Pope Francis to General Audience: "We will all meet in Heaven"

http://www.romereports.com ^ | November 26, 2014 | RomeReports

[NKP_Vet]

It was a damp, cold morning in Rome. Many umbrellas and brightly colored ponchos could be seen as the popemobile circled around St. Peter's Square.

Before beginning his catechesis, the Pope gave an encouraging word to the pilgrims.

POPE FRANCIS "It's kind of an ugly day, huh? But you are courageous. Congratulations!”

Pope Francis explained that the Church is on a path towards the Kingdom of Heaven, a seed that has been in the Earth. He also said that after death, Christians will come face to face with God.

POPE FRANCIS "It is beautiful to think of this, to think of Heaven. And we will all meet there. All of us, All of us...Up there...all of us.”

In the Church, the Pope continued, there exists a communion among living Christians and those who have passed away. He concluded that they help one another through prayer.

During his greeting, Pope Francis reminded the pilgrims of his upcoming trip to Turkey.

POPE FRANCIS "I invite all of you to pray so that this visit of Peter to his brother Andrew may bear fruits of peace, sincere dialogue among religions and harmony in the Turkish nation.”

The Pope also greeted Christians from the Middle East. He said that God transforms the world with his forgiveness.

[Arthur McGowan]

At this point, I’d be satisfied with just a SMART Modernist.

[piusv]

I’ll pray for a Catholic.

[ealgeone]

Your post 47.....how did he become pope? Do catholics not believe he is chosen by God to be pope.....the vicar of Christ??

this casts even further doubt on the catholic position about Peter being the first pope and the whole apostolic succession.

[piusv]

The Cardinals need to be listening to the Holy Spirit, but not many of them have been doing that for over 50 years now.

[Arthur McGowan]

Every time a Conclave rolls around, much pious superstition is spouted about how the Holy Spirit is going to pick a new Pope.

The Catholic Church does NOT teach that the Pope is chosen by God. He is chosen by the College of Cardinals.

Prayers are offered by the Cardinals and by millions of people outside the Conclave for the selection of “the right man,” but there is NOTHING in the teaching of the Catholic Church that even suggests that the Cardinals’ choice is the subject of any special divine guidance or protection.

The Catholic Church’s teaching about the authority of the Pope has NOTHING to do with any beliefs about the selection process. It is all rooted ENTIRELY in the fact that the Pope is the Bishop of Rome.

[ealgeone]

I appreciate the insights on the selection of the pope.

I hope you are having a safe and happy thanksgiving!

[armydoc]

"The Catholic Church does NOT teach that the Pope is chosen by God. He is chosen by the College of Cardinals"

The College of Cardinals is God's earthly means that He uses to choose the Pope, fulfilling His eternal decree. You would agree, I hope?

"Prayers are offered by the Cardinals and by millions of people outside the Conclave for the selection of “the right man,” but there is NOTHING in the teaching of the Catholic Church that even suggests that the Cardinals’ choice is the subject of any special divine guidance or protection"

As a reformed protestant, I believe that God uses my prayers to move His hand to accomplish His will. I don't believe that prayer is simply therapy for the person praying. I would be surprised if the Catholic Church believes otherwise.

[Arthur McGowan]

I believe in divine providence, and I believe that prayers are answered.

What I deny is that the College of Cardinals, in their deliberations and in their votes, is exercising a function that is the subject of the promises made by Christ to protect His Church from error. The College of Cardinals is not TEACHING when they vote, and Christ promised only that His Church would EXIST until the end of time, and that it would TEACH the truth.

Note that I said that Catholic teaching does not include any teaching that the Conclave is the subject of any SPECIAL divine guidance or protection.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2013/02/does-the-holy-spirit-pick-the-pope-ratzinger-didnt-think-so/

[eater-of-toast]

It appears Francis believes in purgatory in a meaningful sense. "The prayers for those in purgatory, the pope said, make sense because from a Catholic point of view, 'the distinction is not between those who have died and those who have not yet, but between those who are in Christ and those who are not. This is the decisive element for our salvation and happiness.'"

[Elsie]

“They had, like most preachers of the Gospel, a certain difficulty in determining what we might call the ‘conversion level’, the level of difficulty above which the preacher may be said to be erecting barriers to the Gospel and below which he may be said to be encouraging men to enter too easily into a mere delusion of salvation.

Contemporary critics, however, agree that the New England pastors set the level high.

Nathaniel Ward, who was step-son to Richard Rogers and a distinguished Puritan preacher himself, is recorded as responding to Thomas Hooker’s sermons on preparation for receiving Christ in conversion with,

‘Mr. Hooker, you make as good Christians before men are in Christ as ever they are after’, and wishing, ‘Would I were but as good a Christian now as you make men while they are preparing for Christ.’”

I detect a slight inspiration to Screwtape here...

[Elsie]

At this point, I’d be satisfied with just a SMART Modernist.

Every man his own Modernist?

[Elsie]

In the Church, the Pope continued, there exists a communion among living Christians and those who have passed away. He concluded that they help one another through prayer.

I've always thought that...

Dead men tell no tales

[Elsie]

PS: Everyone goes to heaven, makes no difference who they are, what faith, what religion, even atheists. No need in believing in the Gospel. No need in giving your life to Christ. Just "do good" and we'll all meet in heaven. Jesus weeps.

What?

You appear to disagree with the POPE!

Is it "Every man his own pope" now in Catholicism???

[Elsie]

"Every man his own pope" now in Catholicism???

Them damned Prots are ruining EVERYTHING!!!

[Elsie]

Don't know why the Pope keeps banging this drum. It is as if he has never picked up a Bible.

Easy!

Just as in politics; you don't try to sway the Conservatives or the Liberals - their minds are made up.

It's the independents you go after.

Like wise, it's the Low Information Voters (in the religious sense) that he is attempting to snag.