"Big hug!"
It's nice to hear from him, but...
It's weird to have two popes. I don't care what anyone says. This has never happened before in any one's memory. Two popes. No schism. No rivalry - except that which the media fabricates.
Benedict and Francis are not much different from one another - that's what I think anyway - they just have a different way of expressing themselves.
If you are interested in the Benedict letter, there's a story on it here. I like what he said to the atheist professor Piergiorgio Odifreddi:
“Dear professor, my criticism of your book is in part harsh. Frankness, however, is part of dialogue: Only in this way can understanding grow. You were quite frank, and so you will accept that I should also be so. In any case, however, I very much appreciate that you, through your confrontation with my Introduction to Christianity, have sought to open a dialogue with the faith of the Catholic Church and that, notwithstanding all the contrasts in the central area, points of convergence are nevertheless not lacking.”People do not like 'harsh' - they do not like it because they think people are 'mean', and mean is not nice. Yet Odifreddi took it very well:
Writing in Monday’s La Repubblica, Odifreddi said few people “can understand the surprise and excitement” you feel on receiving “an unexpected letter from a pope.” He said the letter was delivered on Sept. 3, and he waited to publish it to make sure he had Benedict XVI’s permission. The depth of his answer was “beyond reasonable hopes,” Odifreddi said, and he was particularly surprised that Benedict read his book from cover to cover and wanted to discuss it, as it had been billed as a “luciferian introduction to atheism.”
Odifreddi said the entire 11-page letter will be included in a new edition of his book. He said that he and Benedict may disagree on almost everything, but they have “united in at least one common goal: the search for the Truth, with a capital ‘T.’” - NCRegisterI bet both popes are getting tons of letters in hopes they will respond personally or call them up.
The timing is odd but they best tag team ever! ^^ We have two popes? I don't see it that way. Papa Emerito is retired as he lives at the foot of the Cross now and I am glad for it . I bet he and Papa Francis talk lots and maybe pray together sometimes.
ReplyDeleteIt is a real mystery as to why but I trust in God to work it all out. I just hope all the confusion and naysaying dies down soon. I am tired of it. I love them both and pray for them both. I made the mistake of reading a certain newspaper's article about folks who are in "faithful opposition." The comments were horrible, divisive, and so disrespectful towards the Holy Father. People actually claimed to know more than he and to know what "he actually REALLY meant. All sorts vile was tossed at him.
I think I will believe that in the grand design of heavenly grace and mercy, our dear Father God wants both holy men to support one another, to lift each other up...I will look at them and think of St. Peter and St. Paul.
I rambled but thank you so much Terry for your love of God, for the Church, and for supporting both Papa Francis and Papa Emerito. I hope you will blog for a long time to come, with long vacations in between though so you won't get burned out.
Heck I'd settle for the Pope hanging up on me!
ReplyDeleteI thought it was great that he come out of his seculusion from time to time. I think he intended for the letter to be private, but when asked if publishing the letter would be ok by the Journalist he appears to have taken Francis' nod to be more active then he might have first intended to be...just my thought
ReplyDeleteI think you are right since I read on another Catholic site that it is being speculated they are collaborating their efforts to engage the secular media in an open dialogue. I wanted to find the article but it seems it was taken down. :(
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