Pope Francis washes feet

[vames]

First, and I don’t know how many are aware of this, it was the traditionalists who are not in union with Rome, who sought the media attention. They contacted the AP. The media wouldn’t know a traditional Catholic from Flip Wilson’s First Church of What’s Happenin’ Now (for all you baby boomers out there). Drudge picked it up, which is why it is now all over the 'net. The owner of the blog Rorate Caeli now has more hits to his site than ever before.

In this case, it isn’t “the media”, but journalists who cover religion and Vatican, so they have a duty to know everything that concerns their work. Rorate Caeli, Fr Z and other trad blogs are followed by many “Vaticanisti” from news agencies and newspapers, including from Italy, because it is helpful to them to know all the angles of a story (just think about the SSPX topic).

Nicole Winfield, who wrote the article, is among the AP writers who follow Rorate on Twitter, which is an essential tool for journalists. And Rorate follows her too. On March 28 she wrote an article about the feet washing ceremony and included an opinion of a canon lawyer who noted about the Pope: “What he does do, I fear, is questionable example” as it regards adherence to liturgical rules. Fr Lombardi and Rev James Martin, a Jesuit, followed with their comments.
news.yahoo.com/pope-washes-feet-young-detainees-ritual-173757747.html

The next day, she linked her article on Twitter, adding a personal comment in her post. Rorate intervened and admonished her:

Nicole Winfield ‏@nwinfield 29 Mar
#Pope disregards church law to wash feet of women in Holy Thursday rite reserved to men. Liturgical purists unhappy t.co/adWsKrveWk

Rorate Caeli ‏@RorateCaeli 29 Mar
@nwinfield Must we be “purists” to expect the pope not to break Church law he is supposed to enforce? That’s a low bar …

Then she wrote the next article, the one with “final blow for traditionalists”. Perhaps they contacted her for the article, perhaps she contacted them, I can’t know. Anyway, it seems that they still aren’t satisfied - one commenter says “the AP article which has some blatant errors”.

 

[McCall1981]

Ok,here is all I gladly share about our dear Bergoglio,as we called him,our dear Pope Francis now.
First,that we the people do not have such marked divisions down there,does not mean that of course we know about them,and the clergy knows tons.We problably do not notice them(liberals,orthodoxy,etc etc) cause nothing has really chaged since the time of my grandparents in terms of “content” to put in somehow. Of couse,as you can see here,Masses can be more or less formal,guitars, or not,but basically when I came to US I did not notice the slightest difference.
South America has much more poverty,need of hands,legs,and hearts in action to help out.Nothing you do not do here but more. So in this sense,not even I feel comfortable wearing anything expensive,when my brother next to me,can´t eat. And honestly,we can´t afford it. We simplify and we have less.This may also explain some of Pope´s simple ways,apart from the fact that priests vow poverty(excuse if some words in English are not so correct,)
The Church in Argentina(not the governemnt…) is traditional in the sense of no abortion,no gay marriage,and all this kind of decision. And Bergoglio is no exception(sorry,I need to change the way we lovingly call him).
He has always been very couragous.He has always spoken out if there is corruption,openly to show any misery any of us would denounce as corrupt.to do with the people,his Church,the forgotten.What Jesus did.
Now about the little details,and sorry,little for me,if you wear sth on your head,if you do not,if white shoes,balck shoes,at least it has always been the same rule:decent and austere. Showing off is an insult to the poor,and not only catholics see it this way,people in general have this feeling,cause it hurts the ones that are suffering. So do not expect our Pope to be who he has never never been,in every sense.
We love him,all the good people love him down there.He has been a rock and we will miss him dearly…
Have I brought some peace,do you need any other details? Pleasea ask,I hate to see somebody suffer when you will probably be very grateful to this Pope,as we all have been to his predecessors.
Peace

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this! I really appreciate being able to hear from someone that knows him from experience. And please don’t think I’m trying to attack him, he seems like a personally loving and holy man, and you should be proud to have a Pope from your country (Im very glad there is finally a Pope from Latin America).

