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

[Lost_Sheep]

American ideals do factor into this. As American Catholics make up a large part of the Church. The Church goers of today are not in the same mindset as their grandparents and great parents who came to this country with little or no education. Back in the day, if a priest or religious said it, it was true. Now days that doesn’t hold water, because people have realized, that the Church is made up of human beings with all their human baggage, from the parishioner in the pew to the Pope. All are human and mortal.

That’s the problem. Catholics in America too often see themselves as American Catholics and not Catholic Americans. We are way to used to the idea of having a voice in how our laws are made and who our leadership is. To expand on what Inego said, the Church is more like an absolute monarchy; it is definitely not a democracy.

American ideals may factor into this but they shouldn’t.

 

[april32010]

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!

pro-abort,pro same sex union:nope:

 

[april32010]

wasn’t americanism condemned ?

 

[Usige]

wasn’t americanism condemned ?

By everyone except stiff necked Americans. The world doesn’t revolve around the Sun, it revolves around the US.

 

[Filioque]

Ok, men! Here is your chance! Submit a post about what you would do if you were Pope. What would your papacy be like? What would you hope to accomplish? What kind of Pope would you be?
Like a resume.
Who knows maybe some voting cardinals read this site.

Hopefully as humble and Holy as Pope Benedict. As well as a Pastoral Pope. I’d hopefully continue the course of our Holy Father.

Rather than following the Rottwiller he was pegged with when Cardinal and Head of the CDF, he has shown great restraint, returning the Church to the course of greater Doctrinal and Liturgical orthodoxy, which has in some places been ignored. A swift turning back to the Liturgical life that existed prior to 1965 would have made me happy, but have lost those who were poisoned by some of the wild liberal theology and what is called liturgical garbage (in my opinion) we would loose them rather than be able to return them to a proper Catholic formation and spiritual life.

I would probably however offer the EF a bit more frequently in public, and if not serve the Eastern Liturgies in concelbration with other Eastern Prelates, (as is the long time custom in the East) I would at least assist at the throne and adore our Lord present on the Altar at those liturgies.

 

[Big_Feet]

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.

WOW!!!
WOW! WOW! WOW!

So, you are saying that in your pontificate, and there-after, due to your ‘infallible’ declarations, many sinners would be “permanently and irrevocably excommunicated” from the Church, and God’s love?

You realize you are saying that if one commits these sins, they are thereby unforgivable, and one would be unable to rightly and justly recognize their sin, truly repent and receive what was once (in your ‘infallible’ wisdom) God’s limitless mercy.

All I could say would be ‘shame on you’ for denying what is rightfully, and truly only God’s to give.

 

[Lost_Sheep]

WOW!!!
WOW! WOW! WOW!

So, you are saying that in your pontificate, and there-after, due to your ‘infallible’ declarations, many sinners would be “permanently and irrevocably excommunicated” from the Church, and God’s love?

You realize you are saying that if one commits these sins, they are thereby unforgivable, and one would be unable to rightly and justly recognize their sin, truly repent and receive what was once (in your ‘infallible’ wisdom) God’s limitless mercy.

All I could say would be ‘shame on you’ for denying what is rightfully, and truly only God’s to give.

What is the point in having laws if you don’t enforce them? You’ve seen, for example, what happens when molester-priests are “forgiven”. If we keep forgiving people just so they can sin again we might as well not have laws at all.

Sometimes you need a sacrificial lamb just to get the others’ attention.

 

[Julianna]

WOW!!!
WOW! WOW! WOW!

So, you are saying that in your pontificate, and there-after, due to your ‘infallible’ declarations, many sinners would be “permanently and irrevocably excommunicated” from the Church, and God’s love?

You realize you are saying that if one commits these sins, they are thereby unforgivable, and one would be unable to rightly and justly recognize their sin, truly repent and receive what was once (in your ‘infallible’ wisdom) God’s limitless mercy.

All I could say would be ‘shame on you’ for denying what is rightfully, and truly only God’s to give.

yeah I hear ya. I answered a similar post number 74 and got lambasted. Very extreme point of views. Glad some of these folks don’t stand a chance at ever becoming Pope.

 

[Melchior_1]

What is the point in having laws if you don’t enforce them? You’ve seen, for example, what happens when molester-priests are “forgiven”. If we keep forgiving people just so they can sin again we might as well not have laws at all.

Sometimes you need a sacrificial lamb just to get the others’ attention.

Prodigal son, mate. Prodigal son. Oh, and using your logic, God would have stopped forgiving us long ago, and event the events of the Old Testament probably would have never sent Christ in the first place.

 

[Julianna]

What is the point in having laws if you don’t enforce them? You’ve seen, for example, what happens when molester-priests are “forgiven”. If we keep forgiving people just so they can sin again we might as well not have laws at all.

Sometimes you need a sacrificial lamb just to get the others’ attention.

Call me curious, but how would enforce numbers 2 and 3? Hire snitches, or put cameras on everyone’s forehead? I’d like to know, really.

