How has Pope Francis impacted your spirituality so far?

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I’m thinking along with the question of this thread and something just hit me. Pope Francis is no spring chicken. He’s 75 or 76. However, Pope Benedict is almost 10 years his senior. I noticed in the video a respect for the former pope, but also a respect for the elderly.

Pope Benedict looks fragile in this video. I don’t know if any of you folks speak Italian. If you do, listen carefully to the exchange when Pope Francis steps down from the helicopter.

Pope Benedict: Good morning

Pope Francis: How are you Holy Father

Pope Benedict: [reaches for his hand – looks like his about to kiss it]

Pope Francis: [reaches out and grabs Benedict’s other hand instead. Now their locked standing up]

In the chapel, I noticed how they deferred to each other. There is certainly the case of a pope meeting his former boss aka the former pope. But there is also the younger man meeting an elderly gentleman who has some visible problems with mobility.
 
JReducation said:
I’m thinking along with the question of this thread and something just hit me. Pope Francis is no spring chicken. He’s 75 or 76. However, Pope Benedict is almost 10 years his senior. I noticed in the video a respect for the former pope, but also a respect for the elderly.

Pope Benedict looks fragile in this video. I don’t know if any of you folks speak Italian. If you do, listen carefully to the exchange when Pope Francis steps down from the helicopter.

Pope Benedict: Good morning

Pope Francis: How are you Holy Father

Pope Benedict: [reaches for his hand – looks like his about to kiss it]

Pope Francis: [reaches out and grabs Benedict’s other hand instead. Now their locked standing up]

In the chapel, I noticed how they deferred to each other. There is certainly the case of a pope meeting his former boss aka the former pope. But there is also the younger man meeting an elderly gentleman who has some visible problems with mobility.
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Brother, wasn’t that a touching video? I don’t understand Italian and the only thing I could make out was Benedict saying over and over “thank you”.

As I said, there are not a few upset that he renounced the papacy, but I think after watching this video, when you see the love, respect, submission and humility Benedict shows for Pope Francis, it should teach many, not the least of which is myself, a very well needed lesson on how a true Catholic regards the Vicar of Christ.
 
JReducation said:
Since this is the NCR, we should just wait.
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I understand completely why you suggest caution because of it being NCR.

The only reason I think it may be credible is because John Allan has the reputation of being top notch journalist known to be a very fair and credible reporter, esp when it comes to the Vatican and he quoted Fr Rosica for the article.

Basilian Fr. Thomas Rosica, who’s acting as an assistant Vatican spokesperson during the papal transition, told NCR today that those reports are “completely and totally false.”

That is the only reason I think it may be substantive. 🙂
 
triumphguy said:
I believe that we have been blessed in my living memory with wonderful Popes, some of whom will be canonized.

I see their ministry as an unfolding of God’s plan.

As an adult I have lived through Blessed John Paul II’s and Pope Benedict’s reign. I have heard them described as the best philosopher-pope the Church as ever had, and one of the best theologian-popes the Church has ever had.
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Beat ya to it, Triumphguy. I lived through Pius XII (does that reveal my age??) And I can believe some here perhaps lived through Pius XI. Imagine having known the blessings of so many different Vicars, each bringing their own special ministries to the Church. As you said, their ministry is a continual unfolding of God’s plan.

I managed to finish this week keeping my resolve to follow Francis’s devotion of praying all three mysteries of the rosary. His devotion to Our Blessed Mother the day after his election spoke volumes to me in the way of inspiration.
 
Sirach2 said:
Beat ya to it, Triumphguy. I lived through Pius XII (does that reveal my age??) And I can believe some here perhaps lived through Pius XI. Imagine having known the blessings of so many different Vicars, each bringing their own special ministries to the Church. As you said, their ministry is a continual unfolding of God’s plan.

I managed to finish this week keeping my resolve to follow Francis’s devotion of praying all three mysteries of the rosary. His devotion to Our Blessed Mother the day after his election spoke volumes to me in the way of inspiration.
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Sirach, if we all did that, it might just make a difference. What do you think? 👍
 
Last I checked, slandering clergy is not allowed on the forum. :mad: Even if you don’t like him, the Vatican has denied that the reported exchange occured. To repeat it as fact is wrong.
 
