How to answer a Non Catholic's question about pope?

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LOL

I just respond with, “When was *your *last meal?” and that usually ends the discussion.
 
iliveloveChrist said:
Countless times, I’ve heard non-Catholics say to me ‘How can the pope live such a lavish lifestyle, while there are millions of people dying of hunger around the world?’ How do I respond to that? Most of the time, I give them the example of those big mega churches. They may not be as ornate as our churches, but they do have expensive sound systems, and not only those mega churches but also smaller churches have expensive sound systems. There is an Assembly of God church in my area that is sort of like a mega church. It has to areas of worship that can easily sit 2,000 one is for their youth worship service and the other is for regular worship, they have a daycare, a gym, a food court, AND a bookstore all in one building! My personal opinion, is why wouldn’t I want the head of the true church to live well? What is a clear cut answer that I can give to them? Thanks!🤷
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ISTM that, regarding Lutherans, we have some real issues to work out with the pope in order to come to reconciliation. This isn’t one of them. I frankly consider it a strawman.

Jon
 
iliveloveChrist said:
Countless times, I’ve heard non-Catholics say to me ‘How can the pope live such a lavish lifestyle, while there are millions of people dying of hunger around the world?’ How do I respond to that? Most of the time, I give them the example of those big mega churches. They may not be as ornate as our churches, but they do have expensive sound systems, and not only those mega churches but also smaller churches have expensive sound systems. There is an Assembly of God church in my area that is sort of like a mega church. It has to areas of worship that can easily sit 2,000 one is for their youth worship service and the other is for regular worship, they have a daycare, a gym, a food court, AND a bookstore all in one building! My personal opinion, is why wouldn’t I want the head of the true church to live well? What is a clear cut answer that I can give to them? Thanks!🤷
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Mostly everything the Pope “owns”, has been blessed therefore they cannot be sold. Nor should they be… By anyone.
 
TEPO said:
Mostly everything the Pope “owns”, has been blessed therefore they cannot be sold. Nor should they be… By anyone.
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That sounds a little too convenient to be true. Say the pope wants a solid gold bathtub. All he has to do is bless it and it’s his forever.
 
Rainaldo said:
That sounds a little too convenient to be true. Say the pope wants a solid gold bathtub. All he has to do is bless it and it’s his forever.
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If the objects were sold they would belong to only one person or one small group of people. This history would be lost for the rest of us. The museums at the Vatican keep the world’s history for all.

The Pope owns none of it.
 
1ke said:
Well, I think they would first have to prove the Pope actually lives a lavish lifestyle before you are called to defend it. Since he doesn’t, they can’t, and you have nothing to respond to or defend.
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I agree. Maybe they should all follow him in this lavish lifestyel. Bet the world would be a better place.

Lets see, he devotes over half of his day in prayer. He goes to confession usually every day. He defends the truth of God and his Church.

He teaches and preaches the word of God, practically every moment of his life.

By the way are we not all called to live this lavish lifestyle?😃
 
I believe he had to give up his cat to go live this lavish lifestyle. :rolleyes:

They see the Museum and thinks he owns it. So the Church sells off all the painitngs. Who will get to see them then?

I’ve heard all this before and am always amazed I’ve never heard a Catholic say the same about the Archbishop of Canterbury. I guess we realize that some of these treasures belong to the people and are as much to do with the Catholic identity as the Anglican identity.
 
aicirt said:
I believe he had to give up his cat to go live this lavish lifestyle. :rolleyes:

They see the Museum and thinks he owns it. So the Church sells off all the painitngs. Who will get to see them then?

I’ve heard all this before and am always amazed I’ve never heard a Catholic say the same about the Archbishop of Canterbury. I guess we realize that some of these treasures belong to the people and are as much to do with the Catholic identity as the Anglican identity.
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Lets not forget all the fancy dancy jets, homes, cars, etc. these protestant mega-church pastors and televangelists have.
 
I attended Mass in St. Peter’s Square at Easter. The crowd was out the Square and down the main avenue. It is estimated that the Square is six acres and from 100 to 125,000 can fit in the Square then add the ones down the main avenue. If the Pope was interested in the money, this would be the ideal time to pass the basket but none was passed. Nor was there a charge for attending.

Note: when I attended Mass inside, the basket was passed.
 
The Church is mystical…the life of the Catholic Church is Jesus Christ.

