Funny - Pope Francis didn't mention "the biological solution" - not even once?
No wonder all the 25-30+++ year old trad-lodytes despise him.
(Vatican Radio) A brilliantly sunlit St. Peter’s Square was the scene Sunday morning for a great gathering of senior citizens – and especially grandparents – who had come to Rome to be with Pope Francis, to exchange life stories and hear the Holy Father’s reflections on the importance, the struggles, and the beauty of life in the old age. People of every state in life were present: elderly clergy and religious, including Pope-emeritus Benedict XVI; single people; married couples, including a couple of elderly refugees from Iraq, Mubarak and Aneesa Hano, Christians from the country’s north who have been forced to flee their home by Islamic State militants; and widows and widowers.
“Old age, in particular, is a time of grace,” said Pope Francis, “in which the Lord will renew His call: He calls us to preserve and transmit the faith, calls us to pray, especially to intercede; calls us to be close to those who maybe in need.” The Holy Father went on to warn against losing sight of and appreciation for the inestimable worth of those, who are in the twilight of life. “A people that does not have care for [the elderly], that does not treat them well, has no future: such a people loses its memory and its roots.” - VR
Save the elderly-save the world.
Put that on your bumper sticker.
Hey Terry,
ReplyDeleteI thought the really nasty rad Cath reactionaries were part of the old generation and the younger trads didn't share the spite of their generation (generally speaking)?
Maybe. ;)
DeleteJulian - many of the more spiteful online anti-papists are still in their 30's and 40's.
DeleteWell, if any thing is biblical, it's the "biological solution". The faithlessness of some generations vis-a-vis other generations is a recurring theme of the Old Testament, as is the cleansing of Israel through the biological solution. Jesus speaks of a "wicked and perverse generation" in both Matthew 16 and 17.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Pope Benedict doesn't really stand as a counter-example to the biological solution argument, because he is remarkable precisely because he resisted the spirit of his age. Same goes for Mother Angelica, and Frs. Thwaites and Hardon. Some older priests have publicly lamented the wide gap in understanding between young priests and those over 60. I've rarely had a troubling experience with a young priest while I've seen and heard dozens of troubling things from older priests.
Ha! Stoning and beheading is biblical too. LOL!
ReplyDeleteIt appears I have successfully distorted the meaning of the whole day. Poor Francis - everything he does get's distorted by our blog posts.
The faithfulness/unfaithfulness of Israel and accompanying chastisements are a major theme of scripture (unlike stoning, beheading), and carry through to the new covenant (unlike stoning/beheading). Thus Christ speaks of the "wicked, perverse generation" and then the coming siege/genocide by Rome and destruction of the Temple.
DeleteBTW, thanks to Amy Welborn for pointing out that Cupich banned Shea and Al Kresta from speaking/catechizing in Spokane. Now that's funny, and no doubt a big misunderstanding.
@ Terry...
DeleteNah...the more negative folks have to be put aside. I did that and enjoyed the pictures of Papa Francis and Papa Emerito basking in the sun along with so many other faithful who have endured the storms of life and the bumpy road of faith. They still walk the walk and that is what matters in the end.
One thing I admire about Papa Francis is the fact that he continues to go about his day giving glory to God and walking daily with Mary regardless of the naysayers.
Sorry to be so touchy and bitter, but I don't know how else to react to the definitive announcement that the gates of hell have been opened.
Deletehttp://www.markmallett.com/blog/hell-unleashed/#more-16398
It may not be safe to go out after dark...
Scott - I saw that! Siri said it first though - don't forget.
DeleteWe must all unite in prayer. God bless you.
Gates of hell being opened is one thing. We know the story. We know who wins in the end. Oh, and remember the devil don't like music by the river Styx. Sing, you sinners!
Deletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rgRg6ceHvk
I hope Pope Francis continues to talk, loudly, about the elderly - in fact, I wish he would visit 'some' nursing homes on his visit here, or while visiting Anywhere. It is .... sort of awful ..... in the sense that the Really old all get warehoused. Although the good ones give the visual sense of an up-scale college dorm, it is still just very difficult. I do not see many/any of the residents calling upon their reserves of spiritual strength: I see them clinging so hard to life, being increasingly needy, often verbally/physically abusive to staff/nursing, fussy in all their superficial needs, and, generally, exhaustingly demanding. Yesterday, in the oh-so-nice dining room (where it is 80 degrees and I nearly melted from the physical work in this heat for hours) I was actually ready for their arrival after Mass... the one day that almost all of them get assistance in getting wheeled in, the only day that the nuns who own the place show up: family members come: the priest is there: always, the food is amazingly good, which is helpful as I still go to a food bank and Hope I can continue to qualify for $100 a month food stamps: I went to work there knowing I'd be able to eat there. an important thing, when people everywhere in the US are vastly underpaid, as am I, at 8,60 an hour. The thing is: this population is a cash-cow for the nursing home/medical industry: even for nuns, which surprised me....none of whom are 'nice' to the workers. ever. despite everything, the staff are unfailingly kind to the residents. me, included. This rant is because....I really do not understand why...the elderly themselves do not (seem to) ever reflect on their end-of-life status, there is Never a mention of death, when it occurs it is so quickly swept away. narry a word of reconciliation with one's state, narry a suggestion that to be kind to others is not an adage to be thrown out the door upon reaching 80 (or, 70, in some cases). It is Extremely Stressful: if this is read, I am sure most of you have gone through the last years, moments of your parents/partners lives, and know what a run-away train it can be. It is, really, the time when it is most, most essential to speak and pray about Mercy. In my mothers last years, she wrote poetry almost every day and it was usually addressed to God, and full of questions about why she was still alive ( she died shortly after her 93rd birthday), as well as intimate thanks to Him. I have a box-full. Well, thus I Know that awareness is possible.
ReplyDeleteI Do feel compassion, most/much/some of the time...always I Am aware of the fact that these often pitiful people have an angel nearby, their witness, all these years, and I wonder about it all. Pneumonia used to be called 'the old persons friend': now, with much medical intervention, it is no longer. Old age is a very sorry state, a time when one is so dependent upon others for the most intimate of needs - a time, I have seen, not of peace, prayer, acceptance, penance, but rather one of lashing out in anger that the 'good years' of strength, power, independence are no more. a time of surliness & often rage. and no, I am not speaking of the ones with dementia - but of those like Us, with all of these human failings often just under that thin surface. I do not know the purpose of this rant of mine, but to respond to the Pope - to please speak even louder, and explain it all to me.
however: this is my day off, I'll be back up at 4 am tuesday, today I must finally get an on-sale phantom hydrangea into the hole I dug a week ago. There is a mass at 6 pm I can get to, as I work every weekend (I get 50 cents an hour more for that) and I am too exhausted to get to Mass. I will delete this in a few hours.
Consolata, today.
No! Don't delete it Consolata - this is very important - everything you have written - it is so important for us to read. People - many, many people do not understand - you say it well.
DeleteGod bless you and kiss you for the good work you do - I hope he consoles you shows you how wonderful your work is - he knows how exhausting your work is.
Prayers and God bless you!
Okay - you can delete if you want to - I copied it and I'm doing a separate post. Hang in there and rest up!
DeleteThank you Terry, as always, (weeping a little, like a fool).
DeleteI actually bought Two of those damn bushes: not thinking about how hard it is to dig a hole in clay. I got peat moss. off to the ground. my fury will find release with a spade.