Posted on 11/30/2015 3:52:51 PM PST by ebb tide
On the plane returning from his journey to Africa today Pope Francis made his clearest remarks in condemnation of ‘fundamentalist’ Catholics.
"Fundamentalism is a sickness that is in all religions," Francis said, as reported by the National Catholic Reporter’s Vatican correspondent, Joshua McElwee, and similarly by other journalists on the plane. "We Catholics have some -- and not some, many -- who believe in the absolute truth and go ahead dirtying the other with calumny, with disinformation, and doing evil."
"They do evil," said the pope. "I say this because it is my church."
"We have to combat it," he said. "Religious fundamentalism is not religious, because it lacks God. It is idolatry, like the idolatry of money."
Turning to Islam, the pope spoke of his friendship with a Muslim, adding, “You cannot cancel out a religion because there are some groups, or many groups in a certain point of history, of fundamentalists.â€
"Like everything, there are religious people with values and those without," he said. "But how many wars … have Christians made? The sacking of Rome was not done by Muslims, eh?"
On the same flight a journalist asked about the use of condoms in the fight against AIDS and if it was time for the Church to change its position.
The pope acknowledged that condoms are one method of prevention, saying that the Church was faced with a perplexity of whether to follow the fifth commandment (Thou shalt not kill) “or that sexual relations are open to life.â€
He dismissed this however as ‘not the problem’ and said it reminded him of the question asked Jesus, “Tell me, teacher, is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? Is it obligatory to heal?’
Catholic News Agency carries the fullest rendition of the pope’s quotes on the matter, relating his words thus:
“Let’s not talk about if one can use this type of patch or that for a small wound, the serious wound is social injustice, environmental injustice,†Pope Francis continued. “I don’t like to go down to reflections on such case studies when people die due to a lack of water, hunger, environment...when all are cured, when there aren’t these illnesses, tragedies, that man makes, whether for social injustice or to earn more money – I think of the trafficking of arms – when these problems are no longer there, I think we can ask the question ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?’â€
“Because, if the trafficking of arms continues, wars are the biggest cause of mortality...I would say not to think about whether it’s lawful or not to heal on the Sabbath, I would say to humanity: ‘make justice,’ and when all are cured, when there is no more injustice, we can talk about the Sabbath.†While in Africa the pope used very strong language to promote the climate change agreement at the Paris climate summit that started today. He said it would be a “catastrophe†if it did not achieve acceptance in Paris in the coming days and added that the decision came down to the choice “either to improve or to destroy the environment.â€
Speaking at the United Nations center in Nairobi on November 26, Pope Francis said, “In a few days an important meeting on climate change will be held in Paris, where the international community as such will once again confront these issues. It would be sad, and I dare say even catastrophic, were particular interests to prevail over the common good and lead to manipulating information in order to protect their own plans and projects.â€
I suppose the phrase..”Is the Pope Catholic?” could now be said to be no longer true.
I think that is precisely what it is...
Progressivism...
The heart and soul of liberalism.
Change is always better because it’s change.
Regarding his attack on ”fundamentalism,” the Pope is possibly associating it with the ”traditions of man” which Jesus warned the Pharisees and teachers of the law about in Mark 7:1-13, particularly verses 7-9.
I think that all Christian denominations have fallen into the trap of ”traditions of man” on certain issues. And I would not be surprised if the Pope has fallen into this trap concerning his Jesuit training.
Agreed. How long must we suffer this arrogant, fatuous blowhard?
Unfortunately, he has the job for life (unlike Pope Benedict).
Lol!
First SSPX Mass ever in our area on December 13. I already got a waiver on the dress code since I don’t own a suit lol.
“This guy is a manifest heretic. Anyone with eyes can see it.”
This is the pope I was expecting when, astoundingly, Benedict XVI was elected.
Wonder what happened there.
“Regarding his attack on “fundamentalism,” the Pope is possibly associating it with the “traditions of man” which Jesus warned the Pharisees and teachers of the law about in Mark 7:1-13, particularly verses 7-9.”
I think he means strong, principled opposition to theological changes that the left wants the Church to adopt.
A leftist is a leftist first, and anything else a distant second. We might as well have Ernesto Guevara for our pope.
“Progressivism...The heart and soul of liberalism. Change is always better because it’s change.”
Frankie the Commie is exactly the “enemy of the Church” discussed by St. Pius X in Pascendi Dominici Gregis.
And I’d bet that was one of the many reasons he was forced to “retire.”
Same here. I was shocked it was Pope Benedict since everyone in the Church Clergy that I spoke with wanted anyone but him. I was thrilled it was Pope Benedict. I still believe he was forced into retirement.
I cannot cast the first stone, but the Pope evidently has his share of faith problems.
There was a Pope in the 1960s that some FReepers claim was worse than Pope Francis. I am going to have to do some scratching.
“I still believe he was forced into retirement.”
Being a black sinner, I first thought, “Why didn’t he clean the Vatican out?”
"Calumny" is actually a fine description of the Pope's intermittent and ongoing assault on traditional Catholics who hold all that the Church teaches to be true. It began shortly after he was elected and it's now clear that it arises from a deep and bitter resentment. This trash-talking, which barely rises above the level of internet combox rhetoric, is precisely what spawned "The Pope Francis Little Book of Insults"
This tiresome vilification and demonization of Catholics belies a fundamental lack of charity; popes just don't talk like this........ever. Priests fare little better. So much of what Francis says about priests is negative, demoralizing and miserable.
Whatever you think of the Catholic Church, folks (and I know that many of you have no love for it), I can tell you that you are witnessing events of absolutely historic importance and the most dramatic are yet to happen.
“I cannot cast the first stone”
I don’t think Our Lord meant to say that we are not free to deplore evil if we have ever committed a sin.
“I say this because it is my church.”
No.
His “church” is not the Catholic Church.
That’s obvious.
Paul VI. Giovanni Baptista Montini. A liberal.
He was much more intelligent than Bergoglio. He was Pope for fifteen years, 1963-78. His major accomplishment was destroying the Mass, and thus Western Civilization.
Battista.
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