In my 45 years as a priest, I never experienced individual Catholics coming to me because they felt guilty about the way they were feeling about a particular pope. Pope Francis changed that in a way that was personally breathtaking to me. He made many of my parishioners uncomfortable, not so much because of the Gospel message he preached, but the ambiguities he spoke, especially off-the-cuff and what appeared to many as his enablement of sin by offering cheap mercy without repentance and a change of a sinful lifestyle, at least as they understood it. The metaphor of the Church as a field hospital made the Church into a palliative care and comfort institution rather than a true hospital that at times had to give bitter medicine and amputate limbs that were diseased.
This angst that so many felt, started immediately after Pope Francis' election on 3/13/13.
So, let me offer my opinion on Pope Francis' papacy from the peripheries of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
For the most part, I appreciated his pastoral sensitivities. But in this regard, I also felt that St. Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI were very pastoral too, Benedict in a different way than JPII. But neither of them wore their pastoral initiatives on their sleeve in order to tout their accessibility and pastoral concerns. They also understood that much of our pastoral outreach has to be within the context of the internal forum and accepting people as they present themselves. It's not a one size fits all.
Vatican II or its aftermath emphasized pastoral care of the laity. Seminaries, including my own, had classes for seminarians on how to be pastoral. These were helpful and in the immediate post-Vatican II Church, many Catholics had experienced priests who were not pastoral but rather purely doctrinaire and laying burdens on the laity rather than assisting them. Often the laity were dismissed in their foibles.
Thus, pastoral care and sensitivity are necessary. But this is an art not a science. Pope Francis had the gift of the art of pastoral care but he dogmatized it and made it too showy.
The other thing I would mention in this brief essay is that if Pope Francis had blended his pastoral sensitivity with a humble acceptance of the papacy and its trappings, it would have soothed people who have otherwise now experience a great deal of anger toward him.
Pope Francis, wittingly or unwittingly, used pastoral theology to open the door to changing moral teachings of the Church, a conversion of these teachings rather than a conversion of sinners. He may not have intended it, but liberal, post Catholic Catholics think he was on their side in terms of everything the LGBTQ+++ Catholics envision for the Church and the priesthood. They think he was on their side as it concerns the neutering of Humanae Vitae and an anything goes approach to sexual expression in a guilt free way.
In some way, if the next pope is more inclined to these post Catholic changes, Pope Francis has begun the processes toward acceptance of these abominations.
My biggest critique of Pope Francis, which was also my critique of JPII during his pontificate is that too much emphasis is placed on the person of the pope and his personality and how many people showed adulation of them. This is not humility but pride and turns the papacy away from the "cult of the institution of the papacy" to the "cult of the personality." That is not good and needs a true reform with the next pope.
Pope Benedict XVI certainly tried to do this.
19 comments:
Quite past his full scale assault on Latin mass communities, and equally brutal assault on contemplative religious orders and telling them to get a REAL job as social workers, him participating in pagan rites and bringing offerings to pagan gods into St. Peter's and them on the very altar over Peter's tomb, and being the next best thing to an anti-pope I ever hope to see...he was a miserable failure in being a JPII style rock star, and pretty much had to go to the outside edges of the Christian world to draw a real crowd, while studiously avoiding entire his own country where they knew him the best.
I am sincerely praying for the repose of the soul of the man who said that I joined a church that never existed. I gave him a lot of leeway at the beginning, knowing that a lot of what a person says can be misconstrued during translation, but his attacks against the TLM community injured me to the depths of my soul. I felt like an unwelcomed child, so I have stayed home. I really do pray that the Lord have Mercy on his soul, and hope that He show Mercy upon mine as well.
Nicely stated but there was one glaring omission: his personal nastiness and vindictive behavior towards faithful, tradition minded Catholics, laity and clergy. Traditiones Custodes is a disgrace, and I pray the next pontiff will consign it to the ashbin of history, where it belongs.
Fair assessment. Agree with all here. The ideologues have likely started campaigning. Lord help us.
