Pope Benedict XVI under-fire for 'negative' statements

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timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article5343333.ece

This article is hilarious. Some of the choicer gems:
“It is one veto after another” Mr Politi wrote. “Not to this, no to that. No, no, no”. He said the Vatican was clearly aware that under Pope Benedict it was acquiring a reputation for “banning everything”
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It really torques these people that the Church just doesn’t chuck everything we stand for and sign on to their “anything goes” viewpoints.
Instead (the Pope) had gone out of his way to stress the obstacles in the way of ecumenism, and had recently declared that inter-religious dialogue “in the strict sense of the word” between Christians, Jews and Muslims was “not possible”. He had a “minimalist vision” of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.
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The only “reforms” carried out in the past three years, Mr Politi said, were the revival of the Latin mass and the provision of new and “more miliaristic” uniforms for the Vatican gendarmerie.
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Golly gee, we have a Pope who stresses Catholicism over trendy pseudo-Christianity. The horror! He’s not advancing the “spirit of Vatican II” program of watered down anything goes New Agey balderdash. Oh, whatever shall we do???
Whereas John Paul had skilfully used the media, going out of his way to talk to Vatican journalists on papal trips, Pope Benedict “keeps his distance”, responding only to a limited number of questions submitted in advance, Mr Politi said. When encountering reporters while on holiday, "the first words to pass his lips are “Thank you, no questions”.
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"But…but…but…I’m a member of the *** media,*** Your Holiness!!! I not only deserve to have my questions answered, I demand to have my questions answered! How dare you refuse to speak to me! Do you have any idea who I am? I’m a journalist!!!"

It not only burns their cookies that the Pope doesn’t feel the need to rearrange his whole schedule to accomodate their inane interrogations, it also just confuses the living daylights out of them that the Pope quite frankly doesn’t give a rat’s behind who they are or what rag they write for. They are totally baffled that he doesn’t fall down and slobber at their feet for media attention, like everybody else does. “Who does this guy think he is, anyway? The Pope?”

LOL. Tremendous article. Best laugh I’ve had in a long time. Viva il Papa!
 
I love that he doesn’t take questions from the “media” but takes off-the-cuff questions from priests on his pastoral visits 🙂
 
Ooooohh… a “a leading Vatican watcher” disagrees with the pope! I wonder who’s right and who’s wrong? :rolleyes:

How can someone devote their career to following the Vatican and still not develop any concept of catholic doctrine?
 
Is it really surprising that the Journalists think they are the rulers of the world?

After all, they just won a Presidential election in the United States.
 
That article seems so ridiculous. I mean come on! If the Pope doesn’t want to answer questions by the media, he doesn’t have to. Do they honestly expect him to just take time out of his busy schedule to answer a ton of questions by the media? 🤷:confused::rolleyes:
 
The article is even worded in such a way as to evoke a negative image of Him.
Seems to me to be just another diabolical scheme to try and hurt The Church.:mad:
 
The Pope isn’t just the Holy Father of Christians but he is also the head of the Vatican City-State. For journalists to be angry at him because he won’t answer their questions is a big sign of disrespect.
 
Eucharisted said:
The Pope isn’t just the Holy Father of Christians but he is also the head of the Vatican City-State. For journalists to be angry at him because he won’t answer their questions is a big sign of disrespect.
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Yes, isn’t it disrespectful to ask the Pope a question in the first place, let alone when he’s on vacation? Remember how much trouble St. Therese of Lisieux got in for asking the pope a question during her blessing by the pope?

Can you imagine shouting out questions at the pope as he tries to walk by, demanding answers? It’s awful.
 
The “hit” pieces are coming so often now, the second “M” in MSM could be changed from “Media” to a term for “organized crime” :cool:
 
I doubt very much that Politi said all these things. Politi has been around the block a long time. This yoyo who wrote this article is probably cutting and pasting for his own agenda. Politi has an innate ability to read people better than that. Read his work on John Paul II. It’s very insightful. This article is far from insightful.

The author is comparing apples and oranges.
  1. John Paul II was the best communicator that the Church has had since John XXIII. He understood the press and knew how to speak to them. Benedict XVI does not have this kind of experience or talent. Therefore, it is prudent that he be very careful when speaking to the press. What’s wrong with that?
  2. Benedict XVI is a career theologian. John Paul II was a theologian as well, but had spent most of his life in the public arena. It is natural that John Paul would focus more on pastoral issues and that Benedict on theological issues. We need both, pastoral and theological popes. It is hard to get both in one package. One after the other is a good thing for the Church.
  3. Benedict and John Paul are not on different planes of existence when it comes to the Church and her teachings. They were of the same school from Vatican II to the time they reached the Vatican. They have different circumstances. John Paul came to the papacy as a young man who was an athlete, an actor, a former youth minister, a bishop of a large diocese for a long time and was an extravert. Benedict comes as an older man set in his ways, a very private man, less public exposure, and is a shy man. What’s wrong with that?
  4. The questions thrown at Benedict XVI concern serious moral content. The questions thrown at John Paul II were related to pastoral content. Different questions are going to get different answers. Moral questions get very conclusive and firm responses. Pastoral questions usually get responses that are open to change given the need to do so. There is nothing wrong with that either. They are questions in different genres and areas of ecclesial leadership.
I believe this article cannot and should not be taken too seriously.

Fraternally,

JR 🙂
 
Yea for Pope Benedict XVI!!! Way to stand solid in the Catholic faith!!

Mr Politi, the author with Carl Bernstein of “His Holiness”, a study of Pope John Paul II and the fall of Communism, said the Vatican risked appearing to put the stress on a rigid observance of doctrine ahead of human dilemmas, suffering and distress.
:confused: what???

These are awesome though:

Mr. Politi’s secularist take on His Holiness is as predictable as the four seasons.

At 57, I am what is known as a “lapsed Catholic”. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI’s powerful message cuts through EVERYTHING ELSE and is drawing me back to the Church. I’ve never been happier in my life!

Simon, Toronto, CANADA

God Bless Benedict XVI! Affirming eternal truths and not conforming to society’s every whim is something to be applauded and not derided! Truth doesn’t change! Natural Law doesn’t change! May he have a long pontificate!

Brian, Shreveport, USA

The Church has many hard years ahead, but the beauty and integrity of the Catholic Faith, as defended by Benedict, is appealing to the youth. The “vocations crisis” is stabilizing. Seminaries are gaining enrolment. New religious communities are being founded. New life from Eternal Turths.

P Carlson, Rock Island, USA

there are more comments - mostly positive. There is one that is supposedly posted by an Archbishop in Arizona - which is extremely negative and I highly doubt he wrote it!
 
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