Latin boy, don’t think everyone is as dumb as you are maklng your false,( as in the big false church)accusations. Practice your idolatries like a good little brainwashed boy you are and leave it at that. Mary might get mad at you and we couldn’t have that. could we?