Pope Francis embraces man with tumorous disease [CNA]

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willie_duggan said:
The Office of the Pope has always embraced those who suffer from physical and mental disability, closest.

All occupants of that Office make a point of embracing those who are less fortunate than the majority of us.

What Francis did in embracing that unfortunate person is no different to what his papal predecessors have always done.

All Pontiffs are aware that bringing witness to the suffering of others is central to the mission bequeathed by Jesus Christ.
That witness is magnificent, I think.
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“His predecessors” are not Pope now - he is. Who else is the press supposed to take pictures of?
 
seekerz said:
“His predecessors” are not Pope now - he is. Who else is the press supposed to take pictures of?
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I’m not disputing that.

All I am saying is that the witness photographed a couple of days has been witnessed throughout the history of the Papacy.
And a magnificent witness history it is too.
 
_Abyssinia said:
Is their video of Pope Francis’ interaction with the man?
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This occurred at the Wednesday Audience on November 6th. You can see pictures of Pope Francis meeting with many people with disabilities here (note, there’s over 7000 photos to sift through to find the one of the guy in the news article):

[fotografiafelici.com/index.php?page=scripts/inserimento&cerimonia=10772 09 Udienza Generale disabili&data=2013-11-08 15:42:29&cod=708&language=ING#foto](http://fotografiafelici.com/index.php?page=scripts/inserimento&cerimonia=10772 09 Udienza Generale disabili&data=2013-11-08 15:42:29&cod=708&language=ING#foto)

The video of the General Audience on the Vatican Radio website cuts off before the post-audience meet-and-greet. So I don’t know if there’s any video of it.

It’s true that other popes have done similar things without much reporting from the mainstream media. It does bother me a bit if someone’s positive impression of Pope Francis is based primarily on the assumption that he is the polar opposite of Pope Benedict who would never do such things (even though he did). But something tells me Pope Benedict is more than happy to take one for the team if it means that people are more open to the Gospel message who before would have not given the Church a second glance.

I’m just happy to see the pope getting positive press on such a regular basis just for doing the things that popes do.
 
These are very striking photos, never-the-less. They remind me of St. Francis embracing the leper.

Pope Francis certainly lives up to his namesake, in his emphasis on the poor and marginalized. I think he will bring many lapsed Catholics back to the faith, and there will be many converts as a result of him too. He touches people’s hearts and they really see what is good about Christianity when it is practiced rightly.
 
savone said:
I have wondered, even had doubts, about the Holy Father. When Cardinal Ratzinger was elevated to the Chair of Saint Peter, I remember thinking that in John Paul II we had the “heart” of Christ. Perhaps, with Benedict XVI, we might have the “mind” of Christ. Now, as time has passed and not because of this single act alone, I am beginning to wonder whether we are seeing in Francis the “soul” of Christ. I wonder . . . and I pray.
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Beautiful post.👍
 
There was a story two days ago about the man that was kissed by the Pope. (I found the story posted as a link on Reddit. I believe the article was in The Huffington Post, but I’m not 100% sure.) The story explained the man’s condition and indicated he was practically bedridden, and that the Church arranged his travel – I believe from Romania, if I recall correctly – and brought him to meet the Pope. I remember a handful of other details that were provided, but I won’t bog this post down with them.

I had read the story shortly after the actual event had occurred and was interested in knowing more. The following day, the images of the Pope and the man he kissed went viral, but none of the newer articles had information about the man, and in fact, some of the first ones I read misidentified his condition. (The original story had identified neurofibromatosis, which I’m very familiar.) As of this morning, the original story I read had been completely removed from the link I had, and now I can’t find the article anywhere else.

I thought the moments captured when the Pope hugged, kissed and blessed the man were incredibly moving, and a powerful demonstration of compassion, but of course, I wish that the story of this man wouldn’t end at that moment. If anyone knows more details, I’m certain others would like to follow through with helping this man receive treatment or accommodations that may make life more comfortable or manageable for him. Obviously there will be people who have the man’s identity – like the photographer or the people with the Church who brought him to Rome – or even friends or family who recognize him from the picture, so I would appreciate any information. Thank you.
 
