Lest anyone think that I am not clairvoyant please note my earlier post on 3/13/13 or 13/3/13! And of course the added touch of the seagull as an anticipation to the name Pope Francis I is absolutely amazing given the fact that St. Francis of Assisi loved birds! He has Italian parents, born in Argentina and his Italian is impeccable.
I pray that all my blog readers will acknowledge this holy, humble man as the Vicar of Christ, Pontifex Maximus and Universal Pastor and give him the obedience that is due the Holy Father by all Catholics in the areas of faith, morals and discipline, in all doctrines and morals of the Church.
Schismatic responses to this Holy Father are out of place on this blog.
Please pray for the Holy Father! May we all look toward the mountains and look to Rome ultimately! I may change the name of this blog to the Happy Ultra-Montanist!
Finally, don't look for extravagance in the papacy or the tiara!
26 comments:
So far, I observe that there are many online expressing despair over the election of this man. Interestingly, this is the case among the progressives, and among the traditionalists.
Knowing nothing of the man, I am mindful that accepting the office can change a man, and would note that only by his works can we know him. His works going forward, that is.
Viva el papa!
Thanks be to God!
It is not schismatic to disagree. It is schismatic to disobey.
Consider some of us as the loyal opposition.
I pray everything I fear about this pope is wrong. But this looks like Benedict's reform through continuity has just been placed on indefinite hold.
As a traditionalist, I feel completely abandoned.
Iimagine he is naming after St. Francis Xavier.
Maybe he can bring the Jesuits back into the Catholic Church.
I think we have to wait prayerfully and see what he does.He is a doctrinal conservative, apparently pretty plain spoken and unyielding on issues of morals and dogma, and compassionate for the poor and oppressed without being jaded and political about it. That all sounds pretty good to me. I hope he will encourage Benedict's liturgical reforms to continue.
I've been listening to Catholic radio for the last two hours and all I am hearing is, "Social justice, social justice, social justice, social justice, social justice.."
I've been listening to this broken record for the last 30 years. Social justice is a key part of being a Catholic, but part of the problem is that we have two generations of Catholics who believe that social justice is THE ONLY THING REQUIRED to be a Catholic. They care not a whit about liturgy, morality, or the Church's role in influencing society. How can one not feel frustrated at this kind of "Catholic media" reaction?
The most important achievement of Pope Benedict was his renewal of the liturgy. If the liturgical renewal can be sustained, the Church will be renewed. He was sabotaged by his own curia. Now we have a curial careerist as pope. Now in all fairness, we don't know what this pope will do. But based on the information we have, what do you honestly think he is most likely to do? My guess is darned little. Please Lord, let him prove me wrong.
I don't know what to think. This man seems to be mostly unpublished.
“All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.”
― Julian of Norwich
What we think matters not. Whether the will of God has been and will be carried out does. Like it or not, the Catholic Church is made up of all kinds. I would love to have seen Cardinal Burke elected, but that didn't happen. What will Pope Francis do to win the salvation of the souls that seem intent upon falling into Hell like snowflakes, as St Teresa of Jesus saw in a vision? And what we will we do to support his efforts? A myopic vision of the liturgy (and I say this as one who would have been thrilled to see Pope Benedict offer the TLM publicly)is not the answer to the Church's problems. Let's give the man a chance, please.
Has the will of God been done? What "will" can we attribute this to? His permissive will? One could well argue that the fall of man was the will of God by such a rationale. Let us not confuse fatalism and faith.
Thank God the tiara is likely to remain in storage. A pope on the bus...WOW. There is hope.
This election was a different experience, for sure, as compared the last one, where Ratzinger was a favored candidate going in. The last time was also different in that some of us knew some of what we were getting (the Tridentine Mass back as well as reform of the Novus Ordo) when Benedict XVI appeared on the balcony. This time felt a lot more like the distant past (1978) when I was much younger and just didn't know as much about the new popes (JPI and JPII) as they emerged on the balcony.
I have done a little internet research on Jorge Bergoglio tonight and most of what I read was very good--especially on issues of doctrine and morality (his statements on abortion, euthanasia, gay marriage, and worthy reception of Communion).
Despite the rampant negativity I have seen on several of my favorite blogs (claiming no EF's in his former diocese) I did find one story stating that, immediately upon the promulgation of Summorum Pontificum, Card. Bergoglio ordered that a chapel be set up especially for the EF (do a search under Jorge Bergoglio Summorum Pontificum). Let's just wait and see how things turn out (and pray for him in the meantime). Even in the worst case scenario I seriously doubt that he will undo Benedict's reforms (including SC) especially with Benedict still alive.
Anonymous at 8:02 pm
We don't know that answer to that yet.
I just visited a blog written by a Traditionalist Catholic who repeatedly called the new pope by a most derogatory name. My youngest daughter, reading the article over my shoulder just said to me: "Mom, that's as bad as the opposite extreme of people who want women ordained priests. If Catholics can't even respect the Pope, what hope is there that the rest of the world will respect our church?" These public tantrums related to threats that have yet to materialize to the Extraordinary Form of the Mass do nothing more than perpetuate the worst stereotypes of those of us who have an attachment to the TLM. That's all I have to say about the reaction of some Catholics to our new pope.
Father MacDonald, God bless you.
