Pope Outlines His Vision of the Papacy [POPE VOWS TO STICK TO GUNS ON ABORTION AND EUTHANASIA]

Washington Post..com ^ | 05-06-05 | Daniela Pertroff

[Salvation]

Pope Outlines His Vision of the Papacy

By DANIELA PETROFF

The Associated Press
Sunday, May 8, 2005; 2:38 AM

ROME -- Pope Benedict XVI indicated Saturday he will stick to Pope John Paul II's unwavering stands against abortion and euthanasia, saying pontiffs must resist attempts to "water down" Roman Catholic teaching.

Benedict outlined his vision of his papacy in a homily during a ceremony in which he took his place on a marble-and-mosaic throne in the ancient Roman basilica of St. John in Lateran. The ceremony is the last to formally mark Benedict's assumption of the papacy.

....snip....

"Freedom to kill is not a true freedom but a tyranny that reduces the human being into slavery."

In Vatican teaching, the phrase in defense of life "from conception to natural death" refers to its bans on abortion and euthanasia.

 

[Salvation]

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI Basilica of Saint Giovanni in Laterano Saturday, 7 May 2005

[murphE]

POPE VOWS TO STICK TO GUNS ON ABORTION AND PREVENT 'WATERING DOWN' OF CHURCH

I fail to see why this is news. I fail to see why "liberals" are surprised and disappointed by this, and why "conservatives" see this as a reason for high fives and cart wheels.

Isn't this the bare minimum that we should expect from a pope, that he defend the deposit of faith and the constant magisterial teaching of the Church on moral issues? If he did anything other that this, if he promoted anything contrary to the deposit of faith and the constant teaching of the Church on moral issues wouldn't that make him a heretic? Why is it news when the pope announces his intention not to be a heretic?

[te lucis]

Pope Benedict XVI indicated Saturday he will stick to Pope John Paul II's unwavering stands against abortion and euthanasia, saying pontiffs must resist attempts to "water down" Roman Catholic teaching.

What does he want, a medal?

Seriously, this is like a cop, whose job it is to enforce the law, "indicating" that he had plans to enforce the law, and a huge roar of applause going up from law-abiding people; "Whew! Thank God! You go, Mr. Cop! If you hand't made this bold 'indication', people might think you planned on going bad. God bless you, Officer!"

See how stupid that sounds?