Favorite thing about Pope Francis

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Latinitas

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Hi CAF community,

With many in the media erroneously declaring that Pope Francis is overhauling traditional Catholicism, and even more unfortunately, many traditional Catholics seem to react similarly, as the SSPX website has shown.

I thought that this would therefore be an appropriate time to positively reflect on the Holy Father. So, I ask:

What do you think the Holy Father has done best in his pontificate so far?

I would prefer to hear the response from Catholics who regularly attend the Tridentine Mass, and practice traditional devotions. I do not say this in a derogatory way to Catholics who attend the Mass of Paul PP. VI, but I’m more interested in hearing the opinions of fellow traditional Catholics.

Please do not make any cynical comments; I do not want the moderators to have to close this thread.

My favorite thing that the Holy Father has done is cautioning the Church about becoming a political lobbying organization, rather than the Ark of Salvation.

Benedicat Deus,
Latinitas
 
Show that Jesus Christ has come to call sinners, and showing his mercy.
 
Through his words he connects secular thinkers with orthodox concepts, without political polarization, a true gift of the Holy Spirit.
 
Admittedly I have not been a strong proponent of Pope Francis’s style or the way he has stated certain things (and in fact have been critical), but to be fair, he has made some good statements as well:
**On Jesus Christ: **
“When one does not profess Jesus Christ, one professes the worldliness of the devil.”
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On abortion:
“Every child that isn’t born, but is unjustly condemned to be aborted, has the face of Jesus Christ, has the face of the Lord,”
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On Argentina’s gay marriage bill:
"Let’s not be naive: this isn’t a simple political fight, it’s an attempt to destroy God’s plan. This is no mere legislative bill. It is a move by the father of lies to confuse and deceive the children of God.”
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**Concerning the devil: **
“We must always be on guard,” exhorted the Pope to those who attended Mass in the Vatican’s Santa Marta guesthouse, “on guard against deceit, against the seduction of evil.”
Referencing the day’s gospel reading, in which Jesus has just healed a possessed man and is accused of casting out demons by the power of the devil, the Pope noted that often in history there have been those who wish to “diminish the power of the Lord” by offering different explanations for his works, urging that his is a temptation which has “reached our present day.”
“There are some priests who, when they read this Gospel passage, this and others, say: ‘But, Jesus healed a person with a mental illness.’”
“It is true,” he affirmed, “that at that time, they could confuse epilepsy with demonic possession; but it is also true that there was the devil! And we do not have the right to simplify the matter. No!”
“The presence of the devil is on the first page of the Bible, and the Bible ends as well with the presence of the devil, with the victory of God over the devil.”
Observing that the Lord has given many criteria in order to “discern” the presence of evil in our lives, the Pope stressed that “we should not be naïve,” and that one of the criteria which has been given is “not to follow the victory of Jesus” just “halfway.”
“Either you are with me, says the Lord, or you are against me” he said, noting that Jesus came to conquer the devil and “to give us the freedom” from “the enslavement the devil has over us,” which he cautioned, is not “exaggerating.”
“On this point, there are no nuances. There is a battle and a battle where salvation is at play, eternal salvation; eternal salvation.”
He exhorted those in attendance to question themselves, asking “Do I guard myself, my heart, my feelings, my thoughts? Do I guard the treasure of grace? Do I guard the presence of the Holy Spirit in me? Or do I let go, feeling secure, believing that all is going well?”
“If you do not guard yourself, he who is stronger than you will come,” warned Pope Francis, “But if someone stronger comes and overcomes, he takes away the weapons in which one trusted, and he shall divide the spoil.”
“Vigilance…Do not confuse the truth!” stressed the pontiff, giving three criteria of his own to use in the spiritual combat.
“Jesus fights the devil: first criterion. Second criterion: he who is not with Jesus is against Jesus. There are no attitudes in the middle. Third criterion: vigilance over our hearts because the devil is astute. He is never cast out forever. It will only be so on the last day.”
Pope Francis recounted the biblical analogy of the impure spirit who leaves a man, noting that once the spirit is gone “it wanders in deserted places, and seeking rest and finding none, says: ‘I will return to my house, from which I left.’”
When the spirit returns and finds it “swept clean and adorned,” he explained, it then “takes another seven spirits worse than he, who come and make their homes,” and in that way “the last state of man becomes worse than the first.”
“Vigilance,” he stressed, “because his strategy is this: ‘You became Christian. Advance in your faith. I will leave you. I will leave you tranquil. But then when you are used to not being so watchful and you feel secure, I will come back.’”
“The Gospel today begins with the devil being cast out and ends with the devil coming back! These are not lies,” he urged, “it is the Word of the Lord!”
“Let us ask the Lord for the grace to take these things seriously. He came to fight for our salvation. He won against the devil! Please, let us not do business with the devil! He seeks to return home, to take possession of us… Do not relativize; be vigilant! And always with Jesus!”
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Quotes taken from - catholicbible101.com/popefrancisquotes.htm
 
That he is leading with humility, simplicity and example. That he is going back to the roots of what Jesus taught us. To me this is the ultimate tradition.
 
As a religious, he is very faithful to his Jesuit vocation. Everything he does and how he says things is very Ignatian. We have not had a religious pope since the 1800s. I think it’s great for the Church and the world to see a different kind of priest. Most people think of priest, period. Here is a priest who is a religious and it shows in everything he does.

As a pope, I think that my favorite thing about him is his trust in God. He is not too worried about too many things. It shows, when he goes out into the crowds. He trusts that God will be there with him. The act of going into the crowds is not what excites me. It think it’s great. But as he said and I can’t quote it exactly, there are always crazy people out there who want to shoot the pope. But it’s just as crazy to lock yourself up in live in a bubble.

As an individual Catholic, I love his devotion to the Immaculate. It’s very public and very tender.

PS. I posted, because we do have the EF in our houses, just not daily. But we’re much more traditional than many traditionalist Catholics. We live by an 800 year tradition, with 800 year customs and rituals.
 
This post has been extremely encouraging and I thank the Lord and you all for it. Keep the words coming! Truly, this Scripture is being fulfilled here:

Philippians 4:8-9

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

And so I pray that we may keep on doing what we have learned and received and heard and seen in our Pope, so that the God of peace will be with us and spread in the world.
 
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