Advise please on allegiance to Pope

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Seastar

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Hello all.
This is a serious question.
I was raised as a Catholic and used to attend mass before falling away.
I occasionally go to a mass but end up feeling resentful when I hear priests talk of Muslim refugees but not Christian ones. Last year on our Remembrance Sunday for the service personal who gave their lives in two world wars, the priest on his homily said we should be thinking of refugees from war. The one Sunday for the war dead was basically hyjacked for the refugee issue.
The cardinal for this diocese has also stressed that pro life is more than a bio-ethical issue ( he seems afraid to mention abortion by name).
In essence I personally dislike many of the expressed views of priests here, and my Cardinal and indeed Pope Francis. Do I have to like any or all of them and their views? Am I allowed aa a Catholic to attend Mass and ignore the their views but follow the Catechism? Can I leave church during the homily and return for the eucharistic prayer?
Many thanks for any advice
 
Seastar said:
Hello all.
This is a serious question.
I was raised as a Catholic and used to attend mass before falling away.
I occasionally go to a mass but end up feeling resentful when I hear priests talk of Muslim refugees but not Christian ones. Last year on our Remembrance Sunday for the service personal who gave their lives in two world wars, the priest on his homily said we should be thinking of refugees from war. The one Sunday for the war dead was basically hyjacked for the refugee issue.
The cardinal for this diocese has also stressed that pro life is more than a bio-ethical issue ( he seems afraid to mention abortion by name).
In essence I personally dislike many of the expressed views of priests here, and my Cardinal and indeed Pope Francis. Do I have to like any or all of them and their views? Am I allowed aa a Catholic to attend Mass and ignore the their views but follow the Catechism? Can I leave church during the homily and return for the eucharistic prayer?
Many thanks for any advice
Click to expand...
First of all I want to commend you for when you come back to mass. You are always welcome no matter what stage you are in your faith journey. The Church is full of sinners, including the priest. When you sit down in the pew, the person to your left and the person to your right are both sinners. So you should have no cause to think that you do not belong there.

As for “liking” the priest, the bishop, or even the Pope as a person, there is no obligation to do so. You can disagree with their choice of what subjects they decide to emphasize in their homilies and still be a faithful Catholic. The priesthood is a diverse lot. The mass is a blessing to all who attend even if the homily is terrible and the people are hypocrites. God works through and despite our imperfections. So do not stay away from mass for any of those reasons. (Although, if I were in such a parish I would seriously consider trying another parish.)

As for walking out during the homily, that would be a bit much. It would not hurt you to stay and avoid making a scene. It is a bit judgmental of the priest to act like nothing he says could possibly be of value. Remember that we are all sinners in need of God’s mercy, and if we expect God to show mercy to us, we should be willing to show mercy to others, and that includes your priest.

The short answer to your allegiance question is no, there is no obligation to give the kind of allegiance you describe to the priest, bishop, or Pope.
 
Hello Leaf,

Thank you very much for responding and in such an encouraging way.
I will look for another Parish. I hear a local one has a traditional Latin mass each Sunday…
I will sit for the homily and try to find somethinh to accept.
Thanks again
 
I would consider finding another Catholic Church to attend, switching rights, or ignore the silly homily politics and count ceiling tiles. (Me, I occasionally study the bulletin and windows)😉
 
I remember in a parish that I used to attend that he priest would talk about how God loves us no matter what we do. Now, this is true and even though the homily was kinda sappy that didn’t make it any less true. However, the priest basically said a different version of this homily…Every Single Week!
Takeaway here, homilies can be hit and miss. But like Leaf said, you should always try and find something to take from the homily. You’re not going to get a dynamic priest every time.
 
Yes you can leave during the Homily, at worst it is considered " rude " but it is not a sin in any way , no you do not have to like any religious or clergys point of view. An no one is required to be in some kind of perfect Kumbaya state of Allegiance to the Pope. Good grief there are literally groups of religious and or clergy who work under the Pope and are constantly trying to undermind the Pope for their own reasons.

Not to mention people in the pews who fall asleep in Mass, or are busy on their cell phones, or are playing with children. So if the worst you do is leave during the homily, be it in protest or because you don’t want to hear their political points of view, it isn’t the worst thing in the world in the world of being rude.

Catholics are not required to go running out and buy a Popes’ Book and read it from end to end, so why would anyone be forced to sit through a politicially motivated homily or anything else.

You could consider voicing your concern in a properly written letter and send it to said cardinal or bishop that you are referencing. Nothing wrong with putting politically motivated people in check.

Good luck to ya Seastar, peace.
 
This is a GREAT suggestion.
Part of being a Catholic is to realize that you go to Mass to participate in the sacrifice of Jesus and to see Jesus. We aren’t going primarily for the homily like many Protestants do. My mother drilled into me that “you don’t go to Mass to see the priest.”

Over the years I’ve heard homilies ranging from really good discussions of Scripture, to soupy love-one-another stuff, to complete rambles that went on for an hour, to political speeches I didn’t agree with. I also had a pastor for years who constantly repeated the same 2 or 3 homily topics and while they were not controversial, it was really boring and I wondered why he seemed obsessed with them. I would have liked to walk out on some of this stuff but I just read the Missal or something instead till it was over and in recent years I’m likely to just choose another parish to attend next time.
 
Sending a letter is all well and good in theory, but here, unless you are a huge financial donor to the church, you are ignored. I did find out, however, with the proper donation, an annulment will be granted within two weeks.
 
I think the important thing at the Mass is to receive Jesus. Everything else pales in comparison.
 
To answer the OP:

Yes, it’s ok. I have trouble with this Pope if I’m honest. The best thing is to pray for him and the Church and ignore the politics.
Just be faithful.
 
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