 

[GangGreen]

1. Every parish to offer at least one Tridentine High Mass every Sunday or Day of Obligation. Agreed
2. Open all records of the priest abuse scandal; hand over all guilty parties to local authorities. Agreed
3. Require habits for all nuns and monks. Indifferent
4. Ban homosexuals from the priesthood. Why? Shouldn’t we be accepting them? If someone is a homosexual than we should consider those people as people called to a chaste life. So why can’t they join the priesthood? As long as they don’t go proclaiming that homosexual acts are good, support anything contrary to Church teachings, or molest children (all meaning act like a good priest) there should be no issue.
5. Excommunicate anyone who votes for a Pro Choice candidate. Well this only works if they outwardly state that they are Pro Choice, but if they do why not?
6. No more Lifeteen masses Never seen one so I have no idea what these are
7. Crack down on all bad music at mass; no more solos by unqualified singers. Organ music and human voice only. Agreed. Luckily all of my local parishes only have organ and human voice. Nothing else should be required.
8. No Communion for inappropriately dressed people. What’s considered inappropriate? Are we talking about people who are in jeans and a t-shirt or are we talking about immodest dress? I can agree with the 2nd, but not the 1st.
9. Communion kneeling in the mouth from a priest only. Agreed. Obvious exceptions to those who can’t manage to kneel. I can possibly make exceptions for deacons, but no lay people distributing Communion.

 

[Big_Feet]

What is the point in having laws if you don’t enforce them? You’ve seen, for example, what happens when molester-priests are “forgiven”. If we keep forgiving people just so they can sin again we might as well not have laws at all.

Sometimes you need a sacrificial lamb just to get the others’ attention.

1st, to be forgiven is NOT the same thing as not being held accountable for ones actions. Actions (sins) have consequences. Just because one is forgiven does not mean that they are not to be punished (either by our human justice system or by God himself). This is why under God’s law we have penance after we confess and are forgiven, and God purifies us further through purgatory before we can attain the beatific vision after this life.

2nd, you are not talking of ‘a sacrificial lamb.’ You are speaking of permanently punishing ALL who have committed certain sins, depriving them of the mercy of God’s love and forgiveness, even if they later see the sins committed and hurt caused, and truly ask for the forgiveness that God is so willing to give them (again, this does not mean there are not supposed to be temporal or spiritual consequences for said sins).

 

[Inego_de_Loyola]

yeah I hear ya. I answered a similar post number 74** and got lambasted. ** Very extreme point of views. Glad some of these folks don’t stand a chance at ever becoming Pope.

I think that’s a little melodramatic don’t you?

 

[OraLabora]

1. Require habits for all nuns and monks.

Not to nitpick but I believe all monks and nuns do wear habits.

You’re probably confusing nuns and monks, who are professed religious, with sisters who belong to congregations. The former are cloistered, the latter are not.

 

[Lost_Sheep]

Call me curious, but how would enforce numbers 2 and 3? Hire snitches, or put cameras on everyone’s forehead? I’d like to know, really.

Snitches, spies, and cameras? No.

But any person committing such an act would be presumed to no longer be in good graces with God and would in effect be excommunicated even if the Church was unaware that he/she had done anything. If the Church was aware if it, the excommunication would be more formal.

You might be able to fool the Church, but you can’t fool God.

Yes, I’m hard core.

 

[Inego_de_Loyola]

Snitches, spies, and cameras? No.

But any person committing such an act would be presumed to no longer be in good graces with God and would in effect be excommunicated even if the Church was unaware that he/she had done anything. If the Church was aware if it, the excommunication would be more formal.

You might be able to fool the Church, but you can’t fool God.

Yes, I’m hard core.

By hardcore do you mean the trigger happy moderator of life who will permaban people from heaven for the slightest infraction?

 

[Julianna]

Snitches, spies, and cameras? No.

But any person committing **such an act would be presumed to no longer be in good graces with God and would in effect be excommunicated even if the Church was unaware **that he/she had done anything. If the Church was aware if it, the **excommunication would be more formal.
**
You might be able to fool the Church, but you can’t fool God.

Yes, I’m hard core.

Once a month in the Church yard, a good flogging, or something similar to George Banks in Mary Poppins?

Supposedly it’s like that now…the way you worded it, one would expect something more formal.

Again, glad you have about as much chance at becoming Pope, than say…I do.

 

[Tomdstone]

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.

Good point. And I would laicise any priest found guilty of homosexual activity.
I would allow married men to be ordained.
I would encourage more sermons on hell and remind people that the use of artificial birth control is a mortal sin which could send an unrepentant user to hell.
I would also remind people of Purgatory and encourage the reading of Read Me or Rue It.
basilica.org/pages/ebooks/Fr.%20Paul.O.Sullivan-Read%20me%20or%20Rue%20it.pdf

 

[TimothyH]

What is the point in having laws if you don’t enforce them? You’ve seen, for example, what happens when molester-priests are “forgiven”. If we keep forgiving people just so they can sin again we might as well not have laws at all.

Sometimes you need a sacrificial lamb just to get the others’ attention.

Does anyone on this thread see how ironic that last sentance is?

-Tim-

 

[PaulinePresbytr]

Ok, men! Here is your chance! Submit a post about what you would do if you were Pope. What would your papacy be like? What would you hope to accomplish? What kind of Pope would you be?
Like a resume.
Who knows maybe some voting cardinals read this site.

Excommunicate all politicians who support abortion

Make an encyclical about why abstinence and the issues of birth control and homosexuality are connected and that if abstinence is right (which is obviously the case as shown not only by God’s scriptures and written on mans hearts but through natural law to all people by the very existence of STD’s, which discourages having sex with more than one different person in your life time) then birth control and homosexuality are necessarily wrong, as this is an issue which has not been talked about as much in encyclicals and needs to be explained to the non believers by means of natural law as all men are to follow God’s law

Recognize officially that every abortion provider in the world and every government which allows it is guilty of crimes against humanity