In regard to Pope Francis (requiescat in pace): having fallen asleep in the Lord:
I have been blessed by the tremendous outpouring of love and respect that I have encountered in person, as well as online. One person after another has testified that thanks to Pope Francis, he, or she, had grown closer to God.
All glory for that goes to God as holy Jorge Bergoglio served as the instrument through which our Majestic God had, for decades, worked. Jorge Bergoglio had long exhibited holiness, as well as humility, which, again, flowed from God.
Aside from the tremendous current worldwide outpouring of love for Pope Francis, there are two tributes to him that I will not forget.
-- Bishop Fellay, in vile fashion, had denounced Pope Francis as "a genuine modernist...a disaster" who had made the Church "10,000 times worse."
Cardinal Pell responded:
"To put it politely, I think that’s absolute rubbish! Francis said he’s a loyal son of the Church, and his record shows that.
"He’s very, very concerned for the day-to-day life of the people, and for those who are suffering, those not well off and those in difficult situations.
"He’s a completely faithful exponent of Christ’s teaching and the Church’s tradition.
"He’s a very good man! He’s a man who practices what he preaches in terms of simplicity and poverty, and has done so for very many years.
"I think he’s a very good example of the old-style Jesuit – very well educated, formidable self-control, self-discipline, and and a long experience in a variety of positions , and certainly prayerful. The Jesuits are not famous for liturgical niceties, but he says a beautiful, beautiful mass."
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-- Then-Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, via his final book, concluded with the following:
"At the end of my reflections, I want to thank Pope Francis for everything he does to constantly display the light of God, which, even today, has not faded. Thank you, Holy Father!"
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I, too, thank holy Pope Francis for that.
God had raised Jorge Bergoglio to serve as His Pope. Via God's grace and help, Jorge Bergoglio/Pope. Francis had long demonstrated that he was a "loyal son of the Church...a completely faithful exponent of Christ’s teaching and the Church’s tradition..."
...a man who displayed "the light of God, which, even today, has not faded. Thank you, Holy Father!"
Pax.
Mark Thomas
I was waiting for the cut and paste barf alert. MT Suit never disappoints
With Father McDonald's permission:
Beautiful tributes to Pope Francis continue flow from everywhere...all to God's glory.
Example: To the Glory of God, the Church in Africa's Cardinals and bishops have heaped love and respect upon Pope Francis.
-- Cardinal Ambongo said that the entire church and family of God in Africa and its Islands joined the universal church in mourning the pope.
"Pope Francis has been more than a shepherd to the Universal Church, he has been a profound source of inspiration, particularly to us in Africa. His visits to various countries on the continent brought hope and love to countless people and reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to being a family."
"Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis has been a strong voice in favor of justice, in favor of peace throughout the world, in favor of the promotion of the small, the weak."
"He courageously called us to embrace the spirit of synodality, encouraging all members of the church to walk together, listen to one another and build a more inclusive and loving community."
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-- Archbishop Anthony Muheria of Nyeri: "A true icon, but above all, a Father and a Shepherd."
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-- Archbishop Fulgence Muteba Mugalu of Lubumbashi, the president of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo:
"A close pastor of the poor, a witness of mercy and a defender of creation, Pope Francis remains a model of living faith and hope for the church family in the DRC."
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-- Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji of Owerri, in a statement on behalf of Nigeria’s bishops:
"He was a tireless advocate for migrants and refugees, promoted a more synodal church rooted in responsibility, and called for a culture of kindness and human fraternity."
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-- Archbishop Ignatius Chama of Kasama, the president of the Zambian bishops’ conference, offered thanks for “the gift of the universal shepherd who with faith and selflessness guided the church of Christ for 12 years."
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Archbishop Philip Anyolo of Nairobi:
"Pope Francis dedicated his life to the Gospel of Christ and the service to humanity. His humility, compassion and prophetic leadership touched countless lives across all nations and faiths."
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-- Statement from the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference:
"Over the past years we have been touched by his warm smile, his courageous messages, his emphasis on mercy, his denouncement of injustice, wars and the dehumanization of people."
