Posted on 04/08/2016 6:53:23 AM PDT by Lera
In a major shift of Catholic tenets of faith, pope releases paper instructing Catholics on how to live, tells them to accept homosexuals
Pope Francis, who has long revealed his liberal positions through interviews, came out on Friday in an official statement calling on Catholics to be more accepting of homosexuals as well as divorced Catholics.
While he didn't change official church doctrines in his paper, which is an "apostolic exhortation" instructing Catholics on how to live, the pope paved the way for a serious shift in the Catholic church away from central tenets of the faith.
"A pastor cannot feel that it is enough simply to apply moral laws...as if they were stones to throw at people's lives," he wrote in the paper, cited by CNN. "By thinking that everything is black and white, we sometimes close off the way of grace and growth."
"I understand those who prefer a more rigorous pastoral care which leaves no room for confusion. But I sincerely believe that Jesus wants a Church attentive to the goodness which the Holy Spirit sows in the midst of human weakness," he added.
"Every person, regardless of sexual orientation, ought to be respected in his or her dignity and treated with consideration."
Pope Francis' statements appear in his paper "On Love in the Family," entitled "Amoris Laetitia" in Latin. It spans over 260 pages, and is based on two conferences of the world's Catholic bishops known as synods, which were called by the pope.
(Excerpt) Read more at israelnationalnews.com ...
Sole protector...? The Orthodox Church thinks otherwise.
This Pope is going to have the same effect on the church as the priest scandal did. I am at wits end with him. I may have to get to heaven without the help of the church.
If people are leaving in droves, it is because they trust the news media to tell them what to believe instead of actually reading the text.
nope, the world brought him on!
and I still want you to repent and get thee to a Baptist Church, and FAST!
find one that aint got a projector playing the words to the hymns or a drum set on the ‘stage’...
that is next, we’re going faster than I ever thought...
it does prove the argument, though, against papal authority and succession, there is NO WAY this guy is there to be a blessing, unless his being there is to make people so ashamed they fall on their face and get right with God
BY GRACE, THROUGH FAITH!
sorry..had to add that part :)
If more conservatives could learn to accept the facts that some people (republicans included) are gay, and some people (republicans included) prefer cannabis to alcohol. The party would be more aligned the true constitutional values of Life, Liberty, and the persist of happiness. And the party would grow larger as well both attracting libertarians and dissolutioned Regan democrats.
If more conservatives could learn to accept the facts that some people (republicans included) are gay, and some people (republicans included) prefer cannabis to alcohol. The party would be more aligned the true constitutional values of Life, Liberty, and the persist of happiness. And the party would grow larger as well both attracting libertarians and dissolutioned Regan democrats.”
More Red Herrings?.....If you were right, The Libertarian Party would be mopping the floor with both Democrats and Republicans. As it stands, they are a vast black hole of political effort.
Secondly, this is a post about Christian Theology and Ecclesiology not the Republican Party or Constitutional Conservatives. I hate to break this to you, but Constitutional Conservatism has been dead for quite some time and if it’s not completely dead, the American people have been slowly cutting off the feeding tubes for many decades. The American People do not want small government....period. They want generous welfare benefits, a large government-planned/regulated sector of the economy, a large, expensive military, and...well...lots of stuff paid for by someone else.
Even the latest stint of imposing “gay marriage” in the states was an example of big government fiat from Supreme Court oligarchs. Now, that may make you happy, but it’s definitely not in line with Constitutional Conservatism. Would it make you happy if the Supreme Court ruled that no state has the right to ban/restrict the possession of cannabis? Think that’s Constitutional Conservatism? A small clue....it isn’t.
And what’s this stuff about “Reagan Democrats”? They are a long extinct species. Have you seen polls on the views of Democrats across the nation? They have moved decidedly more to the left since Reagan. There are not enough “conservative Democrats” to make a difference in any state elections let alone a national one.
I Pray God you're right. But the world's never seen this 21st century before.
