Pope Francis’ papacy may implode if His Holiness doesn’t address in a transparent and forthright way the various devastating scandals involving the Vatican and sexuality.
But apart from this, John Allen of Crux writes the following in a commentary this morning:
Over the last five and a half years, dozens of times I have found myself in conversations - sometimes with Church people, sometimes with colleagues in the media, sometimes on the lecture circuit - the subject of which is, “Can anything end the public love affair with this pope?”
Francis is such a compelling, inspirational figure, it’s always been a tough question to answer. Usually, I would say something like the following: “If the pope came to be perceived as dirty on the abuse mess, that might be the only thing that could do it.”
Apart from the swirling scandals, I only sense ambivalence towards this pope from the laity I know. They don’t really trust him and see him as a 1960’s type Catholic progressivist marginalizing those who love tradition and clarity on moral issues, just as these same characters marginalized Catholics after the Second Vatican Council who desired the older form of the Mass and other traditions. To be called "pre-Vatican II" in the 1960's and 70's was the ecclesiastical "N" word!
While they admire his concern for the poor, they find this concern motivated more by leftist politics and bleeding heart enablement and less so by sound doctrine or common sense.
What do you think apart from the meltdown now?
4 comments:
The "public love affair with this pope" is quite limited, mostly to the most liberal among us and the consumers of the postconciliar Kool aid. The "public love affair" is a product of a media that hates everything the Catholic Church has ever been.
The fact is, almost from the beginning of his papacy, Francis has drawn smaller crowds than his predecessors. Not that such a decline in popularity would halt his deconstructive agenda--but Francis' greatest admirers are a media that despises the Church and sees him for what he is--a pope who is likely to dismantle everything unpopular the Catholic Church has ever taught or required. The modernist agenda does not attract people, does not attract vocations and it is inherently boring.
In recent years, the largest crowds at the Vatican came to see Pope Benedict. Yes, he drew even LARGER crowds than the "rock star" pope, John Paul II. Catholics who knew and loved their Church were excited and inspired to get a pope who was willing to stand up and try to halt the decline we've been experiencing since Vatican II.
Just my opinion, but I believe Satan tried to stop Benedict and force his resignation. I also think God is allowing his enemies to be exposed for what they are: Perverts and frauds. And they are going to have to come out into the open and own their entire postconciliar debacle.
Again, just my opinion.
My opinion is that the "love affair" with Francis ended when his papacy began to be seen as a "lame duck papacy." I hope and believe it will get much worse. They loved him when it seemed that he was and could destroy the faith... now, not so much.
The loss of faith among the hierarchy in this country and probably in all western societies is widespread. Careless liturgies and the casual way sinful clerical actions are approved and defended even by PF is astonishingly accepted by the laity as well. Benedict XVI inspired us to try to be the best we can be. PF inspires his admirers to say Whatever (who am i to judge?).
He should have been made to resign right after he said that. He announced to the world there are no standards and no limits. But he is also inconsistent contradicting himself from one day to the next. This habit of his is also a reason why he should be honest with himself and admit his unsuitability for a job that requires a respect for himself, for others and not least of all for Allmighty God.
Let us pray for a change of heart and mind in our Pope. He is not a young man anymore. Change may be hard to do now.
I never found PF a 'compelling, inspirational figure' but despite initial misgivings I was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Five years on, and I have no confidence in him whatsoever. His recent behaviour and utterances suggest that he is rapidly losing his marbles.
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