I’ve been trying to get to “know” him a little better by reading some of his past homilies, and that definitely helps. I also read that they are releasing a couple of his books in english next month, and I 'll definitely check those out too.

Thanks again for your support, I’m sure the other people on this thread are glad for an Argentinian perspective as well

 

[graciew]

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this! I really appreciate being able to hear from someone that knows him from experience. And please don’t think I’m trying to attack him, he seems like a personally loving and holy man, and you should be proud to have a Pope from your country (Im very glad there is finally a Pope from Latin America).

I’ve been trying to get to “know” him a little better by reading some of his past homilies, and that definitely helps. I also read that they are releasing a couple of his books in english next month, and I 'll definitely check those out too.

Thanks again for your support, I’m sure the other people on this thread are glad for an Argentinian perspective as well

I do not think you are trying to attack anyone,please be at peace…I perfectly well understand the doubts that arise when somebody comes kind out “out of the blue” and an unknown foreign place,and on top of it he starts doing this “lovely” things(in my eyes) which are very much like him.I am no expert,quite simple,and do not handle formal explanations so well,… I can only be witness of his time with us and warmly try and transmit how much we loved him. And from my heart,it is like “giving” you all a dear friend…(I know…he was not ours…). Maybe love heals…if it does,stay with his love for his Church,and be at peace.
happy Easter!!

 

[graciew]

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this! I really appreciate being able to hear from someone that knows him from experience. And please don’t think I’m trying to attack him, he seems like a personally loving and holy man, and you should be proud to have a Pope from your country (Im very glad there is finally a Pope from Latin America).

I’ve been trying to get to “know” him a little better by reading some of his past homilies, and that definitely helps. I also read that they are releasing a couple of his books in english next month, and I 'll definitely check those out too.

Thanks again for your support, I’m sure the other people on this thread are glad for an Argentinian perspective as well

just a small comment cause I must have sounded like the worst of ignorants(well…I am quite…) when I said the Church in Argentina is traditional,does not go for abortion and alll that which is ObVIOUS,cause it is the Church,period. I was trying to describe the atmosphere of expectation of the people,in the sense there is no demand of any weird change in this sense in the air for the Church,and we agree with this principles ,as members of the Church openly…

 

[MariaG]

I never really thought about it before, but I think it does come down to that central idea of whether you believe the Church/Church doctrine is ultimately safe or not.

I think you are right. For good or bad, I really have a rather fundamentalist approach to this. The bible says the gates of hell shall not prevail. For the same reason I think Protestants are wrong to think the church fell into error, I do not believe we will fall into error now.

I pray others will be granted this same simple surety.

 

[Melvin]

All I can say…is I am thankful the issue is at least being discussed…

 

[Lucky7]

I think this whole thing is being blown out of proportion. The question to ask is “What would Jesus do?” I’m sure He would have not left out anybody!:bible1:

I think it is unfair to say that this is being blown out of proportion since Christ did leave many people out the first time. Of all the topics we have debated/argues over here recently, I think this topic is at least worthy of discussion. I think it is important to better understand our Pope’s decision here (without being disrespectful to him of course).

 

[OraLabora]

I think it is unfair to say that this is being blown out of proportion since Christ did leave many people out the first time. Of all the topics we have debated/argues over here recently, I think this topic is at least worthy of discussion. I think it is important to better understand our Pope’s decision here (without being disrespectful to him of course).

He did it to the people present and then instructed them to go out and to “do it to one another”. It doesn’t sound like He intended it to be a restricted rite.

 

[Lucky7]

He did it to the people present and then instructed them to go out and to “do it to one another”. It doesn’t sound like He intended it to be a restricted rite.

Good point.

 

[JustaServant]

In this case, it isn’t “the media”, but journalists who cover religion and Vatican, so they have a duty to know everything that concerns their work. Rorate Caeli, Fr Z and other trad blogs are followed by many “Vaticanisti” from news agencies and newspapers, including from Italy, because it is helpful to them to know all the angles of a story (just think about the SSPX topic).