Read the words of our newest Holy Father & remember the words of our Lord: "Peter, do you love me? Feed my sheep"... Pgal
http://jmgarciaiii.blogspot.com/2013/02/cdl-bergoglios-lenten-letter-2013.html
I think Pope Francis will end up doing great things. I had never heard of him before today, but he seems genuine and humble. It is absolutely ridiculous and a travesty that people are already being judgmental and negative. Some people thrive on controversy and chaos & try to stir up both. How sad that on such a joyous day, our faith is still divided. Gods message is the same every day, every minute; no matter what! Love each other, follow your moral compass and live each day as an example of true Christianity. I for one am proud of my faith.
Eight years abo, as I watched Joseph Ratzinger be anoounced Pope Benedict XVI, it was very exciting. I was thrilled and joyful. I looked forward to all the wonderful things he would do in his pontificate (and I was not disappointed, especially in regards to the Mass). But this time around for Pope Francis? No joy. No excitment. Sort of a feeling of... I don't know... disillusionment. I so wish to God Benedict XVI had the strength to go on longer. Most of his restorations to the Mass haven't even trickled down to local diosicsen levels yet. It may never at this point. God please help me, but I just don't have much faith in our new Holy Father. Please pray for me so I don't fall into a sense of religious despair over this.
I do not understand how anyone can feel abandoned with regard to the election of a modern Supreme Pontiff. So much of the bad sentiment I keep reading is based on a stereotype of who the Holy Father might because he is:
1. A priest of the Society of Jesus
2. He is Argentinean (in the context of the Global South, etc.)
[This is so very similar to certain people who call(ed) Benedict XVI a Nazi and/or bigot.]
I confess, Pope Francis I is/was not my first pick for the Bishop of Rome. After about 15 minutes, I took my grandmother’s loving advice: “Put on your big boy pants and get over it.”
Psalm 130/131: “Lord, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes not raised from the earth; my mind does not dwell on high things, on marvels that are beyond my reach. Bear me witness that I kept my soul ever quiet, ever at peace. The thoughts of a child on its mother’s breast, a child’s thoughts were all my soul knew. Let Israel trust in the Lord, henceforth and forever.”
Reading many comments on CAF and Fisheaters, not to mention this blog, I get the bad feeling Pope Francis may be the most divisive pope in history.
I like everything I have seen so far about our new Pope. He has spoken out against pro- choice polititions receiving communion, he has spoken out against gay "marriage", and he openly opposed the Argentine President's support of same-sex couples adopting children. He has been Superior in his order, so he also has managerial skills.
I was taken by his humility, and I love the way he started his pontificate by leading us all in prayer for Benedict XVI! I wish him well and pray that he follow where the Holy Spirit guides him.
Viva il papa!
Art - To say Pope Francis is a "curial careerist" is pure calumny. He has been in Argentina practically his entire life and refused many curial posts. He is the exact opposite of a "curial careerist". Like others I am a little nervous about the new Pope's liturgical vision but the criticism he has received so far is disturbing.
I don't think he has a liturgical vision. There's a saying "about as much use as a Jesuit in Holy Week". Fortunately in this Holy Week Guido Marini will still be around. If he is genuinely humble he will not parade his 'humility' by wearing cheap-looking vestments. This is a form of arrogance, implying that the man is more important than the office.
There was a lot of nonsense talked last night. He can identify with the South American poor as much as he likes, but can't do much about it if he is in Rome. He won't be using public transport, and can live as frugally as he likes in the papal apartments. Paul VI was notably ascetic; when he died it was discovered he had worn a hair shirt for years.
I fail to see how a man with two Italian parents can be described as non-European. And he's not Francis I. Luciani (oddly) styled himself "the First" which is one of the reasons why his successor took the same name.
Don't worry too much about the liturgy. Benedict set the ball rolling and the younger generation of priests and bishops will pick it up and run with it - with the support of like-minded laity. If they don't, they have only themselves to blame.
John I would agree with your sentiments. I pray that the awsome role he now has as the universal pastor will shape him and he will allow the office to shape his worldview. I also agree with you about the Liturgy, it will continue to progress but in diversity. I understand he is also the Ordinary for the Eastern Rite, so he must be bi-ritual and that certainly must shape him in some way or another,and I would love to see if he has celebrated the Byzantine Liturgy.
His greatest ministry will be to pull the Church together in all its diversity within the bounds of orthodox Catholic teaching, which from what I understand he is very traditional. Liturgically, no, he is of the 70's. But that may well change with time.
I don't think he is a singer, so the Mass won't be chanted much and that is sad, but time will tell.
I publicly apologize for calling the new pope a "curial careerist." It appears that I have been as much in the dark as anyone and my initial research on Bergoglio/Francis was misinformed.
He has only one lung, which will make singing difficult. I remember both Paul VI and John Paul II reciting the Preface, and a rare film clip of Pius XII celebrating Mass at the papal altar in St Peter's shows a Low Mass!
The much touted Youtube clip of the children's Mass which has given traddies the vapours shows the Cardinal celebrating the NO with dignity and in accordance with the rubrics, despite the unseemly cacophony surrounding him.
There's a picture online of Pope Francis washing the feet of a new mother in a maternity hospital in Buenos Airis...that's the worth of a Jesuit father in Holy Week.
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