For the gift of this Synod and for the constructive spirit which everyone has shown, in union with the Apostle Paul "we give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers" (1 Th 1:2). - P. Francis
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And, as I have dared to tell you, [as] I told you from the beginning of the Synod, it was necessary to live through all this with tranquillity, and with interior peace, so that the Synod would take place cum Petro and sub Petro (with Peter and under Peter), and the presence of the Pope is the guarantee of it all. - P. Francis
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We will speak a little bit about the Pope, now, in relation to the Bishops [laughing]. So, the duty of the Pope is that of guaranteeing the unity of the Church; it is that of reminding the faithful of their duty to faithfully follow the Gospel of Christ; it is that of reminding the pastors that their first duty is to nourish the flock – to nourish the flock – that the Lord has entrusted to them, and to seek to welcome – with fatherly care and mercy, and without false fears – the lost sheep. I made a mistake here. I said welcome: [rather] to go out and find them. - P. Francis
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Thank you, our dear and beloved Pope Paul VI!
Thank you for your humble and prophetic witness
of love for Christ and his Church! - P. Francis
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A journey where the stronger feel compelled to help the less strong, where the more experienced are led to serve others, even through confrontations. And since it is a journey of human beings, with the consolations there were also moments of desolation, of tensions and temptations, of which a few possibilities could be mentioned...
- P. Francis
(All quotes taken from Whispers in the Loggia)
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Indeed this is truly a blessed day. I was kinda worried with all your posts lately... :))) I see the disturbance and the worry...which is normal especially during times like this...
ReplyDeleteBut time and again, the Lord has affirmed us of his anointing to our dearly beloved Pope Francis. Through his latest statements through the speech, despite the sourpusses who continue to criticize him at every turn, he has re-affirmed His confidence on the Holy Spirit's anointing upon him. He has also assured us that it is the Spirit of TRUTH that leads him, and leads us as well.
Let's continue to lift him up to our prayers :) Being a Catholic outside the Western Hemisphere, and having the ability to have lived in the Middle East for 10 years, I can assure you that the Synod is tackling the problems it's supposed to be.
I just hope our brethren in the West (More specifically in the Northern Americas and of Europe) can finally wake up and realize that the Church does not revolve around them, and their ways, means and understandings may not be necessarily "Universal" that there is a chance that there is a better perspective...or another perspective that can add upon that exists outside the west.
I just hope that we realize that these FALSE DICHOTOMIES, these extremes that we do hinders us from fulfilling our mission of leading one another to Christ. As pope Francis said, our enemy is not our fellow human being...we only have one common enemy and that is the Devil.
Let's transcend these battle of ideologies, both pretending to contain the truth of Christ, which in fact could never be contained for it is immensely powerful and limitless, as Pope Francis said, we can not have a monopoly of TRUTH.
And let's move forward with Faith, Joy and Hope in our Hearts!
Thanks so much. The Holy Father rightly called these things 'temptations' and it appears many of us succumbed to them.
DeleteBut today's joy far outweighs the faults committed.
I appreciate so much what you say here:
"I just hope our brethren in the West (More specifically in the Northern Americas and of Europe) can finally wake up and realize that the Church does not revolve around them, and their ways, means and understandings may not be necessarily "Universal" that there is a chance that there is a better perspective...or another perspective that can add upon that exists outside the west."
I agree.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and the joy of the Holy Spirit on this glorious day!
Joy and peace be with you!
Terry
I keep telling people that all through church history, any time they call a synod, council or any type of meeting, it's to reiterate church teaching, not to change it. I don't love that Burke is going to be exiled to Malta; he has way too much to offer to send him to a small see, but I can see that putting someone who appears more squishy in a more prominent position will make people feel more welcomed although it won't change doctrine. If Francis wants Fuzzy Cardinal Wuzzy to be his go to guy, who am I to judge?
ReplyDeleteWhat?
If two positions are diametrically opposed how can they be unified? I agree we should lift all of the hierarchy up in prayer beginning with the pope. But some positions are irreconcilable. For example, many so-called Catholic groups insist abortion is acceptable. What possible common ground is there between them and Church teaching on the sanctity of life from its beginning? There are dichotomies that are not false and cannot be resolved. If all could have been resolved certainly Jesus Christ would have done it. But he went to the cross.
ReplyDelete"If two positions are diametrically opposed how can they be unified?"
DeleteActually a dear priest friend of mine said something quite similar.
Hi Mary Ann! Actually I agree with you, that indeed some positions are irreconcilable. Same Sex Marriage will NEVER be Sacred, Abortion will NEVER be Right, Contraception will NEVER be valid and as per personal belief Communion while in the state of Mortal Sin should NEVER be permitted. However these aren't the dichotomies that I am referring to. I am referring to these ideologues of "Conservatism" and "Liberalism" as if these are the only two choices.
DeleteWherein you can not be Conservative and Critical of Capitalism at the same time
Wherein you can not be Conservative and to prefer the Novus Ordo and be an active Charismatic Catholic.
These are the false dichotomies that continues to plague us today, these are what I think Pope Francis refers to in his speeches as the things (and people) that BOXES the Holy Spirit. When we stick to a Fully formed "Human" ideology, mistaking it for a Divine Truth, when in fact, the divinely revealed truth of Christ is yet to be fully Revealed....These are mere Traditions of Men.
That's why I think Pope Francis perplexes Conservatives and confuses Liberals. Because he transcends their petty ideologies. He transcends these labels and compartments that hinders the Holy Spirit in uniquely and yet universally touching each and everybody's heart.
He may sound "Liberal" for some, when actually the things he is saying is the same as Pope Benedict and those before him. Some claim him for their own (note: Liberals more often) but we know in our heart of hearts that he belongs to Mary and Jesus.
Good and Evil can never be resolved, but as we can see in the world today there are many innocent souls sucked into these battles without having the opportunity to hear a MERCIFUL and yet VALID proclamation on the truth of Christ. We can blame these to poorly formed consciences, and we can't blame them...
I believe that the same way our Fathers before us has been patient, the same way that our dear Lord Jesus Christ has been patient...we too are called to Compassion, we too are called to be patient still to those who do not understand.
I am not calling for a compromise, or heaven forbid the melding of good in bad. I just think that we may need to journey with them, in a real sense not in a pretentious and condescending sense, and stop labeling and categorizing things, as if the measurement of Good and Bad is based on how Conservative or Liberal a person is.
That's why I love this Church, that's why I love Catholicism...because we are assured by the Spirit's guidance...in truth and Love.
Thank you for the clarification. I agree with much of what you wrote.
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