The Pope of the Catholic Church is not infallible. The papacy is. I understand this distinction. Spelled out, it goes like this: When the Holy Father speaks on faith and morals, he is speaking with the authority of Jesus Christ. That’s the parameter of his infallible authority. When he speaks on faith and morals, I listen. I obey. When the pope speaks on politics, scientific theory, or any other subject, I listen, but I am free to disagree, to disregard, and to choose to listen to those persons who actually do have authority in these areas. The pope does not.
I regret that our current Holy Father speaks so strongly on topics about which no one expects him to know any more than anyone else. As far as his popular image is concerned, I don’t really care what color shoes he wears, what sort of car he goes about in, or where he chooses to set up housekeeping. I’m not given to judging such gossip-like details. Far from being impressed, frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.
I regret he got involved in clandestine political machinations with President Obama, and not because I agree or disagree with either man’s opinions on the subject of American foreign policy, but I regret even more that he’s now chosen to write an encyclical about climate change. I won’t read it. I prefer to read opinions from those who are more qualified in the areas about which they speak. And I also regret he was not clear, right out there, up front, overt and specific, about the faith-and-morals teaching of the Church on issues like divorce and homosexual marriage.
St. John Paul the Great lived and operated under total political suppression. What made his life as a cardinal in communist Poland so extraordinary was his focus on his responsibility as a religious leader of his people. Eventually, that steadfast devotion to his duty helped to bring about the downfall of that suppression. He was never unclear or vague about faith and morals—quite the contrary—and he never touted his opinions on matters outside the faith.
Nothing is more seductive than flattery and applause, especially from a fickle and sensation-hungry press, and nothing is more fatal to our souls than vanity. Time spent alone on our knees, as Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI are known to have done, can clear up a lot of confusion about what God’s will is, about what our responsibility is, even for the ordinary layperson. St. John Paul wrote every word of his encyclicals in the presence of Blessed Sacrament. But those encyclicals were about faith and morals. I suppose “encyclicals” on other subjects can be written anywhere, provided one wears shoes of a politically correct color.
I love your clarity on this subject and I think I need to hear more from you because you have a gift. I always get upset with the press reports on this pope’s chosen path; he is toxic to me. Thank you for this.
Right on. This pope loves the limelight, talks to please the media and masses, insults faithful Catholics, sows confusion and error, rarely speaks of conversion or eternal life and seems to be building a Church of Man or a big social justice club instead of saving souls.
Thank you for your opinion piece. The Pope needs to speak to what is important to save our souls!
Prior message.
Thank you for your comments. Whenever the Holy Father speaks on matters of faith, we must listen, remembering always that he speaks with an authority no Catholic is free to disregard. For the rest, we must pray for him, asking God to help him to discern and bear the responsibility of the office he has accepted.
Pope Francis is the logical reuslt of The Spirit of Vatican 2, which is about making the Church fit with the Modernist zeitgeist. The only way Vatican 2 can produce truly good fruit is if it intrepeted exclhsivley through the light of Tradition, which means that most of what was implemented post-Council could need to be replaced.
If this is not done, tjhe Popes who succeed Francis most likely will make him seem nearly moderately conservative, as he makes Paul VI seem hidebound conservative.
No — I don’t think, you DO understand the doctrine of Infallibility or its relationship to the Vicar (!) of Christ, the Pope. Please, see Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 888-91.
specially he says that,”Nothing is more seductive than flattery and applause, especially from a fickle and sensation-hungry press, and nothing is more fatal to our souls than vanity”.