I did agree with parts of this article, but not all of it. It is not difficult to know what the Catholic faith is - so it is not difficult to know when it is being violated. No one is placing themselves in the wheat, or others in the tares. Only the Lord can judge. But, on the other hand (John 7:24) we are commanded to "judge with righteous judgment" and so we can judge ideas being put forth as being compatible or incompatible with the Catholic faith. Yes, we have to be careful about it and make sure we are fully and properly informed as to our Faith first. The categories of "Traditionalist", "Liberal", "Conservative" are unhelpful - the only two categories I am interested in are "orthodox" and "heterodox." Another error....just because the Christian faith is not primarily an ideology does not mean that there are no ideas/doctrines contained in it, or that the changing of doctrines is not a danger to it. Also, as far as the Lutheran woman, it seems to be clear to many, including the author above, exactly what Pope Francis meant (and that it is perfectly orthodox), but no one seems to be willing to say exactly what it is that he meant, because for many stupid people, including me, it is not obvious at all. Finally, no one denies that Pope Francis has a lot of insightful and important things to say. No one is denying all of the good things he says and does, just questioning those other parts which are difficult to understand, and appear to be tending away from orthodoxy.
AN OPEN LETTER TO POPE FRANCIS Most Holy Father, Bishop of Rome, Francis: I note your overture to a Lutheran woman at the Lutheran church on Via Sicilia in Rome on 15 November 2015, the one who asked about intercommunion (starting minute 21.00 on the Vatican YouTube video). I had to wonder before if your recent interview with Eugenio Scalfari was correctly reported. I now have no doubt. With due respect to your person and your office, I ask you not to make this kind of thing part of what you want to publish about the Synod with the authority of the infallible ordinary magisterium, which you inferred you would most certainly do in your speech of October 17, 2015. If you do this, going against the doctrine of the Church, grave matters of faith and morals, on so very many points on so very many levels (HERE), and precisely as the Bishop of Rome, the Successor of Peter, and this not just to a journalist, or a single woman, but to the universal Church, deciding what is now a matter of extreme controversy, well, you won’t be able to do it. You will either die or be incapacitated, much as Pope Sixtus V dropped dead before he could accomplish his own will on a matter also touching on marriage and divorce, which I wrote about for your own benefit, HERE. You say that you won’t decide on such matters, as you absolutely don’t have the capacity to do this, since, instead, as you have it, that competency for such a decision lies with the individual conscience of an individual person, or at the most in consultation with a priest, such as myself, named now by the Holy See to be one of your very own Missionaries of Mercy. However, Holy Father, as you know from your experience in Argentina, method is also doctrine. To say, for instance, that a priest-confessor in the internal forum can come up with solutions by which he can enable adulterers to go to Communion, then, this is a doctrine that would then be proclaimed. But the Bishop of Rome has no right to change the truth before the Living God, who is Himself Living Truth. You will not get the chance to do this, as you will surely die of natural causes, or because you are martyred, or because you are otherwise incapacitated. As your loyal son and a loyal son of the Church, must I not also say, in all humility, that to shake your fist at the Church so as to impose your own will on the Church against the Church is a sin? I ask you this, Holy Father, as one of your own Missionaries of Mercy. I am guessing that you are also subject to Mercy, are you not? It is a great mercy also to be reprimanded by someone who wishes everything good for you, is it not? I ask you not to take revenge on me for trying to have mercy on you. Please, Holy Father, grant me your paternal blessing, and be not angry with this your servant: Hier stehe ich. Ich kann nicht anders. Gott helfe mir. — Father George David Byers // 16 November 2015 // Andrews, NC, USA
It is a fair question which I would answer this way. It is fairly easy to speak about right and wrong, what the rules say and what the rules don't say, what is allowed and what is not allowed. This is why the internet is full of people telling us about these things but Pope Francis generally avoids these questions. Francis is almost always talking of matters of the heart. This is much more difficult and inevitably is open to misunderstandings. This is why Jesus had such a difficult time with His apostles! They were very slow to understand what He was saying, even when Jesus would repeat Himself. But it is matters of the heart that God is most interested in!
