Pope Francis Is Diminishing the Papacy. Good

National Review ^ | 08/29/2017 | by MICHAEL BRENDAN DOUGHERTY

[Carl Vehse]

Michael Brendan Dougherty Quote of the Day: “Simply put, we don’t have to listen to popes when they are talking out of their rear ends.”

[heterosupremacist]

I understand what the author intended to convey, but I do not understand why he had to disgrace himself by what he wrote. The tone of this missive was much darker than necessary. The 'cult' of the Papacy is insulting. His presumption that Catholics are too dumb to think for themselves, and especially this gem: Simply put, we don’t have to listen to popes when they are talking out of their rear ends. are all disgusting. (imo)

[miss marmelstein]

I remember when Popes were really seen and not heard. It all seemed to change around John Paul the Second.

[Steve_Seattle]

I was raised Catholic and - as a youth in the 50s and 60s - was always surprised by how strongly some Protestants reacted to the papacy. For me, the pope was a far-off figure who had little relevance to everyday life. He was kind of like what I think the President should be, i.e., kind of a personification of the values of the group, not a presumed master of everything and solver of all problems. To me, Pope Pius XII and President Eisenhower remain the image of what leadership should look like.

I wouldn't be disappointed if Vatican City was sold off to the Italian government as a huge museum, and the pope and curia moved to more modest quarters.

Meanwhile, there will continue to be opulence in Christian leadership, as with the mansions of Joel Osteen and other televangelists. They have their own problems to deal with.

[Salvation]

“National Review”???

[mlizzy]

Yes, nasty article. Doesn’t accomplish anything good.

[Salvation]

If you are a baptized and confirmed Catholic you will always be a Catholic. The marks on your soul from those Sacraments will always be there.

So you may not be an active Catholic. Sit down with a priest and get your questions answered.

[miss marmelstein]

What a great post! I, too, remember when US presidents were not forced to confront local disasters like Harvey and yet here we are today watching for the president to make one false move on the situation! And we watch Popes like they were movie stars. It’s insane.

[Arthur McGowan]

According to Canon Law, the Catholic Church is a cult.

There is a cult of the Virgin.

“Cult” is a perfectly legitimate word for a perfectly legitimate thing.

[Arthur McGowan]

Dougherty doesn’t even hint at the truth: Bergoglio, a paid Marxist agent of Soros, hates God, Jesus, Mary, the Eucharist, Catholicism, the West, and the human race, and wants to see them all destroyed.

[EnquiringMind]

Yes, nasty article. Doesn’t accomplish anything good.

I found it to be helpful. I've been thinking the same thing for quite some time. Can't stand the commie Pope Pol, who is just a dumb man, after all.

[heterosupremacist]

According to Canon Law, the Catholic Church is a cult. There is a cult of the Virgin. “Cult” is a perfectly legitimate word for a perfectly legitimate thing. Agreed. Yet, I think most people have negative connotations when it comes to the phrase, "the papal cult"...

[Arthur McGowan]

Dougherty is writing for literate Catholics, not most people.

[ealgeone]

A cult of the virgin??? Why am I not surprised.

[ealgeone]

You should check out the plethora of anti-pope articles from one of your fellow Romam Catholics. Seems he posts at least two or three a day. A modern day Luther.

[mlizzy]

Ha! Yes, I noticed. Thank you! :)

[RooRoobird20]

Pope Francis is a hard core leftist politician first, a pope second (and I’m not that convinced that being a real pope is a priority for him....). He is truly the worst pope in my lifetime, and as a Roman Catholic, I am totally ashamed of him.

[Arthur McGowan]

You are not surprised because you are an illiterate who picks up his theological vocabulary from the mass media.

[ebb tide]

You should check out the plethora of anti-pope articles from one of your fellow Romam Catholics. Seems he posts at least two or three a day. A modern day Luther.

You must be referring to this pope:

The pope who worships Luther.

I'll bet he's one of the few Catholics whom you don't feel threatened by.