"Through and beyond our sadness, we cannot but give thanks to God for blessing us with such a great Pope and caring pastor."
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Pax.
Mark Thomas
See below.
As an unemployed Hagiography major, you fail to note the possibility of crocodile tears or plain PC "brotherly love" Christian-posturing going on at the moment and in the past, the same way you ignore Pell's letter to cardinals before his death, and in short, you are a cherry picker of the highest order, and likewise Christian-posturer of the highest order, writing posts in a manner far far away from any normal speech pattern in yiur daily life.
And that makes YOU part of what is so wrong with the Church today, no true spirituality heroically speaking truth to falsehood, but instead just another posturing "team player" valuing false unity over truth, and just the sort who would have labeled Athanasius as a trouble-maker. You also seem to miss just how blatantly fake your posts come across, and just how much such piety-posturing drives away those you seek to convert to your view, reminding me more of the old Cheech and Chong stoner line of, "I used to be all messed up on drugs, but now I'm all messed up on Jesus," and anything but convincing,
The Roman Church is such a dichotomy anymore.
The prior occupant remains a media darling, humble this and that. Platitudes abound and pseudo-canonizations are regularly occurring. Many are truly grieving, I don't wish to deny them their experience; however, like one here, you would think they had just been widowed. They either ignore, or are unaware, that a man was governing, not an incarnate.
While the deceased demonstrated humility, was it complete? The Roman liturgy continues to be the subject of simplification, is that indifference by the illuminati too caught up in worldly cares and social justice to be bothered with stylized prayer? Humility seems to have extended to all but power. The papacy and the Vatican is a "spiritual" and political power center with no signs of slowing. TJM has posted several good blog articles outlining power and the confusion the prior administration has created as a result of having that power. As an Easterner, the Roman Church finding its way back to an earlier model of the papacy might give unity a reasonable chance. Expecting that the Orthodox will just fall into line is a total and complete misunderstanding of error as perceived by them.
Regarding the conclave, I was watching a video of Cardinal Tagle last night. He said all the right things, really solid sound bytes. The thrust was reaching out to young people. What about the young people Benedict XVI recognized as being drawn to and enchanted by the TLM? Don't they matter? They're the ones who are going to have the large families that fill pews while sending their sons to the seminaries. Whomever the next pope is will have his hands full unraveling some of the last 12 years, fighting off the illuminati, the corrupt, the in-house power brokers, the social justice warriors and and any other unsavory cabal that prowls in the shadows of the Vatican. If power can be abused, let us not be naive thinking it isn't being abused there. I just hope glimpses of the Catholic Church are allowed to once again shine forth. I'm burnt out on the NGO image. Evidently, so too are many as the square was noticeably and lightly attended relative its size when processing the late pontiff. This isn't working.
As to the more "simplified" burial rites, I agree with the late pontiff. The visuals of bodies in various states of decay being processed around on boards I always found to be disturbing and somewhat undignified. Contained in a coffin, as is customary, it has been and will likely remain more tasteful and dignified, at least to me.
Bob,
No notes. 10/10.
Nick
At the time of the election of Francis, I had been a priest for approximately 25 years and never once did I hear a layperson complain about either JPII or Benedict XVI in confession. Within months of Francis’ election, I began to hear multiple complaints about Francis from devout people during their confessions. At first it astonished me, but soon I came to realize that people were taking the opportunity in confession to unburden themselves regarding the negative emotions that they had toward Francis.
Francis was a man of many contradictions. While I will pray for him, I shall not miss him at all. In fact, I am glad that God called him from this life in order to give us a chance at getting an orthodox, holy, and truly pastoral Pope who will not needlessly insult people of good will.
Funny you mention this. When JPII passed, everyone talked about it and him so fondly. When Benedict XVI was elected, I was at work and this wave of excitement poured over my wing of the building. A colleague walked around excitedly saying "They picked a pope!". When Benedict XVI walked out and extended his arms, I was just beaming.
