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sallybutler
Guest
What are the 10 top things that you feel he should have said to people who whould be reading the interview?
In latest interview, Pope Francis reveals top 10 secrets to happiness
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blaskoman
Guest
#1 and #8 are problematic. It goes counter to Jesus’ command and message to his disiples to go out and evangelise the world ( to become members of the catholic church)
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JohnPaul
Guest
I just learned that it’s not my place to say
"You may not make disparaging remarks about:
Code:
Clergy (deacons, priests and bishops) of any group"
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gilliam
Guest
I don’t understand your comment. Pope Francis evangelizes everywhere he goes. He is a preacher to the world and, not surprisingly since it is a great message (The Good News) that he is preaching, a lot of people are listening and finding it refreshing.
No he doesn’t teach hate (and neither did Jesus)
No he doesn’t teach warring with anyone (and I don’t remember Jesus teaching that either)
Yes he teaches forgiveness
Yes he teaches to love one another and bring those outside the Church to God’s love
Yes he teaches to be good
Yes he teaches minding your own business, and worrying more about the log in your own eye rather than the splinter in someone else’s
I realize in this competitive world of ‘us vs them’ that this is wrenching for a lot of people, but we are Christians, and we teach The Good News.
Nobody told you it would be easy. It is easy to hate. It is very, very difficult to love.
-g
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shelby_sun
Guest
There was a reason there were 12 disciples. Not everyone is meant to profess their faith that way. Some do it by example and every little bit helps no matter how it is done. Quoting the Bible does mean one knows how to live it. I believe Pope Francis knows how to live it and those who have issues with him simple do not.
Here is an example, I have an occupational therapy degree and did an internship with a PT at a hospital. This PT could spit out any info. about a condition or disease; however, she simple could not put it into practice with patients and she failed. I on the other hand I worried more about the individual, tailoring therapy to the patient not the disease. Those who go out and evangelize these days do it before they even know who they are evangelizing to and what they need.
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Tommy999
Guest
Please clarify a point for me, if you don’t mind. Pardon my unfamiliarity with Catholicism :imsorry:
How do people know when Pope Francis is speaking authoritatively as Pope versus just stating his opinion on a subject related to faith and morals?
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rfournier103
Guest
I sincerely hope that your faith-journey here is both fulfilling and rewarding. God bless you, Tommy.
You have no idea how different in opinion we can be. Traditionalists. Liberals. Sedevacantists. Cafeteria Catholics. So many opinions all under one umbrella… Staggering…
Like all leaders and like all humans; there are strengths and weaknesses. His Holiness is trying to reach and rope in a very wide audience that has left the Church and left God. Sometimes I have a hard time looking at what he says through the eyes of a non-Catholic or a lapsed Catholic. That’s the audience he’s targeting…
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JohnPaul
Guest
Tommy - thanks for asking.
My understanding is that we need to carefully evaluate the language. For example, Pope John Paul II was clearly opposed to the death penalty in America because it was his personal judgement that it was not needed to protect the innocent. But he made it clear that this was only his judgment and that others could vary in their opinion. The Church had already declared that the death penalty was acceptable in certain times … for example, if no prisons existed.
On the other hand, when Pope JP2 wrote about the ordination of women, he made it quite clear that neither he nor any of his successors were authorized to change this prohibition.
Sorry if this wasn’t clear but the short answer is that we need to carefully evaluate what is said and in what vehicle it is said.
As another example, when Pope Francis stated ‘who am I to judge’ in referring to the gay union, he in no way was changing any doctrine but simply stating his own feelings on the matter.
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JohnPaul
Guest
Fyi -
I called into the show today and asked Tim his thoughts on the matter. ( It’s a little more than half way through the show.)
Tim provided the traditional Catholic answer with respect to how we are to be happy. He then pulled up the CNS article and read the Pope’s top 10 list and went through them one by one, and espoused their wisdom with some slight adjustments. It was an interesting response,
I called into the show today and asked Tim his thoughts on the matter. ( It’s a little more than half way through the show.)
Tim provided the traditional Catholic answer with respect to how we are to be happy. He then pulled up the CNS article and read the Pope’s top 10 list and went through them one by one, and espoused their wisdom with some slight adjustments. It was an interesting response,
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Tommy999
Guest
Thanks for the clarification, JohnPaul. When you refer to Tim, are you refering to Tim Staples? If you are, I like his commentary and can relate to him. He is a great apologist and makes no apologies for it. 
