Posted on 03/14/2013 8:20:02 PM PDT by caldera599
There are two ways to look at the election of Pope Francis. He takes the name of the famous saint, whose life was defined by a vision in which he was commanded by a crucifix to “rebuild my Church, which is in ruins.” That name, combined with rumors that Cardinal Bergoglio impressed his fellow Cardinals at preconclave meetings with his willingness to clean up the Curia, may be a signal that reform is on the way. His choice of name may also signal an affiliation with the Jesuit saint Francis Xavier, an exemplary evangelist and missionary. Cardinal Bergoglio is known as a simple, humble person who eschewed the pomp of his high office in the church. Until now, he has lived in a simple apartment and cooked his own meals. He worked to prevent priests from abandoning their parishes and the sacraments entirely for revolutionary political activism in Argentina, when liberation theology was ascendant. But the other way to look at the dawn of this papacy is that it is one more in the pile of recent Catholic novelties and mediocrities. He is the first Latin American pope, the first Jesuit to be pope, and the first to take the name Francis. And so he falls in line with the larger era of the church in the past 50 years which has been defined by ill-considered experimentation: a “pastoral” ecumenical council at Vatican II, a new synthetic vernacular liturgy, the hasty revision of the rules for almost all religious orders within the church, the dramatic gestures and “saint factory” of Pope John Paul II’s papacy, along with the surprise resignation of Benedict XVI. In this vision, Benedict’s papacy, which focused on “continuity,” seems like the exception to an epoch of stunning and unsettling change, which—as we know—usually heralds collapse.
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
I like how they say ‘Bergoglio’ in Italian. Spanish, OTOH, nothing special.
I am not Catholic, but am looking forward to the impact of the Catholics new Pope.
TV already does too much trivialization and mockery of the Christian Faith.
They will be judged for that, God is not mocked.
The author’s blurb says that he writes for the Slate AND The American Conservative.
What’s up with that?
He sounds rather bitter anyway.
The American Conservative is a Pat Buchanan publication. I’m sure they are alarmed that Pope Francis might prove insufficiently hostile to Jews.
good point ~
How refreshing! Hopefully, his humility will hold out against the seduction of the lavish and regal trappings of the Vatican's highest office. I wondered about this very thing on another thread and was castigated for daring to mention it. Nice to know the new Pope thinks the same about the place of humility in a servant of Christ.
Some folks simply like to eat alone.
I thought that this was a good article, and I quoted from it in an email I sent earlier.
I think Pope Francis could very well be a nightmare, with his excess focus on social justice that comes close to Liberation Theology.
I also think he is scrupulous when it comes to money and power. Yes, blessed are the meek and blessed are the poor in spirit. This does not mean that the Pope should be riding in a bus instead of a bulletproof car (lacking in prudence), or pay his own hotel bill, or cook his own meals, or wear simple clothing.
This reminds me a bit of when Jimmy Carter had the Presidential motorcade stop at red lights so he could be more “humble.”
That is a cheap shot.
The Papacy needs to have lavish and regal trappings, based on the dignity of the position.
An honest question. Despite the author Michael Brendan Dougherty's portrayal of himself as:
blah, blah blah, whatever, dude...
Dougherty in second-hand fashion speculates and spreads the second guessing sort of thing (before the new guy even get's going?) with things like;
And there is almost no path to Bergoglio’s election without support from curial Italians, combined with a Latin American bloc. Low-level conspiracy theories already flourish in Italy that Benedict’s resignation was the result of a curia determined to undermine his reforms. This election will only intensify that speculation. An older pope who does not know which curial offices and officers need the ax, will be even easier to ignore than Benedict.
Yeah ok maybe. But then again all the "new" fellow has to do is stroll over and speak with the good Mr. Ratzinger and confer. They could do breakfast. Like twice a week or something. Maybe some mushroom & cheese omeletes, toast and coffee, and a bit of private conversation. That sort of thing could go a long ways towards blunting some "conspiracy" aimed at undoing, uh, reforms? But why mix in (in the article) talk of liturgy and the form that itself takes, with the un-named "reforms" alledged to have been undertaken by Ratzinger?
The one thing I wonder about, is how far the so-called liberation theology sort of mindset may go, with this particular Jesuit. (it seems Jesuits have a wide range of variety in that which they stress as important, sort-of layered on top of other basics?)
But if the two fellows can find or have enough in common in their own patterns of thinking, then hopefully any differences of perspective can help both see things the other may miss, when looking at the same items.
It's kinda cool to have a guy like Mr. Ratzinger hanging around, isn't it? He may be old, mostly blind in one eye, a bit stooped over, and perhaps not quite as mentally sharp as he once was...but he's not done yet, now is he? ;^)
I hope it all works out for the best, despite how the spirit of the world attacks Christianity.
The point was that the new guy seemingly hasn't gotten that particular memo. It doesn't seem like just an act, either. Or if it is, it's one he's been consistent with for years?
Extending benefit of the doubt...I'll try to take as much possible at face value, as most should have extended towards Mr. Ratzinger. Doing so seemed to work well enough in regards to the Pope Emeritus as he's now titled by some. Until or unless something else arises which overwhelms and overturns, then the new guy get's the same courtesy. Mere challenges or complications don't equal overturning or refutation...but more like reflection of the human condition. Such is life, no?
The biggest concern I have about Pope Francis is his commitment to social justice. Exactly the cause that our ‘Dear Leader’ champions. The Progressive movement that supports socialism. Pope Francis, to his credit supported General Pinochet and his attempt to rid Argentina of communists one at a time.
pssst...Pinochet was president of Chile.
“... his excess focus on social justice that comes close to Liberation Theology.”
From everything I’ve read about Pope Francis, he fought Liberation Theology up close and personal in Latin America. It could be that the term “Liberation Theology” has a different or more expansive meaning to non-theologians than to those deeply grounded in theology.
I take it you’re one of those types who loves to find something wrong with every Pope who isn’t Pius X? In all charity, you’re acting goofy.
Yes, in all charity.
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