Pope Francis I

[Tbone]

That may be the theory, but the practice has often been the other way around.

Sadly you're right. That is the very reason we have Catholics.

 

[painted wolf]

From Wikipedia ...This is troubling and hardly suggests that reform is on the horizon.

Reform is not the habit of old, politically connected men.

wa:do

 

[Muffled]

From Wikipedia ...This is troubling and hardly suggests that reform is on the horizon.

I believe one does not need to reform that which is good.

 

[Muffled]

Why would someone be catholic if he/she wanted to have a reformed church?

Its not like there arent any reformed churches out there.


Never understood that...



As far as the pope is concerned he looked uncomfortable.

I believe no church is perfect and all could use some reformation. On the other hand it is sometimes referred by Protestants as revival. My preferencial term is revision.

 

[Muffled]

OP is not surprising. Its a Catholic.

Anyway. I think what should be pointed out is the fact he is not only the first "Francis" but also the first Latino

Is it also true that he is the first Jesuit because I don't know Papal history and the news says Jesuits are not likely candidates for Pope.

 

[Gaura Priya]

I hope Pope Francis I does a decent job trying to keep an ancient Church together. And he certainly looks more photogenic then the other former Pope... >__>

Having grown up Catholic and no longer finding that affiliation useful, it's still strange on how I measure my own life in how many Popes have passed by! XD From Pope John Paul II, to Pope Benedict XVI, to now Pope Francis I. I wish him many blessings!

 

[WyattDerp]

Pope washes feet of young detainees in Holy Thursday ritual - World News

But while in the past Francis’ predecessors washed the feet of priests in the Basilica of St. John in Lateran -- the most important of the four major basilicas in Rome -- Francis chose to kneel down before young offenders at the Casal del Marmo Penitentiary Institute for Minors.

The group of 12 young people who had their feet washed and kissed by the pope included two young women - the first time a pope included females in the rite. The ceremony has traditionally been limited to men, since all of Jesus' apostles were men.

Pope Francis includes women in papal feet washing ceremony for first time | World news | guardian.co.uk

All popes in living memory have held the service either in St Peter's or the Basilica of St John in Lateran, which is the pope's cathedral church in his capacity as bishop of Rome.

In a brief, unscripted homily, the pope told the young inmates that everyone, including him, had to be in the service of others.

"It is the example of the Lord. He was the most important but he washed the feet of others. The most important must be at the service of others," he said.

At a mass in the Vatican on Thursday morning, Francis urged Catholic priests to devote themselves to helping the poor and suffering instead of worrying about careers as Church managers.

How's that not promising

 

[InformedIgnorance]

How IS it promising? How does him deigning to wash people's feet suggest any change whatsoever in doctrinal matters or official policy or the means by which it will be implemented?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Pope washes feet of young detainees in Holy Thursday ritual - World News



Pope Francis includes women in papal feet washing ceremony for first time | World news | guardian.co.uk



How's that not promising

So the last dictator in Europe made a slight modification to a ritual that was performed by all of his predecessors? Meh.

 

[WyattDerp]

Just because you, for some reason, expected something specific, doesn't mean something else can't be positive for what it is, even though it's not that thing.

And frankly, I'd rather see a lot more done about poverty, and accept that the Catholic Church will *never* condone females in high church positions, gay marriage or abortion, than the other way around. To some things are just silly to wait for. People are free to not be catholic, they are not free to not be poor. And when, for example, muslims demonstrate for peace I'm not going to ***** about burkas, when people in the west demonstrate against war I'm not going to expect them to all go vegetarian, "otherwise it doesn't count". And so on.

Oh, and last dictator? I'd say the pope is more in line with the general opinions of catholics than political decision in most so-called democratic countries are compared to the will of the people. How I wish that was the worst, and the last, of dictatorship on this planet... I mean, why not delude yourself into having choices you don't have, while kicking people who are starving in North Korea in the teeth, just to be petty about something the Pope did? What's not to love, right?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

When I say the Pope's the last dictator in Europe, I'm referring to his status as ruler of Vatican City. Now, I should probably say that I do mean it facetiously, since I don't consider Vatican City's claim to nationhood to be legitimate. However, if Vatican City is a country, then the Pope is its dictator.

Edit: and I didn't expect anything specific from the new Pope; I just haven't seen anything from him so far that I'd consider impressive.