Lormar said:
Brother, wasn’t that a touching video? I don’t understand Italian and the only thing I could make out was Benedict saying over and over “thank you”.

As I said, there are not a few upset that he renounced the papacy, but I think after watching this video, when you see the love, respect, submission and humility Benedict shows for Pope Francis, it should teach many, not the least of which is myself, a very well needed lesson on how a true Catholic regards the Vicar of Christ.
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I knew Pope Benedict when he was Joseph Ratzinger. I will always remember him as a very kind person with a rather quiet demeanor. I don’t know if it’s shyness or reserve. But he does not take up much space. I have always felt a tenderness for him.

Jorge Bergoglio is more outgoing and very expressive. But his gestures and his energy do not seem to make people uncomfortable, just the opposite. The one thing that made me stop and look in this video was how he treated Benedict. There was warmth and respect, but there was more that I can’t describe. You could see that he was showing respect for his place in Church history and also for his age.

It moved me to ask myself, how gracious am I toward the elderly? Do I make time for them? Do I show enough respect for their contribution to the world that I now enjoy?
 
I just noticed something interesting.



Benedict is sitting in the chair and Francis on the sofa.

It is proper etiquette that a monarch sits in a chair, not a sofa. A chair guarantees that no one will come and sit next to him. When you have only one chair ,the monarch gets to use it.

However, if you’re Italian or Hispanic, there is a strong patriarchal tradition. When sitting, you yield the best seat to the patriarch or matriarch. Benedict is no longer a patriarch in the Church. But he is a patriarch in the familial sense.
 
JReducation said:
I’m thinking along with the question of this thread and something just hit me. Pope Francis is no spring chicken. He’s 75 or 76. However, Pope Benedict is almost 10 years his senior. I noticed in the video a respect for the former pope, but also a respect for the elderly.

Pope Benedict looks fragile in this video. I don’t know if any of you folks speak Italian. If you do, listen carefully to the exchange when Pope Francis steps down from the helicopter.

Pope Benedict: Good morning

Pope Francis: How are you Holy Father

Pope Benedict: [reaches for his hand – looks like his about to kiss it]

Pope Francis: [reaches out and grabs Benedict’s other hand instead. Now their locked standing up]

In the chapel, I noticed how they deferred to each other. There is certainly the case of a pope meeting his former boss aka the former pope. But there is also the younger man meeting an elderly gentleman who has some visible problems with mobility.
Click to expand...
I caught this as well (not the Italian exchange, just deference to shown to an elderly man)…

What a witness to kindness and charity.
 
Corki said:
Last I checked, slandering clergy is not allowed on the forum. :mad: Even if you don’t like him, the Vatican has denied that the reported exchange occured. To repeat it as fact is wrong.
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Since this was directly under my post, did you intend it for me? If so, how was I slandering anyone?
 
I saw that too and had a different impression. I saw it as a humble tribute Pope Francis was showing to Benedict.

Agreed though. He looks frail. I didn’t know he used a cane to get around. To watch him take “a back seat” so easily and readily to Pope Francis after so many years of being important in the Vatican (as head of the CDF and then as the Vicar of Christ) - he knows how to put himself aside. I guess he has had a lot of practice doing that. 🙂

By the way, what should we be calling him? Is it Pope Emeritus? Or Emeritus Pope?
 
Brendan said:
I saw that as well, but my take on it was different from yours. It is common among our family to allow the elderly to have the chair. It provides the arm rest and additional side support that a sofa does not have.

And +Benedict really did look weak and elderly in the video. 😦
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That was my take as well. We let our elders take the chair, the rest go to the sofa.
Dont know if that is culturally true for Pope Francis.
 
So I have read the first three pages and the last three or so. It seems to me that unless someone responds enthusiastically along with the majority of folks, those folks are looked upon negatively.

I have an issue with this.

I will join the others who are taking their time in answering the OP’s question. It’s too soon for me…sorry if that isn’t the “right” answer.
 
Corki said:
Last I checked, slandering clergy is not allowed on the forum. :mad: Even if you don’t like him, the Vatican has denied that the reported exchange occured. To repeat it as fact is wrong.
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I don’t know if you were speaking to me. If it was me, please note that I did not mention names and that I say that I did not know there were several versions of this story going around. I also suggested that we wait and see and I would not use names, because if someone googles a name, these posts come up and if it’s just media hype, the post would be untrue and as you say, slander.
Brendan said:
I saw that as well, but my take on it was different from yours. It is common among our family to allow the elderly to have the chair. It provides the arm rest and additional side support that a sofa does not have.

