Positive Impact of Pope Francis on Views of the Church, Especially Among Democrats and Liberals

[gilliam]

Looks like the Pope is bringing some closer to the Church who weren’t before.

In the wake of Pope Francis’ visit to the United States, a new Pew Research Center survey finds that the pope has generated goodwill toward the Roman Catholic Church among many people across the political spectrum. Ideological liberals and moderates, along with Democrats, are especially likely to say Francis has given them a more positive view of the Catholic Church.

At the same time, the popular pope’s own favorability rating remains about where it was in early 2015. And most Americans say their view of the Catholic Church has not changed because of Pope Francis.

Pope Francis’ Effect on Views of the Catholic Church: More Positive Than Negative Overall, 28% of U.S. adults say they have a more positive view of the Catholic Church because of Pope Francis. Far fewer – just 6% – say they have a more negative view of the church because of Francis. Roughly six-in-ten Americans (58%) say their view of the Catholic Church has not changed very much.

pewforum.org/2015/10/07/following-visit-two-thirds-in-u-s-view-pope-francis-favorably/

 

[sbe]

Sounds like a red flag to me. Pope Francis is pushing the socialist/Marxist agenda. All all inclusive and together we shall take care of our common home. Calling on five Communists, marxist, people to be our role models ( Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King,Dorothy Day, and Ghandi and Thomas Merton, a Buddist). What about the countless saints we have as examples. Are there not enough of them to refer to? Why couldn’t he have at least referred to Jesus as our Lord and Saviour as our example?

Come on wake UP!

 

[ringil]

Come on wake UP!

I think I would prefer to keep sleeping if waking up would cause me to take on the ideas you express in this post.

 

[Neofight]

Troll alert!

 

[Catholic_Nation]

The Pope is bringing the Church into the limelight with a message of charity and kindness to all through the Catholic Message. With no doubt this will plant the seeds of faith into people and find there way to God and his Church. Viva Papa Francisco.

 

[Usige]

The real question is if they have a more favorable view of the Church is or what the media is leading them to believe is the new Church.

My mom (non-Catholic) says she likes the “new, pogressive” way the Church is moving. I told her this isn’t anything that the Church hasn’t taught for 2000 years. She said, but “they are more accepting of divorce and people in different types of marriage.” To which I replied… “ahnt… wrong. Church teaching on divorce and marriage cannot change since it came from God.” She was sure the Pope understood we weren’t in the “dark ages”. True, I’m sure he has a calendar, but that doesn’t mean false becomes true.

So the real question is if people have a better view of the Church or if liberals just like the distorted view they think is the Church. If Pope Francis enlightened them to the Church’s eternal teachings on charity and care for poor then great, but if they like the “new, progressive” way the Church is (suposedly) moving, then they will be disappointed.

 

[ringil]

You catch more bees with honey than with vinegar.

 

[phil19034]

Sounds like a red flag to me. Pope Francis is pushing the socialist/Marxist agenda. All all inclusive and together we shall take care of our common home. Calling on five Communists, marxist, people to be our role models ( Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King,Dorothy Day, and Ghandi and Thomas Merton, a Buddist). What about the countless saints we have as examples. Are there not enough of them to refer to? Why couldn’t he have at least referred to Jesus as our Lord and Saviour as our example?

Come on wake UP!

No he’s not. Watch Bishop Barron’s opening Keynote from the World Meeting.

Bishop Barron talks about how Catholics have to 100% committed to the Law (Divine Law and Church Law) while also being 100% for Mercy. He says you can’t focus on one and let the other slide. For example: some “progressive” Catholics are all for Mercy and ignore Dogma, Doctrine and/or Discipline. While comes “conservative” Catholics focus on Dogma, Doctrine and/or Discipline but are not merciful.

The orthodox Catholic is 100% for the law and 100% full of Mercy.

The Pope is trying to bring non-Catholics and MORE IMPORTANTLY lapsed Catholics home. He’s trying to warm their hearts so they can become Evangelized and later Catechized.

In the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s we Catechized kids, but didn’t do a good job of evangelization (we didn’t tech WHY the Church teaches what she teaches). In the 1970s, 1980s & 1990s, they focused on evangelization but neglected Catechesis (lots of God is good stuff, watered down teachings).

We need to FOCUS ON BOTH. But you have to Evangelize before you Catechize. This is part of the New Evangelization, which Pope Francis is 100% committed to.

The New Evangelization is targeted towards the unchurched yet Baptized people (aka the 75% who don’t come to Sunday Mass).

That’s is where the Pope is focused. He wants to bring them home.

Orthodox Catholics don’t need the Pope to teach us, we don’t need the Pope to confirm our beliefs because they are already orthodox. It’s the heretics who need to listen to the Pope, and they won’t listen if they hate the Catholic Church. So the Pope wants to warm them up a and soften them. Then, when they join RCIA, they learn the Catechism.

God Bless!

God Bless

 

[phil19034]

The real question is if they have a more favorable view of the Church is or what the media is leading them to believe is the new Church.

My mom (non-Catholic) says she likes the “new, pogressive” way the Church is moving. I told her this isn’t anything that the Church hasn’t taught for 2000 years. She said, but “they are more accepting of divorce and people in different types of marriage.” To which I replied… “ahnt… wrong. Church teaching on divorce and marriage cannot change since it came from God.” She was sure the Pope understood we weren’t in the “dark ages”. True, I’m sure he has a calendar, but that doesn’t mean false becomes true.

So the real question is if people have a better view of the Church or if liberals just like the distorted view they think is the Church. If Pope Francis enlightened them to the Church’s eternal teachings on charity and care for poor then great, but if they like the “new, progressive” way the Church is (suposedly) moving, then they will be disappointed.

