"If I were Pope" (Baptized Catholic males only)

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Some of the reforms I would introduce:
  1. No work on Sundays.
  2. No meat on Fridays.
  3. Communion by tongue only, except when the recipient is a priest.
  4. Catholic studies to be mandatory in primaries.
  5. Mandatory sacerdotal presence in major prisons in Catholic countries
 
I’d probably go to seminary so that I could eventually celebrate mass. Yes, that would probably be best thing to do first. 🤷
 
Moore11 said:
Well, I am a married father of 4. So people would think. Oh, a progressive Pope. Here come married priests and such. Nope. Wrong.
  1. Fellay would be in my office within the day. Pledging his obedience.
  2. I would flip flop forms of the Mass with the Latin Mass being the OF and the NO being the EF.
  3. I would have Mcdonalds in my apartment.😃
  4. My name would be Peter the Roman. Or Peter II. Just to mess with the end times people and have some fun.
  5. Catholic Politicians would have to be obedient to the faith.
  6. I would convene an army.
  7. Only two forms of music would be acceptable at Mass. Chant, or Nsync.
  8. two words. Meatless Fridays
  9. Free healthcare for obedient Catholics.😃
  10. I promise to convert Tim Tebow.
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YoungTradCath said:
I’d probably resign/renouce/abdicate very quickly because I’d be incompetent, but only after getting tours of all the Vatican’s goodies and rooms. =]
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had me laughing :rotfl:
 
Hmmm, if I was pope…

I would move to quickly canonize Ven. AB Fulton Sheen, Bl. John Paul the Great, and Ven. Pope Pius XII. I’d also reword U.S. RCIA statute 254.2 to clarify that no one could be arbitrarily prevented from converting. Then I’d reinstitute the Spanish Inquisition (Juan Carlos would be the first one tried). Finally I’d order all Catholic countries to restrict the religious freedom of sedevacantists, just to be ironic.
 
Moore11 said:
Sorry, what’s wrong with the “old rite”

he just likes the old one better. His papacy, his choice.

Ah mel, gotta love ya. Always ready for battle!

In your papacy you could declare all traditional Catholics heretics.

It’s a fantasy. Indulge, have fun. Lighten up;)
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Nothing wrong with liking the “old rite”, I read it to mean he’d conditionally consecrate everyone with the old rite because the new rite isn’t valid.
 
Hmmm, if I was Pope.
  1. Name change would probably be Bonaventure.
  2. I like the canonizations everyone else suggested, but I’d bump up Ven. Paul VI, Blessed JP2, and very definitely Blessed Duns Scotus. Is Newman a Saint yet? No? Well he would be with me.
  3. I would continue to let the head of the CDF and the ED commission take the point with the SSPX for the time being.
  4. Continue the recent efforts with the Lutherans.
  5. Promote the different authentic options available to Catholics world-wide. This includes, but is not limited to, traditional Sacraments, the EF, the charismatic renewal, consecrated religious (and their rites), and other assorted things like this.
Probably other things too, but I need to go to bed.
 
I’d reinstate Hans Kung, and have Liberation Theology taught at all seminaries.👍

Just kidding - but I thought this thread needed a little “balance.”
 
triumphguy said:
I’d reinstate Hans Kung, and have Liberation Theology taught at all seminaries.👍

Just kidding - but I thought this thread needed a little “balance.”
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My hypothetical “what if…” was balanced, no?

Some people here did seem a bit unrealistic. I tried to be as realistic as I could with such an absurd event.
 
Let’s see. First thing I’d do is faint. After I revived I’d unfortunately be know as Pope Duhhh, because that would be all I could choke out.

After verifying that they actual chose the right man, I’d establish ecclesiastic degrees in Sacred Music. Only music that met certain criteria would be approved for liturgical use (think* nihil obstat* for liturgical music). Since it’s my pontificate I’d immediately ban Foley, Landry and Schutte from any mass. Don’t worry; I’m sure that list would grow.

Next I would work to make Catholic education affordable for all Catholics and it would be orthodox all the way. There would never be any confusion that the education is 100% Catholic and not just a prep school. I also would not allow Catholic schools to turn away Catholic children with special needs purely because it cost too much. Entrance would be based on orthodoxy more than academic achievement. A Catholic education would be the right of all Catholics not just those that could pony up 3 - 15k per kid.

I would likely then rescind any indult for receiving Communion in the Hand and return to obligatory meatless Fridays and communion while kneeling. A little humility and sacrifice for our Lord isn’t the worst thing we can do is it?

Can I make a couple addition to Canon Law? If so I’d add two new *latae sententiae *excommunications. The first to Catholic doctors that prescribe birth control, place IUDs, or perform sterilizations that are not medically necessary. The second would be for Catholic lawyers that assist in no fault divorces that are not shown to have an abusive component.

