Posted on 04/19/2005 8:53:39 AM PDT by Rutles4Ever
WE HAVE A POPE!!!
How Jesus Christ entered my life: I met him first, not in literature or philosophy, but in the faith of the Church. That means that from the beginning he was not, for me, an important figure from the past (like Plato or Thomas Aquinas, for example), but someone who lives and works today, someone whom we can meet today.... Jesus and the Church are, for me, as impossible to separate as they are impossible to identify one with the other. Jesus is always infinitely transcendent to the Church. It was not through Vatican Council II that we first learned that, as the Lord of the Church, he is also her standard. I have always regarded this truth as both consolation and challenge. As consolation because we have always known that the scrupulosity of the rubricists and the legalists does not have its source in Jesus, in that infinite magnanimity that comes to us from the Gospels like a fresh breeze and collapses all excessive literalness like a house of cards. We have always known that nearness to him is as totally independent of the ecclesiastical rank one may hold as it is of one's knowledge of juridical and historical details. To that extent, the person of Jesus has always been for me a source of optimism and liberation. On the other hand, I have never been able to ignore the fact that he asks more of me than the Church would ever dare ask, that the radicalism of his words can be equated only with the kind of radicalism displayed by Anthony, the Desert Fathers, and Francis of Assissi in their wholly literal acceptance of the Gospel. If we do not do that, we have already taken refuge in cauistry, and cannot escape the corroding restlessness, the knowledge that, like the rich young man, we have turned away when we should have taken seriously the words of the Gospel.
I think that shows some potential for reaching into souls and hearts. It grabbed mine.
That's why I suggested he might have forced the issue by adopting the name Benedict.
Okay. I screwed up. I withdraw the notion and shelve my tinfoil for another day.
Also, in regard to Pope Benedict XVI's language skills: I heard on the radio today that he speaks TEN languages. (wow!) Perhaps someone can verify that?
The whole chapter talking about false prophets and teachers. Think of cretins like Robinson and Spong and the verses describe them perfectly. But that verse is something you put up is very compelling. Look at how Robinson who is licentious due to his homosexuality reviles the Bible and the truth of the Gospel. Ratzinger is a titan next to these pygmys.
People are getting upset with your banter, but I gotta say, you're doing it in harmless, good natured fun and not to offend. Bravo. :) I believe God has a sense of humor, so why shouldn't we? :)
Good.
Justin Rigali, archbishop of Philadelphia, will select his successor.
Do you know if he also selected the successor to the Bishop of Oakland a couple of years ago?
CNN verifies his ability to speak 10
lets see:
Latin
Italian
German
English
Spanish
French
thats 6 what else?
Portugese?
Dutch?
Maybe some slovic langauges?
It seems that Cardinal Ratzinger has succeeded in dividing the college of cardinals into two camps.
1) The 2/3 plus who voted for him.
2) The less than 1/3 who voted against him.
What a divisive man!.
This is the greatness of this pope. He can communicate that he knows God in a personal relationship can convey that message to Christians and the lost.
Thanks. Not many people got upset, but I did screw up with one lady known as Integrityrocks. I did have my offending post pulled and I apologized.
But besides that, there were only two people who expressed any anger at me. There will always be those who love me and those who hate me, and the key is to learn not to care.
Hi JRochelle
This thread is getting to be very long so please forgive me if someone has already replied to your post.
The free will given to us by God is as important to to us Catholics as it is to our Protestant brethren. I couldn't tell you the specifics of why infant baptisms are done, but we do have the Sacrament of Confirmation. As the name implies, during this Sacrament, the Confirmandi affirms that of their own free will, they want to be a member of the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, I can't be more specific as I'm not very well versed in Catholic Church teachings. I'm sure someone will be gracious enough to fill in the blanks and correct any inaccuracies on my part. My thanks in advance to whoever does this.
As to praying to Saint's, we don't actually pray to Saints. We ask for a Saint's intervention on our behalf. A good example can be found within the Hail Mary
...Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners...
It is not a prayer to Mary as much as it is our asking Her to pray for us. Sort of like asking Her to put in the good word for us, to Her Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
I hope I haven't caused you any confusion and BTW, I am envious of you...you've been to the Vatican. Wow! Maybe one of these days, I will as well.
Best Regards
Sergio
Vigneron? He's in the mold of a Rigali, so yes.
best!
Seminary students celebrate after learning that a new pope had been elected Tuesday. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany will be known as Pope Benedict XVI.
Oh, no-no-no ....I never thought YOU were. Oh my, not in the slightest. You were answering someone else who posted about the count. I was just making a comment to your comment, but not in judgement of what you said. My statement was about the issue.
From what I recall reading, the Cardinals cannot tell the actual count on the way the votes were split/not split, etc. I will have to check on that again. I know it has been said over and over that they cannot say who they voted for, etc. or - before the vote show favoritism, make predictions or assumptions, etc. That means immediate excommunication. I thought I read that the same was true if they made any public statement of the actual count and the way the vote fell.
It was the Voice of God who spoke through the Holy Spirit to the Cardinals...and those who listened, voted according to God's wishes. Those who did not, were - obviously - not receptive to the word for some reason. The selection of the pope is made in Heaven...not on earth, so the actual count is totally and utterly immaterial. And those who are unhappy with the selection should complain to God, not the Cardinals, or the Church, or the Catholics.
Those who have no faith have no understanding of the Catholic Faith and just cannot find a way to come to grips with the spiritual aspect of electing a Pope. For them, everything is about the human aspect: polls, counts, opinions, theories, predictions, and politics. Their instant misinformed comments, fast talking, off-the-cuff statements show their ignorance. They are (mostly) not deep thinking people who spend a great deal of time studying or researching. They spout their quickly put together theories and echo each other's current, popular "themes," which changes sometimes even from hour to hour. For them, everything is on the surface, or should be, they believe. They want everything to be explained and if it is not, they make up answers to questions, or questions for things that were not questioned, or they make-up stories or "what-if" comments to advance their agendas.
It appears that most do not have the slightest belief in a connection to or even acknowledge the existence of the soul of man. How can one who doesn't believe in his own soul reach deep inside to understand or accept the workings of the Spirit and the great mysteries of faith? They have no mechanism for allowing this to happen. It's like trying to get a person to taste an orange who has no taste buds. They might be able to see and touch the fruit, but the true flavor of it is lost to them.
Why does the smoke have to be grey? :)
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