Posted on 09/19/2013 2:46:04 PM PDT by SkyPilot
VATICAN CITY Pope Francis has warned that the Catholic Church's moral structure might "fall like a house of cards" if it doesn't balance its divisive rules about abortion, gays and contraception with the greater need to make it a merciful, more welcoming place for all.
Six months into his papacy, Francis set out his vision for the church and his priorities as pope in a lengthy and remarkably blunt interview with La Civilta Cattolica, the Italian Jesuit magazine. It was published simultaneously Thursday in Jesuit journals in 16 countries, including America magazine in the U.S.
John Allen, a senior correspondent with the National Catholic Reporter, told CBS Radio News the pope is not changing church policy but makes it clear that he wants a less judgmental church.
"I think he is conscious that he's at a sort of make-or-break moment where the kind of pope he wants to be - if he wants to affect real change - he's got to be explicit about it," Allen said.
Play Video Pope's comments on gays could have ripple effect
Play Video Cardinal Dolan: Pope's views on gay priest are not a shift in church teaching
In the 12,000-word article, Francis expands on his ground-breaking comments over the summer about gays and acknowledges some of his own faults. He sheds light on his favorite composers, artists, authors and films (Mozart, Caravaggio, Dostoevsky and Fellini's "La Strada") and says he prays even while at the dentist's office.
But his vision of what the church should be stands out, primarily because it contrasts so sharply with many of the priorities of his immediate predecessors, John Paul II and Benedict XVI. They were both intellectuals for whom doctrine was paramount, an orientation that guided the selection of a generation of bishops and cardinals around the globe.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
excellant post.
Lotsa’ condemnation goes on here in the name of Christianity.
Yeah, I read that and thought last-POPE.
Are you saying they don't bathe for six weeks?
NARAL posted a “Thanks to Pope Francis from all pro-choice American women” on their Facebook page. I think I’m gonna be sick.
Thanks for the ping.
Excellent!
I knew a liberal woman who asked me why the Roman Catholics crucified Jesus.
I don’t mean to be rude, but this guy sounds like the obama of the catholic world.
I’m thinking when Jesus got the men to drop their rocks and not stone the woman, some in the crowd thought he was approving of her lifestyle as well.
That is a wonderful thing to hear!
Good for you, ex-hippie.
I disagree that one can be a born again, Spirit-filled Christian and remain in the Catholic church.
That’s all for me.
I’m not Catholic but do recognize Catholics as my Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Having read the article in context I do agree with you that this is not the Pope endorsing homosexuality or abortion.
However, I do think there is a legitimate criticism of his recent speeches and interviews. He seems very comfortable with proclaiming forgiveness, which is good, but not giving equal time to the requirement of repentance. In essence he is highlighting the part of Jesus that everyone likes...that he forgives our sin and remembers it no more, that he loves all of us and accepts us as we are, and THANK GOD that he does and that the Pope speaks of this. But we do a disservice when we don’t also remind people that there is a directive to change, to repent or literally, to turn and go the other direction. The provision of grace is not an excuse to wallow in our sin.
Again, I am not saying that the Pope is saying this, but I do feel that he is omitting saying this which is leading some to infer that Christianity and homosexuality are compatible. Note, he said he was asked if he approves of homosexuality, not homosexuals. The answer to “do you approve of homosexuality” must always be specifically, directly and unequivocally no. The answer he gives is the correct answer to “do you approve of a homosexual person”, but not homosexuality. Likewise, God loves atheists, but unless they repent of their rebellion against God, how can their be salvation. We can not compromise here as Christians, from the Pope to the low churchman like me. Acts 17:30 tells us that “he commands all men everywhere to repent”.
The Pope is not alone in this omission either. Ask most people what they know about the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery, and they will tell you “ye without sin, cast the first stone”. We like that part...specifically I like that part. But those same people forget that Jesus turned to the woman then, after the forgiveness and grace were bestowed, and told her that she was to “go and sin no more”. Jesus didn’t approve of her sin, he accepted her and forgave it, but he also expected her to change as a result. I don’t think the Pope was meaning to excuse homosexuality or atheism...but he needs to be much clearer in drawing the distinction that while we should go overboard in loving these people in our dealings with them, we must never fool ourselves or allow them to be deceived about our position on the sin.
On Twitter:
@NARAL
Dear Pope Francis, thank you. Signed, #prochoice women
Well, if they did they didn’t hang around for the end of the sermon, when he very clearly told her to stop sinning.
Look who's talking.......
I’m thinking, that Jesus knew that the woman
a) worked only to survive,
b) would flee Sodom and Gomorrah at the first opportunity,
c) was seeking salvation, and
d) did not desire to return to the line of work.
I’m thinking that the Pope can spend personal time with each family who makes the effort to present themselves well in church -— not to impress anybody, but as a method of conveying to God their love -— yet upon the Pope’s invitation, the church is occupied by a hellish recidivist display of barely clad (if at all) people who
a) do not seek salvation from their repeated acts,
b) do not seek salvation from their *desires* such as to plant themselves immediately next to *your* children in the church,
c) do not seek salvation from their urges to relentlesslya and dogmatically enforcement function as a Nationalizing Thought Police Force WHO ARE IN JUDGMENT OF YOU AND YOURS,
d) do not seek salvation from anything except from the loneliness they feel as they ostracize themselves from ... God’s love.
Yet His love prevails, though they would not sense it *because of their continued resistance to their own salvation.*
Should the church still be open to the recidivist?
Yes.
Though we are asked, and we are taught, to share what we have on earth *but not* to tear away our souls and hand such to those who would devour us.
The recidivist is not coming to the church for what you possess ... The recidivist is coming for *you.*
The people seeking salvation, are coming for *salvation,* not you.
The Pope did not think thru *the consequences* of his statements, which effectively are invites to bring Bourbon Street into the sanctuary.
You are so right. This was an interview, not a doctrine or a dogma pronounced by the Pope or the Magisterium.
But when you don't clearly and loudly elucidate sin and the boundaries of acceptable behavior as a Christian, you end up encouraging the very sins you hoped (because they offend God and result in loss of souls) to curtail. Witness #74 and also comments to NYT article: The death culture and deviancy lobbies are having an orgiastic field day over this. From my point of view this is not a Catholic success. I am holding my tongue and not saying more out of my duty to papal charity.
I’ve never heard of that happening. Good grief.
Are you sure they weren’t asking you if you would want a listing of your donations for the year for your tax-reporting purposes?
Sin is non-negotiable.
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