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JohnPaul
Guest
Funny, yes … Tim Staples … he’s one of my favorites too.Thanks for the clarification, JohnPaul. When you refer to Tim, are you refering to Tim Staples? if you are, I like his commentary and can relate to him. He is a great apologist and makes no apologies for it.
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blaskoman
Guest
Correction: #1 and #9 are problematic.
A more Catholic top 10 list: (found online)
A more Catholic top 10 list: (found online)
- Seek ye first the kingdom of God
2.Love thy neighbor as thyself - First, embrace, and persist in the one true faith, the Catholic faith
- Draw near to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Mother
- Make frequent use of the Sacrament of Confession
- Freely forgive those who have in any way sinned against you
- Enter deeply into the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
- Receive the Most Holy Eucharist worthily
- Live a sacrificial life
- Live a profoundly prayer life
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RockPigeon
Guest
The Pope can speak about matters of Dogma (unchanging Truths of the Church) or he can also speak on plain old tradition or opinion.
Teachings that are Dogmatic have been held up by the Church for ages (unless they are “new”, such as embryonic stem cell research, which is just old theology applied to new ideas) that must be upheld or the Church stops being Catholic. For example, Jesus rising from the dead is dogmatic. A lesser known example is women’s ordination. The Pope speaks on these matters with Papal Infallibility. Basically, he’s not going to change what the Catholic Church has always said.
Some issues, as light as “the best kind of ice cream”, or even a more controversial “Should priests be allowed to marry?” are not spoken of with Papal Infallibility, but rather opinion.
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rfournier103
Guest
Excellent post, Rock!
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gilliam
Guest
Tim Staples take is here:
catholic.com/audio-player/13904
Starts about 30min in
He agrees with the Pope. He gives his take from a conservative Catholic position.
Tim reminds us the points are points to be happy (not a theological treatise.) Also, the Holy Father is giving advice during an interview.
He makes the point that the Pope was talking to a secular audience (it was an interview with a secular newspaper.) And you start where the people are and move them in the right direction. (he gives himself and his coming to the Church as an example.)
Tim quotes Mother Theresa (here is the entire quote), “There is only one God and He is God to all; therefore it is important that everyone is seen as equal before God. I’ve always said we should help a Hindu become a better Hindu, a Muslim become a better Muslim, a Catholic become a better Catholic. We believe our work should be our example to people. We have among us 475 souls - 30 families are Catholics and the rest are all Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs—all different religions. But they all come to our prayers.”
Worth listening to.
catholic.com/audio-player/13904
Starts about 30min in
He agrees with the Pope. He gives his take from a conservative Catholic position.
Tim reminds us the points are points to be happy (not a theological treatise.) Also, the Holy Father is giving advice during an interview.
He makes the point that the Pope was talking to a secular audience (it was an interview with a secular newspaper.) And you start where the people are and move them in the right direction. (he gives himself and his coming to the Church as an example.)
Tim quotes Mother Theresa (here is the entire quote), “There is only one God and He is God to all; therefore it is important that everyone is seen as equal before God. I’ve always said we should help a Hindu become a better Hindu, a Muslim become a better Muslim, a Catholic become a better Catholic. We believe our work should be our example to people. We have among us 475 souls - 30 families are Catholics and the rest are all Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs—all different religions. But they all come to our prayers.”
Worth listening to.
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gilliam
Guest
The Holy Father is an expert on evangelization; we can all learn a great deal by watching him.
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Tommy999
Guest
Thanks for the link and words of wisdom, gilliam.
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lynnvinc
Guest
St. Francis said: “Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary use words."
I think this is Pope Francis’s favorite method of evangelizing…and it seems oddly enough to work best.
There are also other sayings, such as “honey attracts more flies than vinegar.”
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lynnvinc
Guest
Holiday means “Holy Day” (it’s our modern world that has corrupted the meaning).
And, yes, we should be with our families, if possible, on holy days. And “Where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst.” What greater happiness (bliss actually) could there be than that?
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RockPigeon
Guest
Thanks for the affirmation! :tiphat:
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