Posted on 09/20/2013 3:30:31 AM PDT by NYer
This is a list of 12 selected quoted from Pope Francis’ recent exclusive interview with La Civiltà Cattolica.
This interview with Pope Francis took place over the course of three meetings during August 2013 in Rome. The interview was conducted in person by Antonio Spadaro, S.J., editor in chief of La Civiltà Cattolica, the Italian Jesuit journal. The interview was conducted in Italian. After the Italian text was officially approved, America commissioned a team of five independent experts to translate it into English. You can read the full interview here
1. “I am a sinner. This is the most accurate definition. It is not a figure of speech, a literary genre. I am a sinner.”
2. “when I took possession of the papal apartment, inside myself I distinctly heard a ‘no.’ The papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace is not luxurious. It is old, tastefully decorated and large, but not luxurious. But in the end it is like an inverted funnel. It is big and spacious, but the entrance is really tight. People can come only in dribs and drabs, and I cannot live without people. I need to live my life with others.”
3. “In my breviary I have the last will of my grandmother Rosa, and I read it often. For me it is like a prayer.”
4.”This church with which we should be thinking is the home of all, not a small chapel that can hold only a small group of selected people. We must not reduce the bosom of the universal church to a nest protecting our mediocrity.”
5. “Pope Benedict has done an act of holiness, greatness, humility. He is a man of God.”
6. “I see the church as a field hospital after battle. It is useless to ask a seriously injured person if he has high cholesterol and about the level of his blood sugars! You have to heal his wounds. Then we can talk about everything else. Heal the wounds, heal the wounds…. And you have to start from the ground up.”
7. “The confessor, for example, is always in danger of being either too much of a rigorist or too lax. Neither is merciful, because neither of them really takes responsibility for the person. The rigorist washes his hands so that he leaves it to the commandment. The loose minister washes his hands by simply saying, ‘This is not a sin’ or something like that. In pastoral ministry we must accompany people, and we must heal their wounds.”
8. “We need to proclaim the Gospel on every street corner, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing, even with our preaching, every kind of disease and wound. In Buenos Aires I used to receive letters from homosexual persons who are ‘socially wounded’ because they tell me that they feel like the church has always condemned them. But the church does not want to do this. During the return flight from Rio de Janeiro I said that if a homosexual person is of good will and is in search of God, I am no one to judge. By saying this, I said what the catechism says. Religion has the right to express its opinion in the service of the people, but God in creation has set us free: it is not possible to interfere spiritually in the life of a person.”
9. “We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods. This is not possible. I have not spoken much about these things, and I was reprimanded for that. But when we speak about these issues, we have to talk about them in a context. The teaching of the church, for that matter, is clear and I am a son of the church, but it is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time.”
10. “We have to work harder to develop a profound theology of the woman. Only by making this step will it be possible to better reflect on their function within the church. The feminine genius is needed wherever we make important decisions.”
11. “When we desire to encounter God, we would like to verify him immediately by an empirical method. But you cannot meet God this way.”
12. “Christian hope is not a ghost and it does not deceive. It is a theological virtue and therefore, ultimately, a gift from God that cannot be reduced to optimism, which is only human. God does not mislead hope; God cannot deny himself. God is all promise.”
Abstinence prevents the formation of a fetus. I suppose that is evil too
Thanks for posting the link. Reading the interview made me realize that Pope Francis speaks from the perspective of Ignatian spirituality. Familiarity with the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola is essential in understanding his remarks.
See my post #27.
You missed other choice quotes.
He goes on and on about how he is amazed how many complaints Rome gets about orthodoxy!!
He will have to answer to God when he dies!
If the head of Planned Parenthood or NARAL or some other pro-abortion group made pro-abortion comments, no one would notice. But when the Pope dramatically softens the Church’s condemnation of abortion, the whole world notices. Never before did we have a Pope who minimized the sin of murder!
And yes, I have looked at the actual interview, not just what was reported by the media. In this case, the media, if anything, was understating the story. There was no media bias here, and I am tired of Catholics always condemning the media but never condemning the Pope.
How many babies will dies now due to Catholics being silent on abortion?
Give me Alexander VI as Pope with drunken orgies or whatever he did. I would rather have that than pro-lifers stabbed in the back, or unborn babies stabbed in the back of their necks.
