Blognicked.
Meet the Blogger Priest Who ...
“... is much more convinced about the Christian character of Donald Trump than of Pope Francis. That’s remarkable.” - Saith Faggioli.
The article itself begins with this anecdote:
Last January, a Catholic asked a priest for spiritual guidance. Upset by the progressive direction Pope Francis has taken the church since his election in 2013, the person wondered whether it was a sin to pray for the pontiff to abdicate, or even, to die.
“No,” the priest, Father John Zuhlsdorf, replied. “It is not necessarily sinful to pray for the end of a pontificate, one way or another ... Popes come and go. In our prayers, we can, without sinning, discuss with God about His time table.” - Blogger Priest Firing Red Pills at the VaticanJust the title of the article is scandalous.
So is some of the stuff Fr. Z writes. That bit of advice praying for the demise of the Pope is not only scandalous but sure comes off as terrible advice proffered as spiritual direction. That is not how we are to pray. Not at all. That is not the way of perfection - to which we are all called. That is not humility. It is a horrible instruction on prayer and the imitation of Christ. A Catholic Christian prays as Christ taught us ...
Our Father
Who art in Heaven
Hallowed be thy Name,
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done -
On earth
As it is in Heaven ...
We do not tell God or ask Him to do our will.
“Frankly,” Fr. Z told BuzzFeed News, “It’s not a sin."
It may not be a sin, but it seems to me it would certainly a fault and an imperfection, and certainly not at all pleasing to God. Likewise, it's pretty bad spiritual direction.
I wonder what will happen now?
I thought that prayer doesn't change God, it changes ME. Which would mean that however I might feel about something, prayer would enable me to bear it, even be joyful about it. You know...THY will, not MY will be done. Sometimes I read Fr. Z and I am like "right on!" and then he says stuff like that and I am just shaking my head.
ReplyDeleteGlad I quit his blog years ago ... frankly, Papa gives much better advice than Z does.
ReplyDeleteHappy Feast Day of the Presentation! I like the thought of being presented to the Lord in His temple by our Lady Mary and St. Joseph.
My hope and my prayer is that on the day of my death, if I am found worthy, I hope they will take me by the hand and present me to the Lord. <3
Meh ... my post disappeared again. Like I said, glad I quit his blog years ago as it was spiritually not a healthy place for me.
ReplyDeleteYours is far more superior as is Papa Francis's advice. Gracias, Terry!
Jesus calls us to be charitable, pray for sinners, pray for those who persecute us and pray that His Church will be one; He doesn't ask us to pray for the demise of popes... I would think it is prideful to pray that the Pope, who is elected at a conclave guided by the Holy Spirit, ought to step down. Whether it's a sin or not, there's certainly no virtue gained.
ReplyDeleteThe teaching of the Church is that conclaves can make mistakes. They are not infallible. They can certainly choose contrary to the will of the Holy Ghost. If, as you seem to believe, conclaves ALWAYS choose the candidate the Holy Ghost has willed, how do you explain the myriad wicked Popes we have had? Was it God's will to have these wicked men elected Pope? Of course not. Conclaves can err. And when it becomes clear that they have elected someone who is wicked, it is our duty to pray that it ends soon.
Delete@ Theodoric ... Amen!
DeleteAmen Theo and Yaya.
DeleteI pray for the end of the pontificate of Frankie every day. It's up to God how He chooses to bring that about. My confessor tells me there is nothing wrong with that prayer. It's often a good and virtuous prayer to ask God to end something that is bad.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your opinion/example since it continues to affirm what kind of Catholic I do not want to be.
DeleteViva il Papa!
Hey Mr. Beckett - Rad Trads refuse to pray for Pope Francis by name during the Te Itgur. BUT pray for Pope Francis by name during Latin Mass when praying for his death!?! WHAT?
DeleteThat's crazy!
oh and LOL!
