It is truly disheartening to see this constant barrage of insults of the Holy Father. We might not understand or agree with everything he says, but if you are truly Catholic, you believe he is Christ’s vicar on earth. Instead of bashing him for every word out of his mouth or every action he does, we need to be praying for him. All of these Pope Francis bashing threads just cause more scandal against the church. If you don’t feel you can trust him, trust the Holy Spirit that put him there. I do not know God’s plan in all of this, but I am certain He has one. Give it to God and trust in Him.
“If you don’t feel you can trust him, trust the Holy Spirit that put him there.”
I do not believe for a minute that The Holy Spirit put ‘Francis’ there.
The problem is the encyclical consists almost entirely of unmitigated bullshit.
There wouldn't be these threads if Francis wasn't causing scandal in the first place.
If you don’t feel you can trust him, trust the Holy Spirit that put him there.
Are you sure it was the Holy Spirit that put him there? Are you sure that the Cardinals were listening to the Holy Spirit?
I do not know God’s plan in all of this, but I am certain He has one.
Oh, I trust that He will bring good out of this. Part of that good is that Catholics are discussing the bad about Francis. Would you have told Saint Athanasius to shut up too?
I agree with your statement that the Holy Spirit effectively put the Pope in place. And am bewildered by the Pope’s attitude with respect to the remarks he makes, and yet he seems to have no understanding of how his words are taken. Beyond that, the encyclical has some paragraphs (23, 24 and 25, for example) that the Church will never be able to defend. Pray for Pope Francis; he has surrounded himself with some real hare-brains for advisors.
Why the false title “Holy Father”? Never did we see Paul, Peter, James etc be referred to in this manner.
You are dangerously close to making the Pope an idol. Which is pretty common since JPII.
The Pope, even in Catholic theology, can be wrong. There have been Popes condemned before.
Would you agree with this?:
“Even if the Pope were Satan incarnate, we ought not to raise up our heads against him, but calmly lie down to rest on his bosom. He who rebels against our Father is condemned to death, for that which we do to him we do to Christ: we honor Christ if we honor the Pope; we dishonor Christ if we dishonor the Pope. I know very well that many defend themselves by boasting: “They are so corrupt, and work all manner of evil!” But God has commanded that, even if the priests, the pastors, and Christ-on-earth were incarnate devils, we be obedient and subject to them, not for their sakes, but for the sake of God, and out of obedience to Him.”
St. Catherine of Siena, SCS, p. 201-202, p. 222, (quoted in Apostolic Digest, by Michael Malone, Book 5: “The Book of Obedience”, Chapter 1: “There is No Salvation Without Personal Submission to the Pope”)
http://indefenceoftheholyfather.blogspot.com/2013/12/saint-catherine-of-sienna-even-if-pope.html#!/2013/12/saint-catherine-of-sienna-even-if-pope.html
It is disheartening isn't it?
Maybe if Francis didn't yap so much about that which he does not know, that which is heresy, and that which is pure socialism and instead acted like a Catholic Pope and started to finally protect and defend what has been handed down to him regarding the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, we won't see such critiques. Ever think of that?
On the other hand, Francis appears to have performed his first miracle. Maybe he'll beatify himself: