Posted on 07/15/2014 7:36:08 PM PDT by NKP_Vet
Many conservative Catholics are experiencing a range of negative feelings about Pope Francis. When a headline screams that he stated that 2% of Catholic clergy are pedophiles, that he “promises to solve the celibacy problem” that he doesn’t want to convert Evangelicals or that he doesn’t judge a homosexual who “searches for the Lord and has goodwill” they experience confusion, anger, resentment, bewilderment and fear.
Some have given up on Pope Francis. Others say he is “the false prophet” who will accompany the anti Christ in the end times. Others don’t like his dress sense, grumble about his media gaffes and some think they are all intentional and that he is a very shrewd Jesuit who wants to undermine the Catholic faith. The sensationalism doesn’t do any good. These folks should step back and realize they are (in their own way) being just as sensational about Pope Francis as liberals were about Pope Benedict when they called him “God’s Rottweiler” or “Nazi Ratzi” and said he was a closet homosexual and a hater of women.
So if Pope Francis upsets you–and by the way–I’ve had my own moments of head scratching over Francis–here are ten things to remember which help put things in perspective and maintain some balance.
The first thing to remember is that he is the pope. He is not going to change Catholic doctrine or moral teaching. He can’t and he knows that. He may be a “reformer” but there’s only so much he can do. His statement on women priests is an indicator of that: “The door is closed to women’s ordination.”
The second thing to remember is that we have been blessed for the last thirty years with two stellar popes. Most of us don’t remember any other kind of papacy. Both Pope St John Paul II and Benedict XVI have been men of outstanding holiness, intellectual accomplishment, courage and perception, and they were very much bookends. They supported one another. Francis is different, and if he is not their equal in those attributes, he has other strengths. Instead of criticizing him for what he’s not we should be loving him for who he is.
The third thing to remember is that Popes come and go. Each one brings different gifts and different personalities to the papacy. God knows what he’s doing, and if a particular pope challenges your faith…well faith isn’t much good unless it’s challenged. What kind of faith is it it is nothing but certainty and confidence all the time? Think of St Peter walking on the water. That’s faith.
Fourth: is your faith in Jesus Christ and the faith of the church or is it in the pope? Catholics should love the pope, but they should love Jesus more. If one pope comes along who you find difficult to love and understand, take heart. You weren’t supposed to love him that much anyway. It’s okay to love the pope, but those who blame Catholics for idolizing the pope? Well, sometimes they have a point.
Fifth: Check out the times in which we live. With modern social media, every conversation can become a global headline. This is a pope who loves people and relates to them. Here is a pope who connects with people, talks with people, shares with people and embraces people. When this happens there is a multitude of communication risks that take place. The pope says “X” but the person hears “Y” and reports “Z”. Hasn’t this ever happened to you? You’ve had a conversation and it was reported to a third or fourth party and you shriek, “But that’s not what I said!” The only way to avoid this is for the pope to be a silent figurehead in the apostolic palace just waving to people and never saying anything except in a formal papal statement. Maybe some people think this is what the pope should be, and some popes have been content to be that sort of figurehead. Not Francis.
Six: Media people love to write attention grabbing headlines and they know conflict sells. People love to read the gossip. They love to read the scandal. They love to pick up on the negativities. If a sour person can put a negative and shocking headline on a story he will. That’s life. Read More.
ELCA....whew...crazy church nowadays
Francis...bless his heart...is old
Maybe he’ll be replaced by someone more like previous two
But I wonder if Benedict retired without pressure
Is the college of cardinals now lib reaching out with liberation dogma to reel in third world new members?
I’m not Catholic either so I can admit I do not care for his views politically
I love Pope Francis and he’s not once caused me to question his intents.
What has come to light, during his papacy, is just how many so-called Catholics are really protestants.
Is the college of cardinals now lib reaching out with liberation dogma to reel in third world new members?
...I do believe you’ve got something there...in fact, I think it is quite apparent...within my lifetime (no more than 12-15 years from now) I believe we shall see an African pope, with a very re-distributionist ideology...
What has come to light, during his papacy, is just how many so-called Catholics are really protestants.
...strong words...coming from a very weak premise...not a good combination, sparky...
...lots of people dislike Barack Obama...does that make them un-American...?
It’s going to get worse before it gets better. I mean, what do we expect? We have murdered 60 million unborn children in America alone. Now we have churches, that claim to be Christian, marrying homosexuals, including the NATIONAL CATHEDRAL. A great percentage of Americans believe these things are God-given rights. Much of America is pagan and the Christians approve of abortion and sodomy, two of the sins that cry out to Heaven for vengeance.
Prepare yourselves for war, pestilence, persecution and famine. Oh, and have a nice day.
Some have given up on Pope Francis. Others say he is “the false prophet” who will accompany the anti Christ in the end times. Others don’t like his dress sense, grumble about his media gaffes and some think they are all intentional and that he is a very shrewd Jesuit who wants to undermine the Catholic faith. The sensationalism doesn’t do any good. These folks should step back and realize they are (in their own way) being just as sensational about Pope Francis as liberals were about Pope Benedict when they called him “God’s Rottweiler” or “Nazi Ratzi” and said he was a closet homosexual and a hater of women.
So if Pope Francis upsets you–and by the way–I’ve had my own moments of head scratching over Francis–here are ten things to remember which help put things in perspective and maintain some balance.
He could have just summarized it by saying "shut up and kiss the ring."
I was thinking more along the lines of “keep your heads in the sand”.
AMEN.
God had chosen this Pope for a reason. We have to pray for hime and for each other.
Don’t pay any attention to the words that are officially posted on the Vatican website? The words that clearly state that Francis believes “proselytism is downright nonsense” and that “each one of us has his own vision of the Good and also of Evil. We have to urge it [the vision] to move towards what one perceives as the Good” among other gems?
Yes, let’s just ignore that.
He wants everyone to like him. So he tells people what he thinks they want to hear, or what he thinks will make them like him.
Except JPII liked the limelight as well.
...The Protestant Zone.
Not a chance. If the Catholics are wrong, then all Christians are wrong, and I won't become a Protestant, I'll become an agnostic or an atheist.
I find it interesting that a Pope actually acts more like Jesus Christ than any previous Pope I remember and Catholics are upset.
I like this Pope, he is not suppose be a politically correct leader, either left or right, he is suppose to hear God and have a heart like God, I find him quite remarkable and courageous.
And he is supposed to teach that the faith of Rome is to be held.
He doesn’t do that.
That’s probably why you like him.
That is quite a narrow-minded statement. You think if chrstianity is wrong, then every religion must be? Including religions older than chrstianity? Including the religion from which chrstianity pilfered the Bible in the first place.
Seriously, dude . . . atheism and agnosticism are not your only alternatives.
If the Catholics are wrong, then all Christians are wrong, and I won’t become a Protestant, I’ll become an agnostic or an atheist.
Was Pope Stephen wrong when he dug up Pope Formosus and put his corpse on trial?
Apparently you are one who rejects and refuses the power the pope has in the care of souls...does that make you a protestant?
Judaism ceased to exist 2000 years ago. Old Testament Judaism is NOT the Judaism practiced today. The latter is a false religion. Not an option, sorry.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.