In those golden days of the 1950s, I was taught the Faith by nuns whose own educations ended at high school diplomas but they taught us (from the sacred Baltimore Catechism #2) that God made us to know Him, love Him and serve Him in this world and be happy with Him forever in the next. No guarantees of salvation. That would have to be ground out like Ohio State football: three yards and a cloud of dust per play every day to the end of our respective lives.
You have the good fortune to have converted to Catholicism from some other faith. The 2014 statement you cite is despicable as a statement from "the Vatican." It won't be the first scandalous effusion and it won't be the last. The fact remains that this 2,000 year old Catholic Church either is or is not the True Faith. It is.
All men fall short of the glory of God including Vatican functionaries. You chose Catholicism of your own volition as an adult. You were initiated as a Knight as part of your dedication to the Church. Don't let these termites drive you away. Don't let anyone imperil your salvation. At this time, I am not physically capable of attending Mass weekly as we are required to do if capable. I have many medical issues. I am just as disgusted as you are by these failures of mortal men and forty years ago, I almost allowed myself to be driven to the Russian Orthodox Church in America in disgust over John XXIII and Paul VI.
I took the advice of a friend to wait one year. By the end of that year, Paul Vi had died, and John Paul I and then John Paul II were elected. The nightmare was over. Sometimes, we may be sent popes like Bergoglio as a punishment for our sins. We deserve punishment. Jesus Christ nevertheless promised to be with the Church all days even unto the consummation of the earth. His promises are good. Whose promises can be better? Read up on Pope Alexander VI (Borgia) and his notorious behavior and you will see that we have suffered worse popes. In fact, given that there have been bad popes, only God could have caused the Catholic Church to last through 2,000 years and counting.
I am pinging a friend and fellow Knight in Georgia in the hope that you and he will connect and that he may help you through this crisis to strengthen your Faith. May God less you and yours!
The world had never seen the eighteenth century before but we survived the dread evils of the French Revolution. We also have turned the last spade of dirt on the grave of the soviet union. Be not afraid, as St. Paul instructs us in the Good Book. Our God is a mighty God and his enemies led by Lucifer are doomed as we see in Revelations or the Apocalypse.
We Catholics are, ummm, CATHOLIC and not necessarily Libertarian. Wherever Libertarianism may coincide with Catholicism, we Catholics will have no problem. Where Libertarianism collides with Catholicism (abortion, homosexuality and other sexual perversions, drugs, booze, etc.), Catholics who ARE Catholic will side with the Deposit of the Faith every time. I am a lifelong Republican and a lifelong Catholic but I will certainly be Catholic the day I die and not so sure I will be a Republican, not that political party really matters.
“Every person ought to be respected in his or her dignity and treated with consideration. We would extend such treatment to alcoholics and we can extend it to the intrinsically disordered homosexual.”
I agree, but it wasn’t that hard to do 40+ years ago, yet open gays were treated worse. It’s harder now, and gays are treated better, at least in the US. The problem is that homosexuals and ‘gay marriage’ is the stick progressives are using and won’t ever have to put down, as they know their worst enemies won’t ever give in on accepting homosexual acts and ‘gay marriage.’ If they do, they aren’t their worst enemies any more. I’m not sure I see a solution besides prayer.
Freegards
If I did not respect you and your fine Christian faith, I would not gently needle you, my friend.
As to #185, if I understand you correctly to mean that the Baptist Church "is going fast," from the wilds of Illinois, I invite you to attend the Tridentine (Old Latin) Mass of your ancestors and mine at St. Stanislaus Church at the corner of State Street and Eld Street in New Haven on any Sunday afternoon, meet Bill Riccio, a lay leader in that congregation and say hello for me. You know my name as does he.
I have little doubt that you can and will make it to heaven as a Baptist, but I also believe that great graces are available through the Mass and sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church.
One way or the other, may God bless you and yours as the good man that you are.!
Why make it hard on yourself? Don’t let Bergoglio drive you from your Church and mine. The Mass. The sacraments.
Catholics regard the Orthodox as also protectors of Scripture. We also regard your Mass and sacraments as being as valid as our own.
Very well stated. Congratulations!
Other than that, nice post!
I hope that you are right. It sounds more like Kasparism than like Catholicism.
You are welcome, my lady!
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