 

[Falvlun]

How IS it promising? How does him deigning to wash people's feet suggest any change whatsoever in doctrinal matters or official policy or the means by which it will be implemented?

So the last dictator in Europe made a slight modification to a ritual that was performed by all of his predecessors? Meh.

Oh come on. I'm sure that if there was some news story about how the Pope won't wash the feet of women you guys be all over that. It's unfair to deem it significant only when the Church excludes women, and to find it uninteresting when they reverse a centuries old practice in order to include women.

 

[InformedIgnorance]

I note the symbolic importance - but I am wondering if there are ACTUAL matters of import that have occurred? thus far not - so given we are merely talking about gestures I do not find it particularly promising; no more than a politician talking about transparency.

 

[Alceste]

Oh come on. I'm sure that if there was some news story about how the Pope won't wash the feet of women you guys be all over that. It's unfair to deem it significant only when the Church excludes women, and to find it uninteresting when they reverse a centuries old practice in order to include women.

Jesuits have always washed feet, including the feet of women. Nothing has changed except that the conclave happened to choose a Jesuit.

 

[Obsrvr]

I heard the pope washed the feet of women and Muslims. Fatima is on the horizon. I can think of no apostasy more in keeping with those prophecies than a pope bowing to Islam.

 

[WyattDerp]

To paraphrase Bill Hicks: If you you mind *this*, of all the things that could be said about past popes.. don't look no further, you are Satan ^^

 

[WyattDerp]

Dear Rightwing Catholic Islamophobes

Pope Francis's willingness to wash the feet of a Muslim woman shows his concern for the very lowest stratum of society. Europe has millions of Muslims, and some are well off and well integrated into society. But many Muslims who immigrated into France and Italy for work got caught when the jobs dried up, and live in poor areas of the cities, being excluded from mainstream society or much hope of betterment. Women have lower status than men in such communities, so a poor Muslim woman in jail is just about the bottom of the social scale.

If that's what Fatima warned about, Fatima should have paid more attention to the world she lived in, or maybe spend more time on growing a heart. Just saying.

But you know what, who cares about the PR effect or what anyone thinks -- I'm sure it made the day for those 12 prisoners, and that's better than slightly improving the already swell day of 12 priests.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

To paraphrase Bill Hicks: If you you mind *this*, of all the things that could be said about past popes.. don't look no further, you are Satan ^^

That's the thing: it's not that I'm making a big deal of this; it's that I care quite a bit about all the other horrible things that the Catholic Church has done, and my feelings about them aren't erased just because the new Pope washed some women's feet.

If he announced that the he would order the Church to open up its records to provide evidence for the prosecution of pedophile priests, or even if it simply apologized for industrial-scale slavery or kidnapping and human trafficking at the hands of the Church, maybe I'd sit up and take notice. I'd also care if he apologized for his own misdeeds, such as his complicity in human rights abuses or his fervent opposition to gay rights.

But so far, all he's done is rearrange the window dressing a little. Considering all the real harm that's been done by the Catholic Church in general and this Pope personally, he's going to need to do something more than a small symbolic gesture to earn my praise.

 

[Alceste]

That's the thing: it's not that I'm making a big deal of this; it's that I care quite a bit about all the other horrible things that the Catholic Church has done, and my feelings about them aren't erased just because the new Pope washed some women's feet.

If he announced that the he would order the Church to open up its records to provide evidence for the prosecution of pedophile priests, or even if it simply apologized for industrial-scale slavery or kidnapping and human trafficking at the hands of the Church, maybe I'd sit up and take notice. I'd also care if he apologized for his own misdeeds, such as his complicity in human rights abuses or his fervent opposition to gay rights.

But so far, all he's done is rearrange the window dressing a little. Considering all the real harm that's been done by the Catholic Church in general and this Pope personally, he's going to need to do something more than a small symbolic gesture to earn my praise.

Exactly. Saying Donald Rumsfeld was less of a ******* than Dick Cheney isn't saying much, even if it's true.

 

[WyattDerp]

That's the thing: it's not that I'm making a big deal of this; it's that I care quite a bit about all the other horrible things that the Catholic Church has done, and my feelings about them aren't erased just because the new Pope washed some women's feet.

Yes, and? What makes you think I feel different, about the CC as an institution? That I acknowledge a nice little thing that person did for the nice little thing it is? Heh.