Christians should apologize for helping to marginalize gays, pope says

[KSU]

In a country like the UK and apparently the US, joining the Communion queue (not a work of mercy) is over-emphasised and befriending other human beings (a work of mercy) is de-emphasised while other Church activities (a work of mercy) are wound down or not advertised. This functionally and effectively or constructively, marginalises.

Not caring about Communion for oneself is thought to make one too strange a kind of Catholic.

Vic, Pope Francis called a particular fellow,who apparently got under his skin, a “pretend Catholic”, and he called certain priests “little monsters”, etc… Was that not marginalizing those people for a good reason?

 

[Vic_Taltrees_UK]

… what orthodox theologian would approve the Pope’s words? How many Catholics cried and are suffering again today because he said that? How many people left the Church because he said that? How many joined under false expectations since he said that?

What is to stop some ISIS barbarians from using those unfortunate words in defense of their actions? Don’t they too believe they have good will for their faith and their people; don’t they too seek their god and now believe that Catholics should apologize to them? After all, who are Catholics to judge them?

Francis is aware that his weakness is speaking extemporaneously. But, unfortunately, he seems to love it; to create a “mess”. …

Perhaps his gamble will succeed, but I don’t believe it will. Perhaps he refuses to consider the fact that many suffer as a direct result of their refusal to live according to what God has written on their hearts. It appears he is driving away more sheep than he is bringing in, and the latter will become even more anti-Catholic and hate-filled once they learn that he never intended to and in fact has no authority to change Church teaching.

Catholics have much to be congratulated for regarding those who suffer out of no fault of their own. Of course some Catholics sin against charity, but this is not the way to fix it. I pray that the boss will sit down with his technicians and lawyers very soon. He knows what is happening and I pray that he doesn’t again blame the media for the confusion. He gives them more than enough red meat to cause the confusion which they see as their job to exacerbate.

I agree. The imbalance comes because of his sentimental attachment to too much Communion, which was strong in general existence before he came into post, but he is fuelling it. Communion is what the world is complaining of being excluded from, because there is nothing else in practice to welcome it to. In a really balanced Church, Communion would be a minor extra for those really into it.

 

[KSU]

I agree. The imbalance comes because of his sentimental attachment to too much Communion, which was strong in general existence before he came into post, but he is fueling it. Communion is what the world is complaining of being excluded from, because there is nothing else in practice to welcome it to. In a really balanced Church, Communion would be a minor extra for those really into it.

Vic, nothing in the portion of my post #117 which you quoted, or in the rest of my post, directly concerns Communion (the reception of the Sacrament of the Eucharist).

Humans are both matter and spirit, which is why practicing Catholics believe that Communion should be the center of every Catholic life; it’s our spiritual food. Without it we loose much of our spiritual strength to resist temptation, to hope, to love others, and to persevere through life’s spiritual and even material difficulties.

You say: “In a really balanced Church, Communion would be a minor extra for those really into it.” You are, however, describing the already existing Church of England and some similar “balanced” churches. So why is that not sufficient for you and much of the rest of the non-Catholic world which you say wants only to be welcomed by a church?

Please allow me to hazard a guess. It’s not sufficient because you and other knowledgeable non-Catholics know in your hearts that only the real thing–the actual, transubstantiated body and blood of Jesus Christ–will suffice. There’s only one place to acquire it, and only one spiritual condition in which to be when receiving it. No mere symbol of Christ’s body and blood can satisfy the desire .

If I’m being too bold I apologize.

In any case, it’s almost impossible for Pope Francis to be too strong in fueling peoples’ desire for Communion. It’s his job. BTW, he does not have a mere “sentimental” attachment to Communion." His attachment to it is part of his essence, and I’m jealous of people like that. Perhaps you are mistaking his deep sorrow for those who can’t legitimately receive Communion for an “imbalance… to too much Communion.” Admittedly, he is turning over every rock Cardinal Marx and others show him in an attempt to find a way.

His sorrow for such people is what, when speaking off-the-cuff, occasionally gets him into trouble. That was the point of my post #117.