Posted on 12/21/2013 8:58:16 AM PST by MarkBsnr
More than two million people have flocked to Pope Francis' general audiences in St. Peter's Square since his election in March, four times the number that Pope Benedict drew in all of 2012.
The Vatican said on Wednesday it had issued 1,548,500 tickets for the 30 Wednesday general audiences Francis has held since his election on March 13 as the first non-European pope in 1,300 years.
But it said the actual number was "much larger" because no tickets are needed for the rear section of the square and surrounding streets, which accommodate overflow. That area, which fits at least 20,000, is regularly filled during Francis' audiences.
The Vatican did not issue comparative figures on Wednesday but figures released on Jan. 4 showed that 447,000 tickets were issued for the 43 general audiences held by former Pope Benedict in all of 2012.
The pope, who last week was named Time Magazine's Person of the Year, has drawn people to the Vatican because of his outgoing, simple and friendly style. Benedict was more reserved and far less spontaneous.
Francis has forsaken many of the trappings used by his predecessors. He has given up the spacious papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace for a small apartment in a guest house and is driven in a regular car instead of the papal limousine.
Francis has also proven to be hugely popular because of his statements urging the Church to be closer to the poor and to be more merciful and less condemning. The crowds at Francis' general audiences have often topped 100,000, forcing police to close off the main boulevard leading to the Vatican to accommodate more people.
The Vatican newspaper said Francis telephoned Benedict to exchange Christmas greetings. Benedict is living in a former convent on the Vatican grounds and has the title Pope Emeritus. Tickets to audiences and all other papal events are issued for free by the Vatican's Prefecture of the Pontifical Household and usually distributed through parishes and Church institutions.
Oh Wow! May God have mercy and forgive you.
?? You are very mixed up if you believe a Jesuit is the same as a Marxist.
Guess you didn’t see Pope Francis’ reply on this.
>>A key figure in the story of the Jesuits’ implosion is Fr. Pedro Arrupe — another Spaniard who lived in Japan — and who, oddly enough, employed Nicolás as his personal barber. Elected 28th General of the Order in 1965, Arrupe was either a “second Ignatius” of prophetic proportions or a well-meaning naïf, depending on whom you talk to. Under Arrupe’s guidance, the Jesuits’ 1974 General Congregation decreed “the promotion of justice” as an “absolute requirement” for Jesuit activities.
The problem is that many Jesuits’ “promotion of justice” collapsed almost immediately into radical left-wing activism. Sensible Jesuit-authored critiques of Latin American oligarchies, for example, soon degenerated into Marxist versions of liberation theology.<<
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/223480/end-jesuits/samuel-gregg
“...Neither my wife no I trust any religious institution...”
Probably a good thing to do. However, it is not the institution you need to emulate, but the institution’s founder. Since every institution is made up of humans who are not perfect, we all need to seek out the truth, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Is it not a puzzle why Jesus entrusted his church to humans? He must have had some trust in them. He promised to send us the Holy Spirit. Since Christianity has survived and flourished for 20 centuries already, the church must be doing something right.
By the way, I personally have been very satisfied with all the last three Bishops of Rome, and I do not measure them against whether they cause me to reevaluate my actions now and then. I think if Jesus walked the earth today, I would occasionally feel some discomfort with his words too.
Are you talking about the god that the muslims worship? If so, I’m not worried.
He warned of “unfettered capitalism” while not warning of the dangers of marxism, leninism, stalinism, socialism, fascism, islamism, radicalism, populism, humanism, secularism, etc. His words were certainly not an endorsement of capitalism which is the only system that has created wealth and freedom for so many.
Don’t believe everything this Pope tells you. Otherwise you could be sorry.
>>PS Generalizations are not logical.<<
Tell that to Francis when he denigrates traditional Catholics.
I understand.
“Although I was not raised Catholic, my wife was. I nonetheless have read Aquinas, Augustine, More, Maritain, Chesterton, Belloc.
Neither my wife no I trust any religious institution.
If there are lifeboats in this flood, I have yet to find one.”
What did you read of Augustine? You should read his Enchiridon on Faith, Hope and Love, as well as all his other anti-Pelagian works.
They won’t make you a Catholic though. They’ll make you Protestant.
Hmm, well, so does reading the Bible, so maybe stick with just the scripture, and then Augustine as icing on the cake.
When has he done this?
So what?
You know, reading your posts here and elsewhere I’m just not sure: are you a fan of Pope Francis?
It’s really not clear. You shouldn’t mince words. :)
This is what is known as a combination of nitpicking and insufficient substance to attempt to prove your point.
1. Anyone with a brain would understand the dangers of unfettered capitalism. Though it is the best economic system attempted by mankind so far, it is not perfect (and we will never have a perfect system in this life. Pope Francis was warning us of the misuse of capitalism where sin enters in. Ignoring God and seeking far too much after MATERIAL THINGS is one aspect of what has horribly weakened this great nation (there are several others...and all begin with putting God on the back burner.)
2. It is fairly evident that you haven’t read much of what Pope Francis has had to say regarding Marxism, Leninism, the Stalinist regime, socialism, fascism, Islamism, radicalism, populism, humanism, secularism, etc.
If you had read any number of things that he has had to say on such topics, you would never had posted what you did.
When has he hasn’t?
I see you have no proof for what you stated....or do you? Here’s your opportunity to prove what you said is true. Go for it.
When did Pope Francis denigrate traditional Catholics?
Substantive proof, please....
Pope Francis Little Book of Insults.
Google it.
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