Posted on 04/17/2005 2:55:46 PM PDT by presidio9
Rome -- One-hundred-and-fifteen men will lock themselves into the Sistine Chapel on Monday afternoon, gaze up at the magnificent ceiling fresco of Michelangelo, and start to pray for the collective wisdom to choose the next Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.
In a matter of days, one of them will emerge as the leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics and, according to Catholic doctrine, the successor not only to Pope John Paul II but to Saint Peter the Apostle.
"The legacy is incredible. We are at such an important point in the history of the church," said the Rev. Mark Brentnall, 44, an English priest studying in Rome. "It is the one who would least want the keys of Peter who may be the best man."
Brentnall, along with the Rev. Steven Lopes, 30, from the Archdiocese of San Francisco, and two other priests, sat in the library of Casa Santa Maria, a seminary just a short walk from Trevi Fountain.
These young priests could live for decades with the choice made in the next few days by the College of Cardinals, whose members' average age is 72.
And so could the rest of the world, for the challenges the new pope faces extend far beyond the confines of the Catholic Church.
In a series of interviews conducted in Rome and Vatican City over the past week, church leaders, scholars and other informed observers said five key issues confront the princes of the church and the man who will be pope.
They are:
-- Bioethical and medical issues such as abortion, embryonic stem cell research, cloning, birth control and euthanasia;
-- Power-sharing in the church between the pope, the Vatican bureaucracy, individual bishops and national organizations such as the U.S. Conference of Catholic bishops;
-- Globalization and
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Excuse me? While you're checking out encyclopedias, you should check out more information on Catholicism because you don't seem to understand that we know who Jesus really is and what He has done for us. Or worse, you do, and don't mind spreading a little misinformation. Are you teaching an ESL class or proselytizing those with little understanding of English? Do you speak of Jesus to non-Catholics as well?
For what it's worth, I don't ask whether the folks that I work with are in the country legally and I really don't care. We've had about 10 people over the past year who have came to know Christ and, you know what, not a one has joined our church. I'm fine with that, too -- we haven't asked anyone to join our church.
You don't care to ask if they are here legally but you do care to ask whether or not they believe in Jesus as defined by your faith, even as it differs, where it does, from their faith, under the guise of ESL classes. Alrighty then.
LOL Really cramps the AmChurch style, doesn't it?
Only, for those who bother to pay any attention to it at all.
Since you are not the Christ, Who created His Church (Popes included), I guess you are not qualified to make that judgement.
I say you resign as a deacon.Shame on you.
donchaknow.
God,Never Baptize my children ,deacon you have posted on this forum that in the seminary an elder tried to kiss you on the mouth.Does your Bishop know you post and say you are a Deacon in Texas?I know people from the Higher ups Too.Thank you for all the prayers for the Holy Father after he died-Not.You are not a deacon-a make pretend one-you will never be a priest.Too cold hearted.
I can see that you're still posting without bothering to read or check the facts.So can you defend the notion that there are 20,000 Protestant denominations? If you had read my post, you would have found out that I was debunking that myth. All I can conclude is that you choose to continue to believe in myth rather than fact.
Your enmity and contempt for the Roman Catholic Church makes any input from you on the Church useless, even suspect.
Evidently you don't like me busting myths.You don't care to ask if they are here legally but you do care to ask whether or not they believe in Jesus as defined by your faith, even as it differs, where it does, from their faith, under the guise of ESL classes. Alrighty then.Evidently you've never been involved with Hispanic Catholic churches. If you don't believe me and the many others -- both Catholic and Protestant -- who have written about their sad state, then go check visit one for yourself. Go talk to a curandero. Find out for yourself that Latin American Catholicism has little in common with North American Catholicism. My guess is that you won't because you prefer to believe a myth.
Oh, yeah -- we speak of Jesus to any who care to listen. Do you?
Again, you didn't read what I wrote. We have ESL classes and we don't prosleytize in those classes. We have a bible study afterwards and some choose to stay. Some have become Christians as a result of those classes. None have joined our church and we haven't asked anyone to join our church.Yes, what they believe differs from what I believe, but no more than it differs from what you believe. You don't understand -- these people were not raised in a Christian environment but rather in an environment of polytheism and shamanism.
So I guess that you choose not to defend the 20,000 Protestant denominations myth. I don't blame you. You're painted into an intellectual corner once again and can only repeat your ad hominem attacks. You would make a very good Democrat, you know.
Your enmity and contempt for the Roman Catholic Church makes any input from you on the Church useless, even suspect.
Sinkspur and I disagree on some issues -- he is Catholic and I am not. But he has an intellectual honesty and a moral clarity that you guys sorely lack.
I believe I am the one who threw that 20,000 Protestant denominations factoid in. I see you dispute that. Answer these please.
1. Is there more than one Protestant denomination.
2. Why?
I hope it helps to know that I would never write anything so vicious about you.
(above from #29)
Maybe this is what "changed topic." I expect some are deeply saddened by Habemus Papa today. For clarification, my use of the term "sheeple" would have been more accurately expressed as "cafeteria Catholics."
You were against Terri and you posted negative even on the death of the Holy Father.sinkspur,it is easy to talk about dead people.I see you as you post as a Deacon of the Catholic church.I know many Deacon's,one who talks who makes our hearts soar.He is holy and baptized my granddaughter.Sinkspur tell your Cardinal this,your heart is cold and so is his because he supports you.On the day the Pope died you did not comfort and help and when do you comfort and help?You are tired of Terri threads?You want to married and be a priest?You want you want.You are suppose to serve.
Wrong.
and you posted negative even on the death of the Holy Father.
Absolutely wrong.
You are lying about me, now, fatima.
sinkspur,You do not know what is a negative.
DallasMike,It is nice you defend your friend,would really be nice and polite to ping him to your post since your are talking about him.I have more to say DallasMike.
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