Other Popes such Pope St John Paul 2 the Great, did not seem to have these difficulties? Did they not speak on matters of the 'heart'? What makes Pope Francis so special he needs the the Vatican Press Office offering , interpretations and glosses of what, 'He really meant was this,' all the time? What makes this Pope so special? Is he really saying such exalted things people cannot understand them? I mean really? Or is what he is saying so hard to swallow that the Vatican Press Office is rushing to give us a glass of water to help the stuff go down, since we might quite possibly choke to death on it?
I play The Old Bog road by Louise Morrisey regularly for an 86 year old patient and friend of mine while I treat him. He sings along. He still goes for long walks in the hills. Herb has 6 children and is a life long Catholic. One of his sons was an All Black. Of course we have just lost Jonah Lomu R.I.P. the most famous All Black of recent rugby history. He died suddenly yesterday morning aged 40. My old friend and I often discuss the Catholic faith. He is a deep thinker. He knows the teachings of the church. While we share a love of Pope Francis we disagree on much. He has come to the conclusion that heaven is full of non catholic good people and that people should not be excluded from communion just because they are non Catholic. I of course voice my disagreement. My old friend is a good man and is always helping others as is his wife. He is happy to die with the above conclusions on his soul. He has a clear conscience. Similary Jonah led a life tirelessly working for the poor and underpriviledged. He was married three times. Did he go to hell? I hope not but that has now been decided. There seems to be so many obstacles between us and heaven. Jesus unburdened his people from the excessive obligations of the Law. He said that not one iota of the Law would change until "all this was accomplished." At at the end, as he gifted his departing spirit to His heavenly Father he said "It is accomplished." I cannot help but feel Pope Francis is cooperating in this accomplishment by freeing us from excessive focus on legislation which seemed right in its day. In my work for pro-life in England we often appealed to the original intention of the law makers as we tried to achieve repeal of pro abortion laws. Likewise Jesus appealed to the original intention of The Creator as He brought us into being: "That they may be One even as You and I are one." There was only one law: obey God. And Adam disobeyed. Similarly Jesus gives us one law: "if you love me keep my word." He has entrusted interpretation of his word to Peter and his succesors. In His own words Jesus said that unworthy reception of Communion consists of not discerning His Real Presence. The church has expanded on this by saying that those in mortal sin are unworthy. In my view worthy communion is essential to salvation. It is also the view of Jesus. "Unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you cannot have life eternal in you. My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink." This then is the Bread of Life given up for us in the Greatest Sacrifice of Love ever, a Sacrifice whose effects reach from the beginning to the end of time. A sacrifice that unites us with His Glorified Body and makes us fit for heaven. What else makes us fit for heaven -" I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me to drink, sick and in prison and you visited me etc etc" How can protestants then say we are saved by faith alone? Jesus says differently. We have to cooperate in his lo4ve. Looking at and listening to Pope Francis, can you honestly say he is betraying this love? I can't. He is a brave man and a good man. Hopefully we have not long to wait to see heaven's confirmation that he is a true man. I for one need no more confirmation. I am for God and Pope, safe in the Barque with Francis at the helm. Corpus Domini Nostri Jesu Christi custodiat animam meam in vitam aeternam. Amen.
I try to be an orthodox catholic, how do I get a private meeting with the pope? If this doesn't make you gag, nothing will: https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/popes-gay-friend-claims-activists-should-credit-francis-for-steps-to-advanc?utm_source=LifeSiteNews.com Daily Newsletter&utm_campaign=21d97b1458-LifeSiteNews_com_US_Headlines_06_19_2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0caba610ac-21d97b1458-397687789
You seem to be missing my point and that of the latest message from the Amazon, who's messages you declared you support (unless you've now changed your mind on now too). The point is the Vatican is a target for destruction because so few are praying for her or in other words for Pope Francis as its head. You use to get so mad at those who would critisize the Holy Father and would quickly kick them off for questioning statements he allegedly said (just ask Brian K). When was the last time you or Brian said anything on MOG reference to praying for him? This was what the last message of the Amazon was saying. If one can only critisize and not pray for the Vicar of Christ how is it you are not concerned about answering to this on judgement day?