The late pontiff passed. Not. One. Word. have I heard from anyone in public, in line to pay for lunch, in the office, absolutely nothing. When he appeared on the balcony for the first time, a chill went through me and I couldn't tell you why. Not long after, I remember overhearing a priest say "this is a total disaster". Here we are. It's time to pick up the pieces and move on. I share feelings similar to yours and I've prayed for his repose.
One of things notable as to papal succession, given the zarre episodes in Church history of usurpers and anti-popes, is the complex certification of death, and public display of the body wide open to view of all the faithful, showing that indeed the pope is dead, and not languishing in some dungeon awaiting a secret execution or exile.
It also happens to be a very old fashioned "wake", modified only by relatively modern embalming practices, making real a death intentionally ignored by the modern mind, no one today would think it possible or even right to wash and dress the body of their own dead and lay them out in their home for overnight prayers before the burial, such is the modern allergy to acknowledging the existence of death, them wanting instead a slow-motion disappearing act.
SS, exactly my experience and it continues even now. The Church needs an internal healing after these 12 years.
"Liberalism" or whatever you want to call it, is a spent force in Catholicism, only the septua and octogenarians buy this bilge anymore. I belong to two different in parishes in two different states. They are run by diocesan priests, both in their 30s, who are able to celebrate the TLM and have re-enchanted the Novus Ordo Mass through beautiful vestments, Latin Chant, Roman Canon on Sundays, etc. They could care less what these old loons think. Both parishes have a lot of young families with many children. Some of the women have begun wearing veils at Mass. Many now kneel for Holy Communion because prie-dieus have been provided. Traditional devotions are back. By by, Canute!
As of several hours ago, news agencies reported that 150,000 people had filed past Pope Francis' body. Since the time of said reports, the lines of people who have filed past Pope Francis' body have remained massive.
"The Vatican said Friday that some 150,000 people had paid their respects to Francis, filing past his open coffin, which was placed in front of St. Peter's Basilica's main altar."
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The above calls attention to God's Glory. It is God who formed Jorge Bergoglio to serve as holy teacher, governor, and sanctifier of His True Church.
God had blessed Jorge Bergoglio in various ways. In turn, from his days in Argentina to date, Pope Francis, has blessed, to God's great Glory, countless folks.
From Pope Benedict XVI, to Cardinal Pell, to countless folks in between, testimonies to Jorge Bergoglio's/Pope Francis' holiness, kindness, humility, as well as first-class theological expertise, have long flowed.
The tremendous worldwide outpouring of love and respect that Catholics, as well as non-Catholics, have heaped upon Pope Francis has called attention to to the Glory of God.
How? Examples:
-- Pope Francis' holiness, humility, kindness, as well as his great intelligence — each of his many gifts — flowed from God, and called attention to God.
-- The Papacy is rooted within the True Church. There is not another Church/religious community on earth who has been blessed with God's Papacy.
-- It is via God's Papacy that one man on earth, the Bishop of Rome, stands above all other persons as the world's most powerful voice in regard to morality, peace, as well as justice.
-- The focus of countless folks worldwide is upon the True Church...Her Pope who has fallen asleep in the Lord...the process to elect Her new Pope...and Her soon-to-be-Pope who will garner massive worldwide attention.
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In regard to all of the above:
It is with humility that we (Catholics) should recognize the monumental gift from our Majestic God that is His Papacy. We should thank Him for having gifted His Church and world with such a holy and great Bishop of Rome as Pope Francis.
It is without hesitation that in line with Pope Benedict XVI, that we should promise our "unconditional reverence and obedience" to our soon-to-be Pope.
Deo gratias for the holy and great Popes of my lifetime — Francis, Benedict XVI, Saint John Paul II, Blessed John Paul I, Saint Paul VI, as well as Saint John XXIII...not to mention holy Popes who proceeded the Popes in question.
To holy Pope Francis: Requiescat in pace.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
From Dr. Kwasniewski:
https://www.traditionsanity.com/p/special-post-the-end-of-a-pontificate?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
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