After that? I’d be knocking on the cloister where Benedict retires and begging to be let in. I’m sure my wife and kids would understand. 😉
 
triumphguy said:
I’d reinstate Hans Kung, and have Liberation Theology taught at all seminaries.👍

Just kidding - but I thought this thread needed a little “balance.”
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Here are mine to add some balance:
  1. let local diocese have more control over their leaders.
  2. emphasize pastoral needs (such as training catechists, creating centers of Catholic learning in every diocese) over theological needs.
  3. (after lots of prayer and consultation) Allow all baptized Christians who believe in the true presence of Christ in Holy Communion (and who are not under mortal sin) to partake in the Eucharist. (The reverse allowing Catholics to partake of the ‘communion’ of other Christian faiths will still be greatly discouraged.)
  4. Pray for and ask the entire Church’s prayers in finding a way to get women involved in all levels of leadership, including the highest, in the Church (at least in regions of the world where this is acceptable). Not having women in any of the top positions is a powerful and very hurtful symbol.
  5. Find a way to emphasize orthodoxy over either conservatism or liberalism. The Orthodox position of the Church is relatively equally split between conservative and liberal positions and allows for an even larger spread of views that encompasses both sides.
  6. Reach out to Lutherans, Anglicans, Presbyterians, etc.
  7. Allow liturgical practices that emphasize the personal nature of our relationship to Christ. (I admit this bias comes from my experience at a high school seminary where the personal nature was more prevalent.) Emphasize partaking of the Eucharist over presentation/ adoration. Allow simpler chalices, altars, etc. more similar to the original that Christ would have used with his disciples. Permanently allow people to receive the Eucharist by the hand. Emphasize the partaking of the Eucharist over the consecration of the Eucharist. Encourage a 24/7 open door policy for all Churches for at least a small chapel. Remind Catholics that Christ came to serve and not to be served and that we must do the same.
 
I’d start by going out onto the balcony above St Peter’s Square and announce something like, “These are our doctrines, this is what we stand for, and we’re not apologizing for them. We are the Catholic Church, and we’re back”.

After that, I’d wing it (hey, I’m the Pope; the Big Guy’s got my back.)
 
I. Promulgate a new Code of Canon Law (Don’t worry we’ll get the meatless Fridays & versus populum masses cleared up during this stage.)
II. Anathematize Fellay complete with bell book and candle.(and quite a few more than I’ve time to name on the other end of the spectrum.)
III. Establish concordats with any state willing to come to the table.
IV. ???
V. Prophet

P.S. The Athanasian Creed would enjoy restored and expanded liturgical use.
 
Lancer said:
Well here is one Catholic guy’s view…opinion…Chris Matthews of MSNBC’s Hardball TV Show…a practicing Catholic in the Pew every Sunday…God Love him!

*Matthews was asked whether the Catholic Church could enjoy a new era of progressivism under a new Pope. He replied that he did not see major reforms of Catholic doctrine on the horizon, but he hoped the church would abandon its opposition to birth control as a means of making abortions more infrequent.

Matthews said that he would have to address that question as a layman in “political, secular terms.” He said that the church has not been especially progressive since Pope Paul VI ushered in reforms during his tenure in the Vatican in the 1960s and 1970s. “We got meat on Friday, we would have rather had birth control,” Matthews said.*
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Matthews fails to understand the difference between the laws of God and the laws of the Church. The no-meat-on-Fridays law was a Church law. The Church made that law and the Church can change that law. The no Birth Control is God’s law (by extension of His demand that life be respected). The Church cannot change God’s.

Now, If I was Pope.

I would permanently and irrevocably excommunicate any Catholic elected official who does not follow Church teaching when voting for or advocating legislation.

I would permanently and irrevocably excommunicate any Catholic who practices, advocates, or tacitly approves of gay “marriage”.

I would permanently and irrevocably excommunicate any Catholic who has an abortion or any medical professional who performs or assists in the performance of an abortion.

I would permanently and irrevocably excommunicate any priest who sexually molests a child, and fully cooperate with civil authorities in the prosecution of such a priest.

And that’s just for starters.
 
Lost_Sheep said:
Matthews fails to understand the difference between the laws of God and the laws of the Church. The no-meat-on-Fridays law was a Church law. The Church made that law and the Church can change that law. The no Birth Control is God’s law (by extension of His demand that life be respected). The Church cannot change God’s.

Now, If I was Pope.

I would permanently and irrevocably excommunicate any Catholic elected official who does not follow Church teaching when voting for or advocating legislation.

I would permanently and irrevocably excommunicate any Catholic who practices, advocates, or tacitly approves of gay “marriage”.

I would permanently and irrevocably excommunicate any Catholic who has an abortion or any medical professional who performs or assists in the performance of an abortion.

I would permanently and irrevocably excommunicate any priest who sexually molests a child, and fully cooperate with civil authorities in the prosecution of such a priest.

And that’s just for starters.
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I thank the lord in heaven that no excommunication is permanent and irrevocable.
 
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