Posted on 07/06/2013 12:03:31 PM PDT by Olog-hai
Pope Francis called for structural renewal in the Catholic church to keep up with the times, although advising future priests and nuns Saturday to shun costly trappings like the latest smart phones so they can use more resources to help the poor.
Francis has been waging a campaign to root out corruption and power plays in the Vatican’s bureaucracy and to keep sight of what is essential in the church he was elected in March to lead.
The Argentine-born pontiff offered the encouragement for renewal in a homily during Mass Saturday at the Vatican City hotel where he lives. Francis told Catholics “not to be afraid of renewing some structures” to accord with “the places, the times” and the people, but he didn’t specify what needed to be changed.
He said, “In Christian life, even in the life of the church, there are ancient structures, transient structures: It is necessary to renew them!” …
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
How does eschewing devices that, when used properly, boost productivity aid in efforts to help the poor? Utilizing modern communications technology is an integral part of the New Evangelization.
Now that I’ve read the article I see he was speaking of the need to have the latest/greatest of material possessions. That makes more sense.
This is FreeRepublic! We don’t read the stinking articles! Lol!
It concerns me a little that he might be criticizing the more orthodox seminarians as “sad-faced.” Nothing wrong with joy in being Christian, but we’re just getting over a period where priests were a bit too “joyful” — in fact they were GAY.
Yeah, the happy clappy priests and nuns went too far, but I surely want priests to be happy about their vocations, and not devolve into pious piffle.
“There is no sadness in holiness,” said Francis, saying that such clergy lack `’the joy of the Lord.”
Then why was God “grieved that He had made man”; Lot “tormented in his righteous soul”; Jesus’ soul “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death”?
There is much lamenting by holy men throughout Scripture. Happy-happy type personalities will never put up with serious people. But it is clear that God can use them as well as the happy ones.
“Happy people do more good in the world.” —Dennis Prager
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