Speaking as a member of a Reformed congregation, let me respectfully ask if you are disturbed or concerned by what appears to be deviations regarding piety by Francis?
Short answer: I figure we were due for a difficult Pope. They can't all be JP2 or BenXVI, whose writings were wonderful and piety unquestionable.
I've read (more precisely, read parts of) “Laudato Si” and “Amoris Laetitia.” Intellectually ... mneh. By contrast,if you try to tackle, say, “Fides et Ratio” you know you're dealing with greatness. And Pope Benedict's books on the NT: I suspect that even if you disagree you'd pick up on Benedict's love for the text and for the Lord.
When I read Francis I get a feeling of blurriness, laxity, something like that. There isn't the power or the high aspiration or vision I see in the two previous Popes.
I conclude that he's not what I'd call an intellectual pope, and I hope and trust that God will keep him away from the “cathedra.”
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WRT church “politics,” from which I stay as far away as I can: I think PapaFran may be partially the last gasp of the crazier wing of the “Spirit of Vatican II” mob. I see a decent, respectful, but real gathering of the faithful in response to his papacy. Cardinals Burke and Sarah notably give voice to that old time religion.
It's very distressing to see the crazy European leaders and people like Fr. Martin S.J. mouthing off as they do. But I trust, “ein Wörtlein kann ihn fällen.
(I'm not much for Luther the theologian, but the boy could write a hymn!)
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In my daily life as a Xtian, he just doesn't reach me. I say my prayers, read my Bible, do my little “works of mercy,” and all that. My interest in the spiritual nexus of Loving and Knowing, of Truth and Will is not much swayed by the careless expostulations of the current successor of Peter.
So my Catholic “filial” relationship or attitude is that “Father” is owed pious respect because he is, well, the father. I try to put the best face on what he says. But I'm going to slow walk implementation of his thought in my daily life, while with JP2 I eagerly ran in an effort to keep up.
I hope that's responsive.
When the dread “Spirit of Vatican 2” worked its fell influence, vocations to the Order of Preachers, the Dominicans, fell off. Men who will give their lives for a noble banner are not stirred by a marshmallow.
As the effects of JP2 and BenXVI work through the Catholic Church, vocations have surged. In my 23 years, come 12/26, as a papist I have seen the preaching and the priests — generally and with exceptions — go from hippie-dippy to straight-ahead.
So, if, worst case, PapaFran is “The Marshmallows Strike Back,” they may do some damage, but the Rebel Alliance gonna win this one.