Pope Francis is much more colloquial and off-the-cuff. This would be fine for people who have been rooted in the "Deep Context" for awhile and share a full deck of unstated Catholic assumptions, but it's just one can-o-worms after another in the hands of the secular, the shallow and the worldly.
Not to mention those who are deliberately manipulative in the EneMedia. I'm not sure Papa Francis is quite up to speed on that.
just didn't like the Pope saying that Atheists get to heaven also!! I think that is SCANDALOUS and not what Jesus said at all!!
I am very upset....something I haven't been with any of the previous Popes. Maybe it's his inner JESUIT showing itself.
Amen...”small minded” MArginalized the true sin of abortion and homosexuality.
For the benefit of livius and jboot, this is in response to my post #27.
Of course the comments posted by some to this thread, and others, parallel the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
In Luke 15, we read "Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing." Note how our Lord makes him the "older" brother ; - ) He asks the servants what's going on and they tell him ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ You can imagine his thoughts: his younger brother took his inheritance and left home, then blew it on a prolifigate lifestyle while he, the older one, stayed on to work and care for their father. He reacts: "He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him." In what seems like justifiable wrath, he explains: He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ (In biblical times, people would often keep at least one piece of livestock that was fed a special diet to fatten it up, thus making it more flavorful when prepared as a meal. Slaughtering this livestock was to be done on rare and special occasions. Thus when the prodigal son returns, the father "kills the fatted calf" to show that the celebration is out of the ordinary.)
Does this not reflect the emotions shown by some freepers? But, how does the father reply? ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours.' Each time I hear this Gospel read, those words bore deep into my heart. And his father continues: "But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’”
For the benefit of all, the key to this Gospel is the repentance of the younger son. THAT is what Pope Francis is hoping to accomplish. We who have held fast to the truth need to encourage those who have strayed to return. Fr. Dwight Longenecker in his posting, tackles the issues, succinctly. Reflecting on those who were poorly catechized, He writes:
Suddenly they didn’t know that they needed a savior–someone who supernaturally forgave them of their sins because they didn’t know that they were sinners because we didn’t tell them what sin was.The preacher who points out sin is not a bad guy–he’s a good guy–like the doctor who gives the bad news that what you thought was heartburn is actually cancer and you need surgery and quick. If he just pats you on the head and smiles and gives you an aspirin he may be a nice guy, but he’s not a good doctor.
Here’s the big question: How do we begin to tell people about sin and the need for the Divine Mercy? As the Pope has pointed out in today’s interview just telling people they are sinners in an arbitrary way doesn’t make sense. They don’t know why what they are doing is wrong. Just saying that it’s wrong because the Bible says so doesn’t work. They don’t believe the Bible. Just saying it’s wrong because I am an authority figure and I say it’s wrong doesn’t work because they do not accept my authority.
Those who are miserable and despairing must see that we are radiant and abundantly happy. Those who are lost in the darkness of their selfishness and sin must see that Christians have hope, have meaning and most of all have love for one another and for them.
We can approach life's storms and battles with joy and hope because of our love Christ and His love for us. Isn't this worth sharing?!
Excellent! Thank you for posting. Wise words from Fr. Longenecker.
Yeah, I am, too.
As long as this statement stands:
"but it is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time"
I will continue wondering if St. Malachy was right.
In addition, when many priests hear "don't talk about them all the time", it will be interpreted as "never talk about them" (which many don't anyway).
It isn't that he needs to say more, he needs to say less. To ascertain which remarks ought to be omitted, all you have to do is monitor Twitter or NYT comments for cheering and whooping from militant gays and Planned Parenthood employees (both occurred yesterday).
I wish the pope's new "gentle hints" inclusiveness strategy succeeds but I have a feeling the number of conversions from these groups (and number of grave sins committed) will not be trending in the direction he hoped.
True. We, as sentient beings, naturally are repelled more by the dismemberment of the fully-formed baby, but from God's perspective, outside of the temporal world, the "making impossible" of a new human life is every bit as repulsive.
Or maybe the sedevacantists are right.
All hail the great pope (Malachy #112?) who caused abortionists to put down their knives, homosexuals to turn away from their same sex attractions, and Catholics to dump their contraceptives down the drain (all this by refusing to talk about their sins). I'll be waiting to hear all the success stories. Please ping me to them.