It belongs to Him and it is under His name; after all Christ is the Groom of His Bride, the Church.

There is not one single man or woman who owns anything of the Vatican or all the property of the Church in the world. The Church of Christ exists for us.

You will find the poorest people wanting to honor God with the greatest beauty for His sacred dwelling among us; and the devout affuent often seek simplicity of faith and wish their particular parish environment to be sparse…little of earthly beauty but full of the beauty of God’s presence.

But nobody owns the Church…in another sense, the buildings of the Church belong to all believers.
 
Dorothy Day spoke about the riches of the Church.

To paraphrase: ‘So the poor have nothing and now we take away beauty as well’.

The Church is rich because of donations and these things are beautiful and are there for our inspiration.

For the glory of God. Why do the poor donate money for great churches? Because they love God and the greatest place in town should be the Church they worship in.

Besides the great cathedrals were jobs for sometimes hundreds of years. I’m thinking that is good for the local economy. You know, shovel ready jobs. Not just jobs for academics.

I think the Vatican is 10 million dollars in the red this year. Ain’t no one getting rich personally.

Unless you count some of the tele-evangalists. They are making 1/2 million and up per person and those are personal dollars.
 
The best way is to answer the Pope is a Holy wise man -who owns nothing–

by the way the "Angl:cool:icans did not steal the Churches-I assume you mean the people of Great Britain-King Henry did and his lackeys-the English people were just pawns in this “smash and grab” -Ireland was done in by Cromwell who had no love for the Anglicans per se
 
While asking them to prove that the Pope’s lifestyle is lavish is effective, you can also ask them how he should live instead.

Quite a few people get so excited talking about the Pope’s “going out of business sale” that they reveal their true motivation – they want the Pope to go out of business!

You gottta keep a streight face while they get warmed up, but it’s totaly worth it! 👍
 
iliveloveChrist said:
Countless times, I’ve heard non-Catholics say to me ‘How can the pope live such a lavish lifestyle, while there are millions of people dying of hunger around the world?’ How do I respond to that? Most of the time, I give them the example of those big mega churches. They may not be as ornate as our churches, but they do have expensive sound systems, and not only those mega churches but also smaller churches have expensive sound systems. There is an Assembly of God church in my area that is sort of like a mega church. It has to areas of worship that can easily sit 2,000 one is for their youth worship service and the other is for regular worship, they have a daycare, a gym, a food court, AND a bookstore all in one building! My personal opinion, is why wouldn’t I want the head of the true church to live well? What is a clear cut answer that I can give to them? Thanks!🤷
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point out that the Pope like all other priests has taken a vow of poverty. he doesn’t own any of the buildings in the vatican. The appearance of riches at the vatican do not personally belong to the Pope. Ask them if they are bothered by the many protestant “ministers” who do live very lavish lifestyles and flaunt it.
 
KathleenGee said:
The Church is mystical…the life of the Catholic Church is Jesus Christ.

It belongs to Him and it is under His name; after all Christ is the Groom of His Bride, the Church.

There is not one single man or woman who owns anything of the Vatican or all the property of the Church in the world. The Church of Christ exists for us.
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Yes, but only some people are allowed in it, or to touch it or to get close to it, or even in the unerground tunnels.

I know they do that because its timeless an priceless and for secuirty reasons, but it is true that others in the church have higher authority, so yes, it is not exactly equal possessions wise, but knowledge and spiritual wise it is.
 
PumpkinSeed said:
Yes, but only some people are allowed in it, or to touch it or to get close to it, or even in the unerground tunnels.

I know they do that because its timeless an priceless and for secuirty reasons, but it is true that others in the church have higher authority, so yes, it is not exactly equal possessions wise, but knowledge and spiritual wise it is.
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There is no charge to enter the Basilica. I don’t know what it is you want to touch or get close to. There is a charge to tour the tombs.
 
aicirt said:
There is no charge to enter the Basilica. I don’t know what it is you want to touch or get close to. There is a charge to tour the tombs.
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I’m taking about the possessions the pope uses. His hat, and his cane, or just all the Gold or jewelry he is around / wears., ECT.

And only certain people are allowed in the vaults and only certain people are allowed to look through the stuff.

I’m not saying its bad, I’m just saying its lavish stuff that not everyone would be able to just go touch or mess around with. It belongs to the church. Not everyone else, but the church. Even though we make up the church, we don’t have the authority to touch or use all the churches things.
 
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