I think it’s also they that they THINK the Church is changing because they previously misunderstood what the Church taught.

Getting them to like the Church is good because even if they don’t convert, they will less hostility towards the Church if/when their children or family members become Catholic.

Ending anti-Catholic myths will help in the long run.

 

[johnnyc176]

Obviously it’s a great thing to bring liberals in line with the teachings of Jesus. Souls are at stake. Hopefully it is that and not the delusional thinking that the teachings of Jesus have to conform to their ideology. Thing is many of them separate Jesus from His Church and what they don’t realize is that if they don’t like the Catholic Church they really are not following Jesus as they should.

Pope Francis has spoke on this…

Without the Church and her guidance, our relationship with Christ “would be at the mercy of our imagination, our interpretations, our moods.

It is not possible to understand the salvation offered by Jesus without also appreciating the motherhood of the Church. It is also impossible to love and belong to Christ without loving and belonging to the Church, because the Church is God’s family who brings Christ to humanity.

Mary is the believer capable of perceiving in the gift of her Son the coming of that fullness of time…that is why Jesus cannot be understood without his Mother. Also it is not possible to understand Jesus without the Church either, because the Church and Mary always go together.

 

[Thomas_White]

Sounds like a red flag to me. Pope Francis is pushing the socialist/Marxist agenda. All all inclusive and together we shall take care of our common home. Calling on five Communists, marxist, people to be our role models ( Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King,Dorothy Day, and Ghandi and Thomas Merton, a Buddist). What about the countless saints we have as examples. Are there not enough of them to refer to? Why couldn’t he have at least referred to Jesus as our Lord and Saviour as our example?

Come on wake UP!

Really, wake up from the party line. Pope Francis is pushing the socialist/Marxist agenda? Abraham Lincoln, the Father of the GOP; Ghandi; and Thomas Merton, a Trappist Priest and Monk (a Buddhist?) were Communists and Marxists?

I think perhaps this is an example of viewing Pope Francis through the prism of political ideology. It does not serve the Church.

 

[abucs]

I think largely when the liberal press gives favourable coverage then such listeners simply follow in line with the reporting.

Liberal reporters are the equivalent of religious clergy in the secular world.

If they report Kim Kardashian favourably then liberal people simply follow suit until they are told something else. If they report Ben Carson negatively then that is liberal fiat, no need to think about things.

I have talked to anti-Catholic people who are favourable to this pope. When pressed on what they like they tend just to repeat reporters talking points. None of them really are any more interested in the Catholic Church. All of them are interested in converting the Catholic Church to their own lifestyles which they believe the reporters are telling them is happening.

 

[Thomas_White]

When the word ‘liberal’ appears as descriptive of a segment of Catholics, it typically posits its opposite: conservative. Neither of these partisan political views represents a true understanding of Catholic teaching.

 

[phil19034]

I think largely when the liberal press gives favourable coverage then such listeners simply follow in line with the reporting.

Liberal reporters are the equivalent of religious clergy in the secular world.

If they report Kim Kardashian favourably then liberal people simply follow suit until they are told something else. If they report Ben Carson negatively then that is liberal fiat, no need to think about things.

I have talked to anti-Catholic people who are favourable to this pope. When pressed on what they like they tend just to repeat reporters talking points. None of them really are any more interested in the Catholic Church. All of them are interested in converting the Catholic Church to their own lifestyles which they believe the reporters are telling them is happening.

I think that’s ok… They might never convert, but hopefully they won’t spread anti-catholic hate to their children and grandchildren.

What Pope Francis is doing may not show fruits for many generations.

 

[ProVobis]

I have talked to anti-Catholic people who are favourable to this pope. When pressed on what they like they tend just to repeat reporters talking points. None of them really are any more interested in the Catholic Church. All of them are interested in converting the Catholic Church to their own lifestyles which they believe the reporters are telling them is happening.

It appears that way unfortunately.

 

[Seamus_L]

My experience has been the same as Abucs and Pro Vobis.

 

[phil19034]

I think largely when the liberal press gives favourable coverage then such listeners simply follow in line with the reporting.

Liberal reporters are the equivalent of religious clergy in the secular world.

If they report Kim Kardashian favourably then liberal people simply follow suit until they are told something else. If they report Ben Carson negatively then that is liberal fiat, no need to think about things.

I have talked to anti-Catholic people who are favourable to this pope. When pressed on what they like they tend just to repeat reporters talking points. None of them really are any more interested in the Catholic Church. All of them are interested in converting the Catholic Church to their own lifestyles which they believe the reporters are telling them is happening.

true - but that’s what RCIA is for. If the Pope gets 10 additional people into your parish for RCIA and 3 convert, the Angels will be singing in Heaven.

The Pope can’t make people Catholic. That’s the Holy Spirit. The Pope can’t catechise non-Catholics. That’s what RCIA is for. But the Pope can get people to consider the Church and perhaps even visit a Catholic Church.

 

[ProVobis]

true - but that’s what RCIA is for. If the Pope gets 10 additional people into your parish for RCIA and 3 convert, the Angels will be singing in Heaven.

A true conversion to the faith doesn’t depend on who’s Pope IMO. What happens when he dies or resigns and the new Pope changes things?

 

[phil19034]

A true conversion to the faith doesn’t depend on who’s Pope IMO.

I agree with this 110%. A true conversion to the Faith is the work of The Holy Spirit

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

The real story is that people are reacting to what they THINK the Church NOW stands for… A sad thing indeed because one day they will find out the truth. They like this pope because they have been told he is supportive of homosexuals and abortions and willing to change all those silly rigid rules. If that were to ever happen, the Church would lose and the devil would win.