I know God can make these things happen but the pope is naive thinking he can replicate that with his kid gloves strategy which amounts to a politically correct papacy.
There's something to be said about those churches that follow a fixed calendar. As a Roman Catholic, practicing my faith in a Maronite Catholic Church, it came, first as a surprise, to hear the same Gospel readings each year and, then as a blessing, to anticipate each season, knowing in advance which Gospels would be read. One might expect it to be boring ... instead, it brings comfort.
The Season of Lent kicks off with the Miracle at Cana. That makes sense because it is the first miracle performed by our Lord and it begins his earthly ministry. On the 2nd Sunday of Lent, we hear about the Cleansing of the Leper; followed on week 3 by the The Hemorrhaging Woman. Week 4 we hear the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Week 5, is Sunday of the Paralytic, followed by Bartimaeus the Blind on the 6th week. This is followed by the The Rising of Lazarus on Saturday.
You can easily follow the emerging theme ... each miracle story is more spectacular than the previous one. Like an orchestra, these readings build up towards the crescendo, Hosanna (Palm) Sunday, and our Lord's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. By the time Jesus enters Jerusalem, can there be any doubt that He is the Son of God, the promised Messiah?!! Who else can restore sight to blind, cure a 12 year hemorrhage and raise the dead from their grave?
As I noted above, each time the Parable of the Prodigal Son is read, I hear these words: 'My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours.' Those words drive deep into the heart of the listener. They are humbling, yet bring much comfort and a desire to continue along the path of eternal salvation while pursuing a deeper relationship with our Lord.
In all of the above gospels, the recurrent theme is repentance and forgiveness of sin. God is merciful. He waits, oh so patiently, for sinners to turn their backs on sin and take the rocky path home.
Since Fr. Longenecker addressed the Divine Mercy, I cannot help but recall the visions of St. Faustina. She writes:
"...I saw two roads. One was broad, covered with sand and flowers, full of joy, music and all sorts of pleasures. People walked along it, dancing and enjoying themselves. They reached the end without realizing it. And at the end of the road there was a horrible precipice; that is, the abyss of hell. The souls fell blindly into it; as they walked, so they fell. And their number was so great that it was impossible to count them. And I saw the other road, or rather, a path, for it was narrow and strewn with thorns and rocks; and the people who walked along it had tears in their eyes, and all kinds of suffering befell them. Some fell down upon the rocks, but stood up immediately and went on. At the end of the road there was a magnificent garden filled with all sorts of happiness and all these souls entered there. At the very first instant they forgot all their sufferings" (Diary 153).
Our contemporary society lacks the patience to read through a 12,000 word interview to grasp the full meaning of Pope Francis. Instead, 'sound bites' are what prevail. Unless one is knowledgeable in Catholic teaching, it is wrong to interpret the pope's words, without a full analysis of what he is saying within the context of church teaching.
Thanks NYer for that post. I may hasten to add that Jesus seemed to pay more attention to the hardness of heart of the religious people than he ever did on the sins of the unchurched. Not that he did not speak of sin of course He did and so should we. It should not be our only topic of conversation though and that was the Pope’s point. If we speak of sin then we are to proclaim Jesus and his ability to save us from it!
Come home to the truely Reformed churches. We value life.
One of the ways the pill works is as an abortofacient.
As bishop, it is his responsibility to teach, and the fact that the biased press can cherry-pick his words and present them from their point of view is simply something that’s going to happen, no matter how much or how little he says.
Look at poor BXVI, who was depicted at one point as supporting condoms because of a couple of words he said on a plane - while actually in the midst of arguing against condoms as a solution to AIDS. There’s nothing one can do.
What should happen is that priests should be talking to their parishes about these things and explaining them to those who are foolish enough to believe everything CBS or worse sources tell them.
Surprisingly enough, at mass this morning one of our priests who is normally a terrible homilist who never says anything worth listening to and in fact often tells offensive jokes in his homilies, told everybody to stop listening to the press on the subject of the Pope. Read it yourself, he said, and remember that the Pope’s only message was the same as that of Matthew: the message of someone being called by mercy and truth, and the duty of the Church to heal people. This will mean showing them the right way, but they’re never even going to be willing to hear the call and come to the hospital if the doctor starts off by telling them right away everything that’s wrong with them rather than by offering them happiness and safety.
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