And +Benedict really did look weak and elderly in the video. 😦
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I am so surprised at how frail he seems. His steps entering the chapel are not his older self when he became pope. He used to go up and down steps of airplanes as if they were nothing. Now, his steps are very slow and his stride is guarded.

As to the chair, I believe that the reasons that you say for yielding the chair to an older person is a sign of deference as well. It shows that you’re being considerate and respectful of the person’s needs. For older people, such chairs as this are easier to get out of. I know. If I sit on one of those fluffy couches, I have trouble getting up. I’m too old.
Lormar said:
I saw that too and had a different impression. I saw it as a humble tribute Pope Francis was showing to Benedict.

Agreed though. He looks frail. I didn’t know he used a cane to get around. To watch him take “a back seat” so easily and readily to Pope Francis after so many years of being important in the Vatican (as head of the CDF and then as the Vicar of Christ) - he knows how to put himself aside. I guess he has had a lot of practice doing that. 🙂

By the way, what should we be calling him? Is it Pope Emeritus? Or Emeritus Pope?
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His official title is Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. I don’t write all of this when I’m posting. Rather than write, Pope Benedict, which he is not, I just use Benedict XVI. When you address him, you say “Your Holiness”. To call him Pope Benedict in the present is incorrect. He is no longer the pope

This gets very confusing and I have no idea how canonists sort through this.

When a bishop or a pastor retires, he becomes the bishop emeritus. But you continue to refer to him as Bishop Smith. There is no problem there, because you can have thousands of bishops. But you can only have one pope.

No canon law whom I know seems to know the answer. I just refrain from saying, Pope Benedict, unless I’m speaking about him when he was the pope.
 
Lucky7 said:
So I have read the first three pages and the last three or so. It seems to me that unless someone responds enthusiastically along with the majority of folks, those folks are looked upon negatively.

I have an issue with this.
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Try not to take issue with this. The person who created the thread is calling for those who have been impacted by Pope Francis to share. Obviously, those who have not been impacted, shouldn’t feel obliged to answer the OP. On the other hand, it’s good manners to the OP, not to come and say, “The pope makes me cringe with anger” or some such thing, because that’s not what the OP is trying to ascertain. You would be looked upon negatively if instead of responding to the OP’s question, you came in with a list of concerns and complaints, because you would be derailing the thread. The OP is not interested in the concerns and questions about the pope.
 
Lucky7 said:
So I have read the first three pages and the last three or so. It seems to me that unless someone responds enthusiastically along with the majority of folks, those folks are looked upon negatively.

I have an issue with this.

I will join the others who are taking their time in answering the OP’s question. It’s too soon for me…sorry if that isn’t the “right” answer.
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Yes, that pretty much sums it up. The OP asked “How has Pope Francis impacted your spirituality so far?” when I think he meant to ask us to “share positive stories of positive spirituality changes based on positive impressions of our new Holy Father.” Those who responded to what was asked instead of what was meant got a smack-down. 😉
 
He has certainly pushed me to increase my trust in God.

You see, he’s a Jesuit. This is not leading to a bad joke, don’t worry. He comes to the papacy with his Jesuit baggage.

He’s also Argentine and he brings that cultural baggage with him.

Finally, he’s a scientist. That’s another suitcase.

He’s going to be different from the popes that I’m used to. I’ve lived on this earth with Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and now Francis.

I have never lived with a pope who was not

a. secular priest

b. European

c. formed in seminaries pre-Vatican II

d. a theologian from the start. Pope Francis was first a scientist and later studied theology.

Does this make him a bad pope in my mind? No. It makes him a very different model from the one that I know. I can’t impose the previous paradigm onto him. He does not fit that mold. He doesn’t share their background. I have to let him define his papacy using his experience and his point of view.

This requires that I trust God. Every time he does something that makes me say, “What just happened?” I follow it with, God has a plan. Stay out of his way.

Pope Francis has put me into a situation where I must rust that God has a plan. That’s one impact.

Pope Francis has also put me into a situation where I must accept the dignity and freedom of human beings, including the pope. That’s another impact.
 
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