Someone asked me where Pope Francis said he was humble: Pope Francis in the la repubblica interview:

'Vatican II, inspired by John XXIII and Paul VI, decided to look to the future with a modern spirit and to open up to modern culture. The Council Fathers knew that opening up to modern culture would mean religious ecumenism and dialogue with non-believers. Subsequently, however, little was done in that regard. I have the humility and ambition to want to do it”.
 
For some reason, the complaints that Pope Francis is not really doing anything the other popes haven’t done reminds me of JPII. Folks complained that his experience in theater and acting were used too much in the creation of special media moments, designed to capture the public’s heartstrings. For some reason, his using his gift of drama was… wrong? While others rejoiced in how he used his gifts for the Church, others criticized and worried. Now when the charisma of Pope Francis tugs at our hearts in some way just a little differently than did previous popes (and who knows exactly what it is about the man that is so endearing), some criticize us for being drawn to him and our faith just a bit more because it somehow puts down other popes. Why? Each has had gifts, each was chosen by the Holy Spirit.

I loved our previous popes, and now I’m falling in love with Pope Francis. It doesn’t mean I stopped loving or started criticizing previous popes. That’s like saying a parent stops loving their older children when the new baby is born. No, each new one makes the family draw together in more love, not less.
 
Oren said:
Someone asked me where Pope Francis said he was humble: Pope Francis in the la repubblica interview:

'Vatican II, inspired by John XXIII and Paul VI, decided to look to the future with a modern spirit and to open up to modern culture. The Council Fathers knew that opening up to modern culture would mean religious ecumenism and dialogue with non-believers. Subsequently, however, little was done in that regard. I have the humility and ambition to want to do it”.
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Ah, yes, the interview that wasn’t taped, nor were notes taken duringit.

Personally, I’d be a little hesitant to criticize the Holy Father when we don’t even know if that’s exactly what he said. But that’s just me.
“Also on Oct. 2, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told journalists that the “sense” of what Pope Francis said in Scalfari’s interview in La Repubblica was accurate, but would not confirm that each word was in fact spoken by the Pope.”

ncregister.com/daily-news/latest-pope-francis-interview-involved-conflation-of-details/
 
sojo said:
For some reason, the complaints that Pope Francis is not really doing anything the other popes haven’t done reminds me of JPII. Folks complained that his experience in theater and acting were used too much in the creation of special media moments, designed to capture the public’s heartstrings. For some reason, his using his gift of drama was… wrong? While others rejoiced in how he used his gifts for the Church, others criticized and worried. Now when the charisma of Pope Francis tugs at our hearts in some way just a little differently than did previous popes (and who knows exactly what it is about the man that is so endearing), some criticize us for being drawn to him and our faith just a bit more because it somehow puts down other popes. Why? Each has had gifts, each was chosen by the Holy Spirit.

I loved our previous popes, and now I’m falling in love with Pope Francis. It doesn’t mean I stopped loving or started criticizing previous popes. That’s like saying a parent stops loving their older children when the new baby is born. No, each new one makes the family draw together in more love, not less.
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:thumbsup:Amen!
 
If Pope Francis had ignored the man he would have been criticized, he embraces him and some say it’s over the top, & it would be hard for Pope Francis to hide these moments since it was a General audience with himself, whether he is publicly humble or not it’s not a matter for us, only God knows what is in his heart !
 
What I’m seeing is a disturbing trend for the secular media to “tell” all Catholics (many of them, unfortunately, not well-catechized) what their Church teaches…which is purposely being twisted and distorted. Example, the other day CBS news had a promo to an upcoming story saying to the effect of “Pope Francis takes a new turn, and asks Catholics what THEY think about contraceptives and divorce.” Didn’t bother to watch the story…I knew they were taking things out of context to suit their agenda. But how many nominal or not very studied Catholics will start to think these things really reflect Church teaching, when they are being not-so-subtly fed this kind of stuff so often?
 
I believe that in many and various ways priests, deacons, and religious commit similar such acts daily. And, frequently they do so to people whose exterior appearance may be pleasing to the eye, yet who have an “interior landscape” which is most unpleasant. The Holy Father is the earthly and visible image of the embrace of Christ and witness to what these other servants of the Lord do in His name. Next time the Holy Father is criticized for a similar act think of how wonderful it is to have such an example to show us the Way of Love. God bless each of you.
 
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