Nicole Winfield, who wrote the article, is among the AP writers who follow Rorate on Twitter, which is an essential tool for journalists. And Rorate follows her too. On March 28 she wrote an article about the feet washing ceremony and included an opinion of a canon lawyer who noted about the Pope: “What he does do, I fear, is questionable example” as it regards adherence to liturgical rules. Fr Lombardi and Rev James Martin, a Jesuit, followed with their comments.
news.yahoo.com/pope-washes-feet-young-detainees-ritual-173757747.html

The next day, she linked her article on Twitter, adding a personal comment in her post. Rorate intervened and admonished her:

Then she wrote the next article, the one with “final blow for traditionalists”. Perhaps they contacted her for the article, perhaps she contacted them, I can’t know. Anyway, it seems that they still aren’t satisfied - one commenter says “the AP article which has some blatant errors”.

Most reporters don’t have a sayso in the choice of headlines, that’s up to the copy editors. Even major portions of the article can be re-written by editors. The only thing I am skeptical about, and thats because I worked in a newspaper for eight years, is that she has “a duty to know everything that concerns their work”. I have known many religious reporters in newspapers who know didley squat about the subjects they are writing about. They’re looking at readership, what’s going to sell. Not necessarily saying that’s the case with her, just my experience.
RC might be dissatisfied (I wonder what would satify them), but they certainly are eating up the publicity.

 

[josethomas]

I think we are people showing off. If we have a sense of service. we should follow what Christ has done at last supper. He love his men till the last. He choose to wash their feet. Actually the washing of the feet ceremony should be reoriented to show the Pastor’s Love and concern for his sheep. His OWN.

 

[shelby_sun]

It confuses many lay people whose blogs, articles, and musings I have read. For religious I have no idea, I try not to speak for them.

I know the Pope can do whatever he wants–within constraints of faith and morals–but my posts were simply a means to illustrate the reactions and what I supposed would be the reactions of the washing of women’s feet from the perspective of laypeople. I’m not saying that this was my reaction, simply pointing out those of people like Nicole Winfield (AP writer) and PrayTell blog readers, and Michael Sean Winters (NCReporter guy). To many people, there is a symbolic and, some hope, a future material connection between this and women’s ordination. I agree that a long bridge would have to be constructed, a very long one. Some people are willing to construct it.

I would hope that those willing to construct that bridge you consider taking their time and energy and learn about The Jesuits beliefs and way of life. I think it might bring them peace instead of dwelling on their fear of will happen next.

 

[JReducation]

This whole thing is being over killed.

1. The ritual is not essential to the liturgy of Holy Thursday.
2. The Pontiff is the supreme legislator. It is impossible for him to be guilty of breaking the rules. He is the one who makes the rules. Therefore, he can bypass the rules that he makes. He is bound only to dogma and revealed moral laws.
3. This pope is very much a Jesuit. If we pay close attention to what he said to the kids, we hear the Spiritual Exercises being applies. He asked the kids, “Why have I come to you?” He answers, “Because I knew that God wanted me to come. He put it in my heart.” This is very Ignatian. It is this same spiritual process that he used to decide how to conduct this rite. He sees Christ’s action of communion and service. He makes it his own and brings it to these youngsters.

There is nothing for us to recriminate, because we don’t have the authority or the right to recriminate a pope. And we don’t have the right to recriminate against anyone who is innocent of any crime or sin.

The only thing that he’s guilty of is offending some people’s expectations about the papacy. That’s been happening with popes since the time of Peter. No pope has ever pleased everyone.

 

[Eufrosnia]

This whole thing is being over killed.

1. The ritual is not essential to the liturgy of Holy Thursday.
2. The Pontiff is the supreme legislator. It is impossible for him to be guilty of breaking the rules. He is the one who makes the rules. Therefore, he can bypass the rules that he makes. He is bound only to dogma and revealed moral laws.
3. This pope is very much a Jesuit. If we pay close attention to what he said to the kids, we hear the Spiritual Exercises being applies. He asked the kids, “Why have I come to you?” He answers, “Because I knew that God wanted me to come. He put it in my heart.” This is very Ignatian. It is this same spiritual process that he used to decide how to conduct this rite. He sees Christ’s action of communion and service. He makes it his own and brings it to these youngsters.

