Thursday, March 28, AD 2024 11:51am

PopeWatch: We Really Bug the Pope

Well this is gratifying:

 

Catholic media that identify and condemn statements and actions not in line with Catholic doctrine are opposing the “centrality of compassion” and hampering evangelization in substance, Pope Francis told the bishops of Central America during his meeting with them at World Youth Days in Panama.

His words triggered an editorial piece by Andrea Tornielli on VaticanNews in which the new editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication doubled down on Francis’ attacks, comparing his words to a “photograph of a reality that unfortunately is plain for all to see” and adding his own criticisms of “media that proclaim to be Catholic.”

These are the Pope’s precise words:

“The outcome of our pastoral work, evangelization and mission does not depend on the material means and resources at our disposal, or on the number of our events and activities, but on the centrality of compassion: this is one of the unique things that we, the Church, can offer our brothers and sisters. I am worried about how the compassion of Christ has lost a central place in the Church, even among Catholic groups, or is being lost – not to be so pessimistic. Even in the Catholic media there is a lack of compassion. There is schism, condemnation, cruelty, exaggerated self-praise, the denouncing of heresy …”

We have here a typical example of the dichotomy Pope Francis has established in many ways between pastoral care and the upholding of the Church’s teaching, where “doctrine” and the law are held to be obstacles to mercy and inclusion.

It isn’t difficult to imagine which “Catholic media” he was alluding to. Many Catholic mainstream journals, magazines, and websites in the Western world – often those with official links to local episcopates – are obviously liberal, unclear on very clearly established points of doctrine, following the flow of “new paradigms” and eager to keep up with the times.

Those that hang on to time-tested truths and traditional morality are easy to identify. It is they that voice concern about – say – the shifting standards of Amoris laetitia, openness to homosexual couples as such, the scrapping of perennial Church teaching on the death penalty, etc. This all would count as “a lack of compassion”: not welcoming sinners and at the same time pretending to be praiseworthy by contrast.

Go here to read the rest.  Peronists have always wished to silence opposition.  Add to this the Pope’s non-stop attempts to paint criticisms of him as un-Christian, and we have a pontiff with a very thin skin indeed.

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father of seven
father of seven
Thursday, January 31, AD 2019 4:50am

We also have a pontiff who continually condemns others even as he decries condemning others. A pontiff who simply makes up one set of rules for himself and his buddies and another set for everyone else. The glaring hypocrisy of this man is breathtaking. If he doesn’t want to continue to receive this criticism, then he can simply become Catholic. Nothing is more central to compassion than truth.

DonL
DonL
Thursday, January 31, AD 2019 5:12am

“centrality of compassion”
One has to almost admire such skill in manipulating language, much the same as admiring the bad steward’s cunning in forgiving his master’s debtors.

Magdalene P
Magdalene P
Thursday, January 31, AD 2019 6:21am

Yes, those who denounce heresy—where is their compassion for lies and the promoting of confusion and evil?

Mary De Voe
Thursday, January 31, AD 2019 6:50am

Compassion is the sharing in the passion of Jesus Christ as Christ carried the cross and was crucified for us. Compassion in the sharing of the passion of Christ is sharing in truth. Compassion as used by Pope Francis is throwing pearls before swine. The swine will kill us.

Mary De Voe
Thursday, January 31, AD 2019 6:59am

“The swine will kill us.” The swine will tear you to pieces.

Penguins Fan
Penguins Fan
Thursday, January 31, AD 2019 3:35pm

Are the swine you are talking about those wild boars that have been overrunning Texas? They are nasty.

Bergoglio has been Pope for, what, seven years now? Seven years too long. We should all be accustomed to his silly rantings and his devoid-of-intellect condemnations of anyone who disagrees with him. He is more of a Hippee than a Pope, with a nod to Lutheran Satire.

I have Bergoglio Fatigue. I am tired of everything about him. I am tired of his nasty mouth, his heterodoxy, hos surrounding himself with known perverts, his ranting about global warming and unchecked immigration. He thinks he has been crowned King of the World. if he ever returned to the US – he won’t – i would not cross the street to see him. Avoid him, but not see him.

c matt
c matt
Thursday, January 31, AD 2019 3:53pm

You know what the Pope should do? He should put up a webpage on the Vatican site that lists all these horrible Catholic blogs that lack compassion for the god of surprises (and its little dog Frankie). He should include links, too. It would make for a great aggreg— I mean, Index for Forbidden Sites. I know it would protect me from visiting them. Come on Frankie, protect your flock!

Lena
Lena
Thursday, January 31, AD 2019 9:18pm

Bergoglio is a classic “anything butter”.
In his case, anything but Catholic.

John
John
Friday, February 1, AD 2019 8:35am

They say Peter was first Pope. Scriptures tell us where he passed by
where his shadow was cast people were healed. Hmmm!
Also Gods Word tells us what is Sin and what is not and if we don’t confess Sin we are not forgiven. Christ Died for us but when we say we have no Sin we are Liars. I find this Pope full of himself.

Jeanne Rohl
Jeanne Rohl
Friday, February 1, AD 2019 3:57pm

This is a joke right?

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