Reading the Papal Tea Leaves

The American Spectator ^ | 3.20.13 @ 6:10AM | George Neumayr

[Jeff Chandler]

Hans Kung: “I was overwhelmed by joy” Leonardo Boff: Francis is “more liberal” than commonly supposed. Unnamed Vatican diplomat: “the Traditional Latin Mass brigade is finished.” Greg Venable: ( told me very clearly that the Ordinariate was quite unnecessary and that the Church needs us as Anglicans.” Cardinal Mahony: “Don’t you feel the new energy, and being shared with one another?”

[Jeff Chandler]

In Pope Francis’s apparent emphasis on individual conscience . . . toned-down morality, and Seamless Garment-style prioritizing of poverty, peace, and the environment, Kung and company see a pope with whom they can at long last “dialogue.”

[NYer]

Amazing because the conservative catholics say the same thing.

[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

“Amazing because the conservative catholics say the same thing.”

---

For conservative Catholics, the Pope could come out tomorrow in drag and they would tell us its a bold statement against the evils of contraception.

[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

“Amazing because the conservative catholics say the same thing.”

---

For conservative Catholics, the Pope could come out tomorrow in drag and they would tell us its a bold statement against the evils of contraception.

[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

Oops, double clicked by accident.

[Servant of the Cross]

Pope condemns abortion as product of ‘throwaway culture’: “In all its phases and at every age, human life is always sacred and always of quality. And not as a matter of faith, but of reason and science.”

In terms of homosexual ‘marriage’ ... "Let's not be naive, we're not talking about a simple political battle; it is a destructive pretension against the plan of God," wrote Cardinal Bergoglio in a letter sent to the monasteries of Buenos Aires. "We are not talking about a mere bill, but rather a machination of the Father of Lies that seeks to confuse and deceive the children of God."

The 'energy', 'joy' and 'liberal oneness' of Kung, Boff and Mahony is misguided and unfounded, methinks.

[LovedSinner]

Yes, EWTN, Relevant Radio, Fr. Barron, Jimmy Akin, Fr. Z, and all the “conservative” Catholics are telling me how great and refreshing the new Pope is. I wonder if some of them can ever criticize the Pope, even in the slightest. I wonder what they would have done with some of the bad Popes of the past.

[Servant of the Cross]

Pssst .... your anti-Catholic underwear is showing. Just saying ...

[miserare]

“Don’t you feel the new energy, and being shared with one another?”

Oh, yeah...a priest of our Diocese (Scranton, PA.) was arrested today after being caught in the act by a campus cop having sex with a 15 year old boy. The boy was a hustler procured via Craig’s List.

new energy—shared with one another.

[Jeff Chandler]

Amazing because the conservative catholics say the same thing.

It's hard to tell if they aren't "whistling past the graveyard." Even so, the dangers of spontaneous Papal utterances is on display. Pope Francis has the gentle as doves part down pat, but his wise as serpents needs work.

[JoeFromSidney]

Sooner or later we're going to have a problem with Pope Francis. The only economy with which he has any experience is the Peronista version of Fascism that he lived under in Argentina. He has no idea of what a free market looks like, or how it works.

Is he the punishment for our sins, as many think Obama is the punishment for the sins of Americans?

[NYer]

Even so, the dangers of spontaneous Papal utterances is on display. Pope Francis has the gentle as doves part down pat, but his wise as serpents needs work.

Jeff, you watch the news ... you are a contemporary individual. We live in an age of sound bites. Faced with a 12,000 page interview, who are the industrious souls who read each and every word ... AND ... were able to understand them within the context of the Catholic Church's teachings? Name one NBC, ABC, CBS, MSNBC, CNN, FOX or even AlJAZEERA news anchor(ette) up to that challenge, especially on the same day the interview was published by the Jesuit press. The interview was with his own community, not with the mainstream media. Unless and until any printed or televised media can rise to that challenge, they should limit their reporting to reporting, and not commentary.

[Jeff Chandler]

they should limit their reporting to reporting, and not commentary.

That's not the way the world works. The Vatican should learn to be shrewd in the public square.

[Jeff Chandler]

Sooner or later we're going to have a problem with Pope Francis.

As long as the problem is prudential, it need not be permanent.

We need to pray for him.

[NYer]

That's not the way the world works. The Vatican should learn to be shrewd in the public square.

Lol ... That is not the way the Vatican works :-) This interview was not done in the public square. They glommed onto it.

[Jeff Chandler]

This interview was not done in the public square.

The interview was not private, it was intended for publication.

[Mr Rogers]

It was 12,000 words, not pages, and the Pope knew his audience would be mostly non-Catholics. Are you suggesting the Pope is too naive and ill-informed of the world to give an interview appropriate for the audience?

[NYer]

It was 12,000 words,not pages,

Indeed .. 12,000 words, not pages. Still, a daunting task to read and contrast against church teaching.

and the Pope knew his audience would be mostly non-Catholics.

The interview was given to the Jesuits, a Catholic religious community. I'm sure you are not suggesting the Jesuits are not catholics.

Are you suggesting the Pope is too naive and ill-informed of the world to give an interview appropriate for the audience?

I have no personal knowledge of what arrangements and/or agreements were made prior to the interview. I am simply stating a fact. The interview was given to the Jesuit Catholic Community of which the pope is a member.