Free Republic

Time for Clergy to “Man Up” – How the Exhortation of St. Catherine of Siena is Still Needed Today! By: Msgr. Charles PopeTrue sanctity does not easily fit into our notions of being merely nice or humble. The lives of the actual saints of the Church exude joy and can bring great encouragement to many around them. But it is also true that the great saints were irksome and unsettling to many. Most of the great saints had encountered the holiness of God and wanted to see that holiness be like a fire cast on the earth. When you really want...

The Pope and Rome – Synonymous, Right? Hmm … Let’s “See” By: Msgr. Charles PopeMost Catholics understandably link the Church, the Papacy, and Rome. We are “Roman” Catholics. The Pope lives in Rome. He is the Bishop of Rome and of the universal Church. Rome, the Papacy, and the Church are solidly linked terms and almost interchangeable. To say, “Rome has spoken … ” is to say the Pope has spoken, the Church has ruled.But this connection has not always held and the popes, for various reasons, have chosen or been “forced” to live outside of Rome.Among the lesser...