Pope Francis -- here is a reliable source for those concerned that Pope Francis was 'misquoted': He also named former foreign minister Emma Bonino, ex-Italian president Giorgio Napolitano, and Lampedusa Mayor Giusi Nicolini as the country's "forgotten greats" for their selfless dedication to building bridges with Africa, to serving Italy, and to upholding the rights of refugees. http://www.ansa.it/english/news/vat...cis_5f7c9c4c-8235-4f50-9eaa-383381292550.html
Therefore, a well-known abortionist and proponent of anti-Christian legislation in Italy cannot be a 'forgotten great'!
I think Jesus would call abortionists 'Pharisees'! Not the people who speak up for the unborn. The unborn have no voice because the are liquidated. Those of us who have decided to speak up for them are their only voice!
I don't know Italy and too well. I see some people say it was possible that the Holy Father did not know really all about her and that it was his Secretariate did not inform him and so it was their fault. This is very, very unlikely as he has a run in with critics about her before and she is big time famous out there. But I would love it to be true. I can't convince myself of it. But how I would love it to be true. However he did mention in the artlce that he knew she held anti Church views . Sigh. I don't see how he could possibly not have known Sigh.
It's not just this that troubles me. It is the silence of practically the entire Catholic World about all this. Especially the media. They are terrified to discuss these goings on. Afraid of consequences. I cannot claim to be brave writing about this, for what have I to loose? Fair play to Michael Brown at , 'Spirit Daily', for providing a link to the story , at least he has a bit of backbone in him, one of the few.
If Jesus had a microphone inches away from His mouth, I am sure we would have heard things like: "Unless you eat My Body and drink My Blood, you will not have eternal life", What did He say?? "It is mealtime, make some room for this group of prostitutes, they are lovely children of God", I spend all this time at Mass, praying, and doing works of mercy, and He prefers the company of sinners?? "Come down from the tree, Zacchaeus, and bring your ill-gotten gains with you because I am staying with you tonight" Was Jesus condoning their sins. No, you can be sure that He loved them first and then opened up their hearts and minds to a better way. So also I am sure our Holy Father is doing the same thing. He has told us as much. I am not going to guess or ponder too hard about his methodology. I just know he is keenly aware that his job skills have to include first and foremost..the Glory of God and the Salvation of Souls. In the volumes of written material given us about the lives of the saints, many popes included, such a momentous job has all of Heaven as advisors and the grace to accomplish what God calls Francis to do. Let's put our intellect and human reasoning aside.........so hard to do for me.......be like the Blessed Mother and ponder quietly in her heart what the heck this all means. Crazy to think that she was carrying the Saviour of Mankind by an act of faith in the Holy Spirit. I believe God is calling us to surrender ourselves completely to Him and His Shepherd.......He rules!
As Christians we are called to look for the good in all people, yes, but I guess, as Christians, we are called to keep our Christian brothers and sisters on track "If you see your brother sin, rebuke him...if he repents, forgive him". I guess that is what Pope Francis is saying when he calls us out as fake Christians? Don't get me wrong, I don't mind him calling me out. I know I am a sinner. My kids are grown, and I know there are a lot times I should have paid more attention and I was not a good example. But when it comes to non-christians, we should only look at the good they do because they don't know any better? Pope Francis may have had more of a conversation with her than we are privy too, I hope, but it was a public statement that he made. I don't agree. He confuses me. On the other hand, now that I think about it, there is a a wiccan in my work who is open about her abortion and other beliefs. She knows I am Catholic, I have only shared my beliefs on abortion when she asked me, I try to build her up in other ways, and I haven't confronted her wiccan beliefs nor have I condemned her. I always thought I was being a fake, timid, christian by not evangelizing her. Actually, truth be told, I don't evangelize anyone. I am a defender though, but only if brought to task. So, I guess it's the same thing that I am doing. But then, I am not the Pope...Whew!
No, it's not put up and shut up. It's just acknowledging that a whole lot more is going on than we are privy to. Fairly soon we are going to be going through a much more than this relatively minor testing of dying to ourselves and trusting God (and His Vicar). If we can't do this now, then when the big stuff hits us we'll sink like a rock. Your website is a great example of how we will stay united and have our strength in numbers. A little background on me. For the majority of my life, I have been one of the most rebellious, resisters of authority on this planet. I like to blame it on the fact that I was raised in an eastern European household with seven brothers and my only sister would cling to our mom for protection. So if the guys said black, I said white. The world's unfair, male-dominated society, blah, blah, blah. Then I got a hold of a book by Sister Josefa Menendez called The Way Of Divine Love. I learned what surrender and obedience was and the unbelievable joy and peace that it produced. Now, I still struggle with jumping to judgment but I believe I totally trust that only God knows what goes on in the heart of a soul. And God will not let His work be undone by anyone. I almost can't wait until all of our means of watching the news are removed from us. Then, we'll just have to close our eyes and look inward and then raise our heads and wait for God. I am not an idealist. I've just tried it the other way and it made my life miserable.
In the Church at the Office we speak of St Thomas (doubting Thomas) and his, 'Felix Culpa', 'Happy fault' of doubting because as the Church teaches, it was because of St Thomas's doubts that entire Church's Faith is confirmed. It is not disobedince to ask the hard questions. You are very much mistaken in this. Many of the saints asked the same kind of difficult questions. This kind of exploration of the truth requires the greatest courage in very, very difficult circumtances and is I believe far more pleasing to the Good God than a silence, which is of its very danger complicit with that which is wrong and a wrongful conception of what true obedience is. There is a time for holding silent and there is a time for speaking out. Would to God, for instance, Bishops, priests and others had spoken out when the child abuse obscenity was going on. But they did not, most of them through a similiar misconception of, 'Holy Obedience'. Silence in the face of wrong and evil is never right. The easiest course , naturally,is to remain silent, but the Road to Calvary is never the easiest path to tread. In a human sense I would much, much rather keep quiet about these grave matters than enter controversary and endure opposition. But prayerfully I feel called called by God to speak and with God's grace I have spoken out, I am speaking out and will continue to speak out till there is no longer a breath in my body to speak out with. Satan always places the easiet path before us, the one strewn with roses. The roses path you place before me of keeping quiet is the one that most appeals to me. But I choose the Way of the Cross. You are, very,very,very much mistaken in this. Satan has mislead you.
How about this: Those of you who do not want to talk about the negative stories about the Pope, just stay off these threads! It's that simple! You don't have to tell everyone else what to do. That way, the people who want to talk about it can, and no one gets upset!
Padraig, I do not suggest that we remain silent. And airing our confusion with one another is a good outlet as we try to make sense of the Pope's words and actions. This is a proper forum to discuss such issues. The problem starts with all of us "experts" and our learned opinions that fall on the ears of the unformed and those teetering on the brink of dumping the faith because they don't know which dissenting voice to follow. You may see this as not carrying our crosses but I am too busy defending the faith with fundamentalist Christians and fallen away Catholics. You are not in danger of losing your faith, are you? Then let's pull back on the pontificating with one another and go after the souls that truly need to have God's light and love revealed to them.
