The Pope Speaks.
He sent a letter to the bishops on retreat, expressing his desire to be 'physically present' but was unable to do so. The letter in it's entirety is available here. It's excellent.
In a letter distributed to the bishops at the beginning of their Jan. 2-8 retreat, Pope Francis said he was convinced their response to the "sins and crimes" of abuse and "the efforts made to deny or conceal them" must be found through "heartfelt, prayerful and collective listening to the word of God and to the pain of our people."
"As we know," he said, "the mentality that would cover things up, far from helping to resolve conflicts, enabled them to fester and cause even greater harm to the network of relationships that today we are called to heal and restore."
The "abuses of power and conscience and sexual abuse, and the poor way that they were handled" continue to harm the church and its mission, he said, but so does "the pain of seeing an episcopate lacking in unity and concentrated more on pointing fingers than on seeking paths of reconciliation."
Such a division, which goes well beyond a "healthy" diversity of opinions, is what caused him to recommend a retreat because, the pope said, "this situation forces us to look to what is essential and to rid ourselves of all that stands in the way of a clear witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ." - AmericaThis restores my confidence and hope.
Sorry Terry but it is not enough for me. I am at the farthest point away from the institutional RC Church ever in my life.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid you're not alone. Maybe I'm getting senile? Haha!
DeleteSays the man who "rehabilitated" McCarrick knowing that he was an abuser. Says the man who keeps James Martin, SJ employed even though he supports homosexuality. Says the man who continues to keep Cardinals Wuerl, Maradiaga, Mahoney and Daneels in the College of Cardinals and in high positions. Yeah, Francis if full of it...he's an old windbag. HE is the problem in addition to the Bishops.
ReplyDeleteI pray and I cling to faith. Go away.
Delete"This restores my confidence and hope"
DeleteDear Terry,
The letter has only served to strengthen mine. The letter by our Papa is so full hope in affirming and uplifting not only his brothers bishops but the people of God. True, many are wounded, many are angry, many more no longer trust. I understand this and will continue to pray for them all.
As for me, I choose to imitate our Holy Father in forging ahead onward in Christ Jesus. Hoping against hope for restoration, healing, deliverance for His battered Bride, the Church.
She will persevere to the end no matter the betrayals, weaknesses, evils her many children have done or continue to do or will continue to do. All we need do is recall her long history to understand this and yet to this very day, She stands, a light set upon a hill for all to see. She is the salt of the earth, the pillar of truth, the joy of our salvation.
I pray as I always do in these challenging times regardless of the critics of our Holy Father to:
"Rejoice in hope! Endure in affliction! Persevere in prayer!"
All is not lost ... No! Not ever!
Many thanks Yaya - I have the same response as you. I do not think evil things about our Holy Father.
DeleteAmen, dear Terry.
DeleteIn 2019, let's all lift each other up in prayer especially our Holy Father, the entire Church.
I have every confidence that our Risen Lord, his holy Mother, her beloved husband, the glorious Saint Joseph, will see to every last detail in all of this.
Onward then!
Yaya Happy New Year! I knew you would push through all the muck and keep trekking. I admire the Pope and still stand with him, but I do not think one man can clean this very dirty Church of ours. I do not see that any one has. Really grasped the seriousness in the hierarchy. They mouth platitudes and think it will just go away again. It will not, not this time.
ReplyDeleteHope all herein had a wonderful Christmas. May 2019 be a year of renewal, hope and faith!
Delete"I do not think one man can clean this very dirty Church of ours"
ReplyDeleteThat's not entirely true for I know of one ... the Eternal Man. The One who has guided His Bride for two thousand years, in the saving power of grace, in the silent day-to-day workings of the Holy Spirit.
All in good time, con el favor de Dios.
Completely off topic...I've lurked here a few years. I first came to read one of your posts on Charlie Johnston. Just a few days ago I looked him up, and found he is still in business. What's worse, apparently he has teamed up with Desmond Birch, well-known End Times author. They now share Christmas together, and Birch is part of the give-and-take in the comments. When a Catholic expert (on EWTN) teams up with a failed End Times prophet, it looks to be a bad year ahead!
ReplyDelete