There is nothing for us to recriminate, because we don’t have the authority or the right to recriminate a pope. And we don’t have the right to recriminate against anyone who is innocent of any crime or sin.

The only thing that he’s guilty of is offending some people’s expectations about the papacy. That’s been happening with popes since the time of Peter. No pope has ever pleased everyone.

So I heard that Pope Francis washed the feet of women. If I am permitted to ask, did he kiss their feet too?

And its not that I am offended that he is upsetting my expectations of him as a Pope. Rather, he is somewhat upsetting my expectations of a Catholic man in terms of prudence when it comes to interacting with a woman . I don’t think a man kissing the feet of women he is not married to is that great.

Then there is the issue of law.

Anyway, I already got suspended because some mods felt I am too critical of the Pope all the time and I dare say more because I will get slapped with another suspension or a permanent ban.

If I may also ask, I was planing to speak to my Parish priest because he washed the feet of women on our Holy Thursday ceremony. Do I even have to speak about it anymore or is the law already reversed from last Holy Thursday on?

 

[JReducation]

So I heard that Pope Francis washed the feet of women. If I am permitted to ask, did he kiss their feet too?

Yes. Actually, that’s very Franciscan. Francis began this custom with the lepers. Only Holy Thursday, the brothers would have a solemn liturgy with the lepers and the superior general washed and kissed their feet.

 

[Eufrosnia]

Yes. Actually, that’s very Franciscan. Francis began this custom with the lepers. Only Holy Thursday, the brothers would have a solemn liturgy with
the lepers and the superior general washed and kissed their feet.

Sigh. I doubt St. Francis kissed the feet of women though at that time… Otherwise I am sure given the time period, we would have heard some ‘not so nice’ things about him, no? If I am upset already about the kissing women’s feet in the 21st century, you can imagine how much people would be at that time where the sensibilities were more prevalent.

 

[Brendan_64]

If I may also ask, I was planing to speak to my Parish priest because he washed the feet of women on our Holy Thursday ceremony. Do I even have to speak about it anymore or is the law already reversed from last Holy Thursday on?

Your bishop will probably have given blanket permission for his priests to wash the feet of women. Your bishop will probably have been granted permission from Rome to allow this. Rome has been granting permission (fairly routinely) for bishops to allow this, and has been doing so for years (under Pope Benedict). Why feel the need to kick up a fuss over it now?

 

[shelby_sun]

Sigh. I doubt St. Francis kissed the feet of women though at that time… Otherwise I am sure given the time period, we would have heard some ‘not so nice’ things about him, no? If I am upset already about the kissing women’s feet in the 21st century, you can imagine how much people would be at that time where the sensibilities were more prevalent.

I believe Pope Francis was doing what he felt Christ would have done in today’s world or what God wanted him to do. We are all children of God, male/female, Catholic/non Catholic and for the Pope to excluding anyone would have not be God like.

 

[Eufrosnia]

I believe Pope Francis was doing what he felt Christ would have done in today’s world or what God wanted him to do. We are all children of God, male/female, Catholic/non Catholic and for the Pope to excluding anyone would have not be God like.

Well Jesus had no problem excluding, yes?

I am really a bit tired of this attitude of doing the “what would Jesus do” thing. All I see is people merely projecting and superimposing their own view on to Jesus. If one wants to do what Jesus did, we know what he did so we can follow what he did. He didn’t wash any of the women followers he had. So why would we wash women’s feet?

 

[Corki]

Your bishop will probably have given blanket permission for his priests to wash the feet of women. Your bishop will probably have been granted permission from Rome to allow this. **Rome has been granting permission (fairly routinely) for bishops to allow this, and has been doing so for years (under Pope Benedict). **Why feel the need to kick up a fuss over it now?

Source? I only know of one Bishop that requested and was granted this exception.