Pope Francis encourages mothers to breastfeed in the Sistine Chapel

[weirdcatholic]

As far as I know…no. But who knows. Maybe some digging at vatican.va would show otherwise. Pope Francis has gotten more press than some popes I feel:shrug:

 

[Tony_the_mad]

Why do I get the feeling that if the same thing happened under +Benedict, the headlines would have read

MSNBC “Pope views women as breeding milk cows”

CNN “Pope wants topless women at Mass”

I don’t know why you get that feeling.

Pope Francis is a lot more accessible both physically and emotionally. He is an intellectual that knows how to talk to the everyday person. Pope Benedict, for all of his strengths, was not near as accessible. Why are you surprised that the media finds Pope Francis more interesting?

 

[ProVobis]

Pope Benedict, for all of his strengths, was not near as accessible.

I think you’re wrong on this. The press just didn’t want to hear what he had to say.

 

[dshix]

I think you’re wrong on this. The press just didn’t want to hear what he had to say.

Exactly.

It’s amazing how much even devout Catholics can be confused by the press. They are making Francis look like a much more active, interesting pope than Benedict simply by PAYING ATTENTION to what he has to say!

Benedict was active too, but I can’t say that I ever noticed the press gushing over him.

 

[shelby_sun]

Exactly.

It’s amazing how much even devout Catholics can be confused by the press. They are making Francis look like a much more active, interesting pope than Benedict simply by PAYING ATTENTION to what he has to say!

Benedict was active too, but I can’t say that I ever noticed the press gushing over him.

They just have different ways of presenting themselves in public. John Paul II was seen very much like Pope Francis, but Benedict just can across, at least, on TV as a little more serious, pious, spiritual, or whatever word you want to use.

I think the fact that Pope Francis is living in the guest quarters, and has changed a few of the norms the Popes have done in the past has people wondering what he will do next, so yes they are paying more attention to him. Some people took to Benedict, some did not. We all have our preferences. All that matters is that they preach the teachings of the Catholic Church.

 

[dshix]

They just have different ways of presenting themselves in public. John Paul II was seen very much like Pope Francis, but Benedict just can across, at least, on TV as a little more serious, pious, spiritual, or whatever word you want to use.

I think the fact that Pope Francis is living in the guest quarters, and has changed a few of the norms the Popes have done in the past has people wondering what he will do next, so yes they are paying more attention to him. Some people took to Benedict, some did not. We all have our preferences. All that matters is that they preach the teachings of the Catholic Church.

I agree. Absolutely.

However, I think we can still be indignant at the press for changing the public image of certain popes by selectively displaying certain things they do or say.

 

[Thorns]

Can public breastfeeding be a distraction and stumbling block? Especially for those who struggle with lust?

 

[shelby_sun]

Can public breastfeeding be a distraction and stumbling block? Especially for those who struggle with lust?

A mother should not have to change her very nature behavior because someone struggles with lust.

 

[choose_to_love]

@thorns & shelby: I’m with shelby on this one. thorns, is your mental image of breastfeeding that the mom completely disrobes and sits basically shirtless to nurse? If so, I think that is probably inaccurate. I suspect that any mom who is breastfeeding at the Sistine Chapel will do so discreetly, with a shawl, etc.; most of the time it would probably be hard to even tell what was going on.

that being said, even if it was a little more obvious, it seems to me that shelby’s point still holds. That is, it is up to the onlooker to control his reaction in that instance.

 

[Thorns]

@thorns & shelby: I’m with shelby on this one. thorns, is your mental image of breastfeeding that the mom completely disrobes and sits basically shirtless to nurse? If so, I think that is probably inaccurate. I suspect that any mom who is breastfeeding at the Sistine Chapel will do so discreetly, with a shawl, etc.; most of the time it would probably be hard to even tell what was going on.

that being said, even if it was a little more obvious, it seems to me that shelby’s point still holds. That is, it is up to the onlooker to control his reaction in that instance.

Im not sure Im saying they shouldn’t, I was asking if that would be an obstacle for some, if not most, people.

For people who struggle with lust, merely saying theyre to be responsible for what they see/view/think is accurate, but such people also go to great lengths to avoid occasions of sin. If a woman lets her breasts out in public, that sort of imposes temptation on someone who might not otherwise have been tempted in this particular instance and in a way, the temptation came looking for the person, not the other way around.

To balance things out, do you think Pope Francis should waive the sin of lust for this particular situation? Where if a person consents to dirty thoughts upon seeing a woman breasfeeding and sees her breasts, that it wouldn’t be a sin?

 

[Luna_Lovecraft]

There’s a Madonna Lactans icon in our church.

Good on Pope Frances. People who find breastfeeding disturbing need to get over themselves.

 

[Thorns]

There’s a Madonna Lactans icon in our church.

Good on Pope Frances. People who find breastfeeding disturbing need to get over themselves.

Such an understanding and merciful tone in this post, thanks.

If you breastfed in public and a man was oogling you with perverse eyes, wouldn’t you find THAT disturbing?

 

[shelby_sun]

Such an understanding and merciful tone in this post, thanks.

If you breastfed in public and a man was oogling you with perverse eyes, wouldn’t you find THAT disturbing?

On his part, but I would feel comfortable with myself and what I was doing. Most women breastfeed with a blanket covering their baby, and I would assume they would be doing that while in church.

 

[Butaperson]

A comment from the article:

“It’s almost like this Pope read the New Testament, said “Huh, this Jesus guy seems like a good role model,” and decided to follow his example. I’m not Catholic, but this Pope seems like a good person.”

Pope Francis is not just leading the existing Church in a more loving fashion, but it’s almost like he’s repairing the name of the Church. I can’t tell you how much I love reading all the positive feedback from non-Catholics all over the place. Our position on abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia, divorce and more may always be unpopular among the liberal crowd, but I think that Pope Francis has done a wonderful job in reenforcing that everything we do, however much the secular world may disagree, is always done in the name of love.

Sorry, that got off topic. Pope Francis is such a great guy. I have a lot of SSPV family, and I’ve heard so many bad things about him from them (mostly media twisted nonsense) but all I can say is that they are missing out on a whole lot of love.

 

[Butaperson]

Such an understanding and merciful tone in this post, thanks.

If you breastfed in public and a man was oogling you with perverse eyes, wouldn’t you find THAT disturbing?

D’ya know…there are covers for breastfeeding…if you are in a circumstance where you want to feed your kid without revealing yourself…like in a church. Those do exist…