Today there is a New York Times article about the Pope's waning popularity and isolation. It doesn't bother me at all, nor does it worry me. The article quotes Fr. James Martin in an apparent reference to the 'Dubia Brothers' request for clarification ...
As I've said before - these people and their friends on social media and in Catholic media generate the confusion, not the Pope.
Catholic doctrine and the means of Eternal Salvation has not changed one iota for me or for anyone else. The Pope has never taught that it has, nor will he ever do so.
It is the enemies of the Church and the misled enemies of the Pope who are generating confusion in the Church.
Pope Francis is indeed a 'voice crying out in the wilderness'. So what do we expect? As Christ asked his followers, "What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces. Then what did you go out to see? ... A prophet?"
I'm with the Pope.
Today is the feast of my Confirmation patron saint, St. Peter of Verona, who died writing the Creed in his own blood ... that is why I chose him. I have great devotion to the Creed. (It is one of three essential prayers to gain a plenary indulgence BTW.)
But he (Fr. Martin) said that the cardinals, not Pope Francis, were generating confusion in the church.“The crashing irony is that some of the same people under John Paul II and Benedict XVI said that any disagreement with the pope is tantamount to dissent,” Father Martin said. - NYT
As I've said before - these people and their friends on social media and in Catholic media generate the confusion, not the Pope.
Catholic doctrine and the means of Eternal Salvation has not changed one iota for me or for anyone else. The Pope has never taught that it has, nor will he ever do so.
It is the enemies of the Church and the misled enemies of the Pope who are generating confusion in the Church.
Pope Francis is indeed a 'voice crying out in the wilderness'. So what do we expect? As Christ asked his followers, "What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces. Then what did you go out to see? ... A prophet?"
I'm with the Pope.
Today is the feast of my Confirmation patron saint, St. Peter of Verona, who died writing the Creed in his own blood ... that is why I chose him. I have great devotion to the Creed. (It is one of three essential prayers to gain a plenary indulgence BTW.)
S. Peter Martyr, Credo
Thank you Terry. I entirely agree.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, when people are criticizing Pope Francis for being obtuse, too liberal, or too whatever, they compare him to past popes, who, in memory, may seem to be practically perfect. They forget that St. John Paul II received constant complaints for being too conservative, or for making seemingly unwise statements or actions in public (such as kissing the Koran, etc.) It was only when he died that they saw what a true servant of God he was.
Perhaps it will be so with Pope Francis. Aware that the Popes are selected by the grace of the Holy Spirit, it seems to me that to attack the Pope is to attack the Church.
Instead of waiting for him to die to realize his worth, it might be well to pray hard for him, in good times and in bad, and to be loyal to him as our Pope, as Our Lady of Fatima so movingly asked of the children (and of us).
God bless and protect Pope Francis, and all here - Susan, ofs
Your words give me hope and also consolation, Susan, thank you.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this latest post by Terry, I stared to think about the hidden, little ones of God who have been lifted up by Papa Francis. I thought about the old woman whom Papa visited in South America. How he went to that remote village (by a muddy swamp) to be with those who are discarded by "smart society." I remembered the image Terry posted of the old woman uplifted as she and Papa Francis shared a tender moment. She was quoted as saying, "never did she imagine the Pope would come to such a remote place."
I thought about all the homeless, orphaned, refugees, crippled, disabled, misfits, ordinary folk - believers and non-believers who have been touched by our Holy Father's love, prayers, gestures ... these are the little ones whom the Lord loves, these are the treasures who pray and hope and lift Papa up.
What joy to contemplate this truth!
I'm going to continue to pray for our Holy Father. I'm going to continue to entrust him to our Lady and to Saint Joseph too. I'm going to continue to hope that those who oppose him for one reason or another, pause, reflect, and reconcile with him.
Let's pray for wisdom, prudence, patience and understanding but above all for charity.
Sure, there are "clarifications" needed by the many critics of our Holy Father but enough with the negative comments and sneers and self-righteous attitudes.
You wanna be considered?
Start by being respectful and charitable towards our Holy Father and quit passing off your opinion as fact ... kill the slander and the gossip too.
I join my prayers to those of Susan for all. May we be heard.
I support Pope Francis, but in the end, so do those brother Bishops who fraternally question him. To call them his enemies is a mischaracterization I think.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure I haven't accused any of the bishops or cardinals as enemies of the pope. You might be reading that into the posts I do about people who do actually hate the pope. Not sure if you read many Catholic sites or not but there are sites and their contributors which exist who do hate the pope, they pray for his death or removal, and they sensationalize everything the Dubia Brothers and their brother bishops go public with. e.g. Sites that hate the pope would be 1p5, Canonon 212, Vox Cantoris, Ann Barnhardt, the Remnant, etc.. To be sure they are not the Magisterium but they love making Burke and the other pearl clutchers front page news. So that's who I refer to here.
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