“The Pope rules the Vatican and runs the Catholic Church” was a huge pile of steaming horse manure.
if you are Catholic you have to be the most poorly catechized Catholic I have seen post on FR, and I have read some real doozies.
I would be ashamed of myself if I posted such tripe, but your mileage obviously varies.
Ad Majoram Dei Gloriam
Lurking’
To deny the Pope doesn’t exercise awesome power and authority is simply ridiculous. Once again I have no problem with this. It’s fine with me. And if you study history you will know that the Papacy once ruled over much of Italy for many centuries. Let’s not pretend the Pope isn’t a very powerful person who can and does excercise enormous power. Pope JPII for example was extremely influential in bringing down Communism in Eastern Europe.
Some people don’t like the Catholic Church. Fine. Don’t attend Mass. Don’t contribute to the Church. Stay away. Fine. Others may not like Joyce Meyer. Fine. Don’t watch her on TV. Don’t contribute to her ministry. You can avoid church. You can avoid religion. But you CANNOT avoid government when they stick their hand in your wallet.
I am a practicing Catholic. But that does not mean I have to agree with EVERYTHING the Church does or every thing a Catholic leader says. In fact, I have found myself in much disagreement with much of what the new Pope has said recently, particularly on the topic of economics. If the Church wants to excommunicate me for having the audacity to think for myself, then so be it.