DeleteListen - you can pray for whatever you want, but like Our Lord told the disciples, 'you know not of what spirit you are.' When my mother was dying, I prayed every day she could go quickly and not suffer - in effect I was praying for her death - I also prayed for her holy death. God in his providence understood what and how he was working in her soul, she died a holy death. I later understood I was praying for her to die quickly because I didn't know how to have compassion - to suffer with her and support her in her suffering. My prayer was selfish and contrary to meekly accepting God's will. Sometimes the sufferings we experience and blame others for are for our sanctification and the sanctification of the person we pray for. Like Angela said - prayer changes us, not God. God is the judge of Popes, not us.
ReplyDeleteI pray for the Pope every single day, many times throughout the day.
Fr. Z went out of his way to explain why and how praying for the Pope's intentions is not the same as praying for the Pope, this in addition to saying you can go ahead and pray for his death or resignation. Good luck with that.
I would rather, and I do, pray in thanksgiving for Pope Francis, for his intentions and for his person.
See I knew you should have never become friends with Fr Z in your dreams!
DeleteOh and why didn't the writer go after Fr. Z' practice of packing guns under his vestments when saying mass?
DeleteI love your expression when you headline him "Gun Nut, Fr. Z" I wish that would have been included as well.
DeleteMaybe in his next article - I sent him an email.
DeleteI'm a little puzzled by the comments condemning people who essentially are praying for freedom from error. There were many bad popes, kings, spiritual leaders, etc. throughout history. Was it wrong for those in W.W. II to pray for an end to Hitler's evil reign? How about Henry VIII and Elizabeth I? I don't pray for people to die, but I do pray for God to remove them from their powerful and tyrannical positions. I'd prefer their conversion but how God chooses to remove evil men is up to him.
ReplyDeleteYou think the Pope is an evil man then? You can judge his papacy ahead of historians and compare him to bad popes of history? You compare him to Hitler? Henry VIII? Elizabeth I? God asks us to pray for the overthrow of tyrants? Is that what Paul taught the first Christians? Did heaven ever request we pray for the overthrow of a pope? Didn't OL come to Fatima and request we pray for the Holy Father because he will have much to suffer? So now we know more than Our Lady?
DeleteI think Our Lady called for prayers for the conversion of sinners - never naming them, never calling out individuals such as Marx, Lenin, Stalin. God prefers conversion as well, and you are correct, what he chooses to do with evil men is up to Him. Likewise, that sort of judgement is better left up to Him.
Well said, Terry.
DeleteGodwin's Law - last refuge of the incompetent. And a sign of a complete lack of proportion or perspective. Show us 6 million souls lost thanks to Pope Francis specifically, then we can actually discuss this scandalous comment.
DeleteP.S. Jean Adamson called, she wants her characters back. =)
I just read this today, Terry. You put a lot of words in my mouth that I did not say. All I was commenting on was to say that we should pray to be freed from error. I didn't even mention the pope. I'm disappointed in the rash judgment. I used to come to your blog almost every day. I rarely do now. Many of you condemn others for judging while you make unkind comments about those with whom you disagree like Raymond Arroyo.
DeleteThis debate reminds me of our own national political debate at the moment. There is no room for reconciliation. We have turned a corner in human history. A dark and scary corner too. I am reading now SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard. Change the dates and the name and guess what. It is us! Destroy your enemy by any means. Offer rude and violent entertainment to the masses. Worship the gods ala prosperity gospel. Greed, lust and deceit. The more the better. Then lie about it even when exposed. Sound familiar? It was the monasteries who saved knowledge and values after the fall of Rome. I pray they can do it again. That is if any are around to do it. I sound too pessimistic I know. Actually, my own life is good. I am at peace and not worried for myself. I have easy access to the sacraments, love my rosary and look forward to seeing my lost loved ones. I like watching reruns of Perry Mason, Twilight Zone and Touched by an Angel. It is easy to withdraw. Problem is I have children and grandchildren who inherit this mess. I have no idea what can be done for them. Except to pray.
ReplyDeleteIt's okay to argue with God and even to accuse God, says Pope Francis. So, it's okay to get into a wrestling match with God and ask for the Pope's death. Even the Pope thinks so.
ReplyDelete