Pages

Friday, August 2, 2013

Abbey-Roads: Why are Catholics so worried about the Pope and what he says?

Abbey-Roads: Why are Catholics so worried about the Pope and what he says?
Excerpt:
Don't cry for me Argentina.

I commented on a post a few days ago and said I doubt the Pope sees others as enemies.  I also doubt he needs handlers.  He's from Argentina people.  He lived through some pretty gruesome history and his life was anything but comfortable.  He knows how words are twisted, how propaganda works against the Church.  People are concerned about what and how the Pope speaks?  That's absurd.  Who do you think you are?

You want to censor the Pope?  You want handlers to keep him distant from the people?  You are afraid that he will be misinterpreted?  That's totally hypocritical.  That's like Peter remonstrating with Christ, trying to hold him back, saying he shouldn't have to suffer, he should avoid the cross.  Christ whipped around and said, 'get behind me Satan'.  The Gospel story should be sufficient to put us in our place.

The Pope said what he said.  Stop trying to speak for him.

Every Pope has said things and has done things that have been twisted to suit agendas.  How is that our concern?  Why do we think we have to worry about how the Pope's words are perceived?  Haven't we lived through misinterpretation of actual documents of Vatican II?  What about St. JPII kissing the Koran?  How about Benedict's condom statement?  It is not long ago pious pundits were worried Benedict wasn't allowed to do what he wanted, that his desires were not being met - handlers/bureaucrats were holding things up.  (Seriously - do you people talk and write so much you no longer remember what you say?)

Aren't official documents from the Popes and the CDF routinely ignored or reinterpreted to suit those whose responsibility it is to teach and abide by them?  Are not pastoral concessions/dispensations routinely made for Catholics in all sorts situations?  How about married priests?  How about annulments, which secular critics refer to as Catholic divorce.  How about admitting men with homosexual inclination to seminary?  Kind of an inconvenient truth, huh?

You are worried that the faith and Catholic teaching will be misunderstood?  That the Pope should only speak with prepared theological texts?  This is exactly what the Pope has spoken against - distancing the faithful through over dependence on academic, theological, dogmatic dissertation and cold, official statements in ecclesial language.

The Pope speaks directly, plainly.

He is the son of Italian immigrants.  He is the type of man who sits in the kitchen and talks with the family and friends who stop by.  He's ordinary.  He welcomes persons into his life.  He went into the favelas and made friends and spoke their language, shared their concerns.  When he says something, he means it.  He welcomes sinners and eats with them.  He doesn't brow beat theology and dogma and damnation every time he opens his mouth.  

He doesn't need holier-than-thou handlers watering down or icing up the faith.

No comments:

Post a Comment