I pray for him to convert, as well. Padraig, that is an outstanding rendition of a pig flying. Where do you find these things?
Convert to what? Back to lofty titles and the privileges of nobility and the powerful who oppress people for their own gain and sick pleasure? Condemnation of sinners? We are all sinners. Which of us is best/worst? Should he abandon calling for mercy and charity for the oppressed and poor? For putting them first in line rather than ignoring them? Having charity and love for all no matter their circumstance in this world? This pope has been slandered for everything from being in league with Masons and Nazi puppets in Argentina to underwriting an agreement with China that actively persecutes Christians. I myself bought into it. Obviously from the very beginning he has been a considerable threat to those in positions of great worldly power because the attacks began the very minute he took the balcony dressed in white. The Pope has called for mercy. Mercy for the poorest, the oppressed, the most mixed up, the most confused. Are we not all in some way in this state? Which of us is any better in our sin in the sight of God than anyone else? He has called for unity. His beloved predecessor did this from the start and yet media tells us the two have had a contentious relationship from the beginning. This in spite of the fact they are even taking the vaccine together. In unity.
Don - in many ways I agree with you: mercy is part of our faith and much criticism of the Pope on some other forums is uncharitable and lacks respect for the office. But still 'it is what it is'. Amoris Laetitia, promotion of people like Cardinal Kaspar and Fr James Martin, sacking without explanation of loyal CDF members, a refusal to meet with them, refusal to meet Pompeo, Pachamama, refusal to answer the dubia, abortionists praised, prominent secular humanists invited to speak, the Franciscans of the Immaculate suppressed. Who is sidelined and who is prominent. Is he packing the college of cardinals with people who think like him, or is this a rumour? Pope Benedict didn't surround himself with people who think as he does, he said it was important to have people who were holy but disagreed with him, to remind him of his own frailty. How much has Pope Francis done this? Asking because I genuinely don't know. I like the fact that he revived the role of Papal Almoner and is helping the vagrants around St Peter's and he called for 2021 to be the year of Joseph. I find this papacy troubling and wish I did not, I hope for signs of a revival in holiness, starting from the top. In some ways it's easier to be a simple laywoman; much is beyond my pay grade. I'd hate to be a bishop who will one day answer to God for how he undertook his role. A heavy burden.
There is always hope. I was reading an article these about the Austrian Mystic Maria Simna who says that at the point of death we get a life review and the chance to choose between good and evil: https://mysticpost.com/2021/01/myst...ia-simms-that-everything-about-medjugorje-is/ 'Maria, I would like to ask you: at the moment of death, is there a time in which the soul still has the chance to turn towards God, even after a sinful life, before entering into eternity — a time, if you like, between apparent death and real death? Yes, yes! The Lord gives several minutes to each one in order to regret his sins and to decide: I accept, or I do not accept to go and see God. Then we see a film of our lives.'
Padre Pio said this too, that there is a Last Chance Saloon at the point of death. I must try and look up the quote.
I have the book about/by Maria Simma, 'Get us out of here!'. It's a wonderful read, although the ghost writer has a bit of an agenda of his own, which I just ignore. I used to follow a Catholic journalist's blog, alas no longer active. We got a lot of atheists and people who were clearly searching but in denial. One comment especially disturbed me. I wish I'd answered it but didn't think of it at the time. A man identified as 'Ped' wrote that he had a near death experience and faced a person he believed to be Jesus. He was given the chance to accept him (and so avoid The Other Place). Ped replied that he wanted nothing to do with him. He didn't die, and I felt that maybe God was giving him another chance. I hope so. I do occasionally say a prayer for this poor man when he comes to mind. There are so many sad souls adrift, we see them on the internet, otherwise they don't touch our lives.
You said the word holiness. It's an indefinable quality. It's necessary in the Church. One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. We need all four.
So this stigmatist said the Pope following Pope Benedict would be I know, Heavenly Hosts, I recently said that the Forum owes Padraig an award for Provider of Best Pics, no one else comes close.
I love the idea that everyone gets that split-second chance for repentance at the end. It makes the idea and purpose of purgatory completely align with a completely just and all-loving God coexisting with an eternal Hell. Rejecting God after knowing and understanding his existence is what is unpardonable (which is why the Angels fell.) I also think it's part of why the generation who saw the works of God via Moses and the plagues & the generation that saw the miracles of Christ suffered so much after rejecting God.