Sorry, but I assumed praying for the Pope and his intentions was a given in every day of the spiritual life for a committed Catholic. It isn't, and the forum members here need a daily reminder? By the way, we prayed the 54 day Rosary Novena and then continued it through the Synod, specifically for him, by name. Should I have told everyone about that here?
Have not heard this before but it is intriguing to me. https://cdn.fbsbx.com/hphotos-xpt1/...be2f3525e4f51c28545bc109f253&oe=564E974A&dl=1
I don't really know how to respond to posts that are basically a tirade. I don't want to pray for the Pope? (Really? ) I only want to criticize the Pope but one time I was praising him (doesn't that show a process of discernment?) I'm sorry how do you know I am not praying for the Pope? This is not a football stadium, calm down, ask reasonable logical questions and I will respond. I understand you are upset, but I can't respond coherantly to emotional incoherancy. Want do you want; for me to rant back? Really?
I have a question Padraig. Correct me if I am wrong but you seem to be saying that Pope Francis is actively trying to undermine the church. How do you know that all of this could not be chalked up to ignorance on the Pope's part, or ineptness?, or some type of disorder? How do you know if Pope Francis will end up being a Pope St. Celestine V or a Pope Alexander Borgia?
Once again you and Brian are not reading what I have said. Again, it is well noted that you both critisize our Holy Father on this thread many times over, yet I have not seen one post from either of you where you are calling for prayer for him. Which would our Lord and the Blessed mother call for? Secondly, assuming you still follow some current prophecy, can you name just one that is either critisizing or calling for the critisism of Pope Francis, because I can name several that arecalling for prayers for him and none that are critisizing him. Just my observations.
Although personally I think he does show evidence of astonishing immaturities at time, rather like an adolsescent or pre adolescent. I would have to read back in his bio's to understand this better. But this is just my personal opinion. I'm not knocking him for this, he is human , like the rest of us. But putting it in a nutshell in some ways he has never grown up.
Though I admit I find Liberal attitudes and views as having their origin in the most profound immaturity. So I am biased to start with.
Yes, I like that he talks of matters of the heart and stresses that the Church isn't all about rules and regulations. Maybe he encountered too much focus on rules and not enough on mercy in Argentina and he's trying to redress the balance. Mercy is great. There's also the little matter of judgement which isn't such a populist message unless it's directed at "pharisees" who actually believe what the Church has taught for 2000 years. Do you think that Pope Francis was bothered about the heart of the bishop transferred to the backwater - was it the Knights of Malta? Whose hearts was he worried about when he made facetious references to Pharisees and gnosticism, etc? Was he telling us that Jesus didn't really mean what he said about adultery and discerning the body - that his predecessors who took these matters very seriously were wrong and that we are wrong for agreeing with them? Anyone who thinks our pope is immature is seriously underestimating him. Now, he could be following the "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" line in his friendships with non-Catholics and anti-Catholics which is fine with me. He could be going after the stray sheep, which is great. Maybe some day he will spare a thought for the sheep in the pews who soldier on with very little encouragement and could be excused for thinking he undermines them every time he makes these supposedly impromptu comments. I have a real issue with his cosy relationship with some of those German bishops. I just cant shake off the feeling that church finances could be the driving force behind their novel approach to who may receive the Body of Christ. I hope I'm wrong. Do you think that St. Peter or St. Paul would be dithering about Communion for people who have a different interpretation of the Truth? Would their personal relationship with Jesus measure up to the Holy Father's standards? Are we too attached to the past by using them as our role models for what makes a good bishop?
