Even when Pope Saint John Paul II was pope, I began to feel discomfort that his personality was larger than life and his globe trotting was placing too much emphasis on his personality and charisma. That was not the case so much for Pope Benedict. He seem to put forward the cult of the papacy and its trappings rather than himself. I use cult in this sense more positively as it revolves around office rather than person.
When Pope Francis was elected pope, (although we don’t hear this any more) he was touted as the most humble pope ever? Why? He discarded the trappings of the papacy, the Mozzetta was the symbol of this, not wearing it at his introduction or since. He paid his own bill at the Vatican motel and moved out of the papal palace and back into the Vatican Motel 6. All of this was to show forth his humility and the cult of humility he wanted to witness.
However, for this pope and any pope, the wearing and use of papal trappings could be the most humble thing they could do. For this pope, the style of Pope Benedict’s papacy would truly be humiliating to Pope Francis’ personality type.
And thus Sandro Magister produces this article that makes so many good point. My final comments at the end:
A quote from the article: A while back, who could ever say he “knew the pope,” apart from the inhabitants of Rome? For everyone else in the Catholic ecumene the reigning pope was little more than a name. His acts of government and magisterium passed almost exclusively through the peripheral institutions of the Church, in a strictly hierarchical way: from the pope to the bishops, from the bishops to the parish priests, and from these to the faithful.
Today, on the contrary, there are more and more Christians who may not even know who their parish priest is, but know very well (that is, they believe they know) the pope. Thus the idea of the pope as “parish priest of the world” is taking hold more and more: one may think, in this sense, of the function performed by Francis’s daily Mass at Santa Marta during the long months of the pandemic suspension of the liturgy.
My final comments:
Think locally. How many priests are judged today not by upholding Church doctrine and dogma, preaching it and seeking to denigrate themselves by ad orientem worship but rather by the type of personality they have, how warm and inviting they are during the liturgy and the affectivity of their style of celebrating and ad libbing the Mass?
A heterodox priest with a great, funny and appealing personality will be accepted compared to a rigid orthodox priest who doesn’t sell himself but sells Christ will be tarred and feathered in a symbolic way by the chatter in the parish and the comparisons to priests with better personalities. Even the pope denigrates these rigid types. Why?
10 comments:
We hadn't yet coined the phrase, but anyone with a pulse could figure out what Bergoglio was attempting: Virtue Signalling.
Don’t believe for a moment that there wasn’t a cult of personality around Benedict. Just look at those who claim (absurdly) that he is still Pope.
Except Pope Benedict was not a publicity hound playing to leftists, like Pope Francis. Also Pope Benedict (a conservative) was not a tyrant like Pope Francis (a liberal)
This current madness in Rome has to end and end soon, the Church cannot continue on this death spiral it must STOP. And only the return of the Traditional Latin Mass and Sacraments will end this death spiral. 50 years of the New Springtime has destroyed the Church and must now rebuild from scratch.
Father McDonald said..."He paid his own bill at the Vatican motel and moved out of the papal palace and back into the Vatican Motel 6. All of this was to show forth his humility and the cult of humility he wanted to witness."
Pope Francis stated that he moved into Domus Sanctae Marthae as to be with people. It has been folks other than Pope Francis who have spun the humility angle.
His Holiness stated that the Papal apartment was "not luxurious." He did not object as such to the apartment.
Pope Francis decided against living in the Papal apartment as "People can come only in dribs and drabs, and I cannot live without people. I need to live my life with others."
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Mark Thomas,
Pope Francis is a hot headed nasty and uses intemperate language with regularity. You need to stop living in your alternate world of reality
Prayers for the pope who undergoes planned colon surgery today.
Father McDonald said..."Even when Pope Saint John Paul II was pope, I began to feel discomfort that his personality was larger than life and his globe trotting was placing too much emphasis on his personality and charisma. That was not the case so much for Pope Benedict. He seem to put forward the cult of the papacy and its trappings rather than himself. I use cult in this sense more positively as it revolves around office rather than person."
Father McDonald, I am uncertain as to whether Pope Benedict XVI, as compared to Pope Saint John Paul II, "put forward the cult of the papacy and its trappings rather than himself."
That is within the realm of opinion. You may be correct.
I believe that via modern media, as well as travel, from Pope Saint John Paul II to date, that we have had "globetrotting, superstar," Popes.
I use that phrase in positive fashion.
My above opinion is linked to Pope Benedict XVI insistence that modern air travel has altered dramatically the conduct of the Pope.
He insisted that our Popes are compelled to embark upon worldwide Apostolic visits.
In view of the tremendous love, excitement, massive crowds, and applause that he had received during his Apostolic visits, I believe that Pope Benedict XVI was a globetrotting, superstar.
Again, I use that description in positive fashion.
Pope Benedict XVI was a beloved Pope among the overwhelming amount of God's Holy People.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
In regard to Pope Benedict XVI's travels, as compared to those of Pope Saint John Paul II:
From Wikipedia:
"With an average of three foreign journeys per year from 2006 to 2009, Pope Benedict XVI was as active in visiting other countries as his predecessor, John Paul II, was at the same age from 1999 to 2002.
"Pope Benedict was more active since then, however, making five foreign journeys each in both 2010 and 2011, significantly more than the six total trips made by Pope John Paul II at the same age in 2003 and 2004.
"As of the 2012 apostolic journey to Mexico and Cuba, Pope Benedict XVI is older than Pope John Paul II was at the time of his death and is now the oldest Pope to travel outside Europe, as well as being the oldest Pope to travel to Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Australia, or the Americas."
Pope Benedict XVI has insisted that modern Popes are compelled to travel throughout the world.
If that is the case, as well as a Pope's daily commitments, then it is all but a given that our Popes will destroy their health.
There is little wonder as to why Pope Benedict XVI has set the stage for Popes to resign their Pontificates.
Should they agree with Pope Benedict XVI's assessment of the modern Papacy, then the days are all but history of Popes continuing their Pontificates until they have fallen asleep in the Lord.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Mark Thomas,
Zzzzzzzzzzz
Post a Comment