Thank you.
You mean like the Church once did when it ruled the Holy Roman Empire? Many people then used the Church to for political and financial gain. Yes, people may join for the wrong reasons, but Opus Dei has the full support of the Vatican. It’s founder has been canonized.
A lot more recently than the Holy Roman Empire. I’m not putting down Opus Dei. I’m merely saying that in Catholic countries where the Church has influence, such organisation can be used and misused. The more influential they become, the more susceptible they are to attracting members whose aims are not spiritual. I fear that this thread has gone off track and I don’t want to get into a discussion about Opus Dei. I just wanted to point out that Matutemats’ impression of Opus Dei could be completely different to the experience of someone living in, say, the USA.
en.radiovaticana.va/Articolo.asp?c=679971
It was Breaking News on the BBC. They have been waiting for such a topic for decades.
I’ll pray for the Lord to raise up reformers for those locales where Opus Dei has become used and misused. It seems that no good organization is entirely removed from such abuse, even our beloved Roman Catholic Church itself. I recall reading (I believe it was Thomas Merton) that the only monastery that he had seen that never seemed in need of reform was a certain one located high in the Himalayas where the weather was so bitter, and the life so hard, even the singing was terrible and not subject to pride, but the spiritual life was right where it should be. But enough asides-- you’re right-- back to “We have a POPE!” Thank you for your comments.
This special sense of connection is not limited to new Catholics by any means. It is truly phenomenal to see so many Catholics extol the new Pontiff and claim a sense of hope and confidence for the days ahead. We are truly blessed.
Yes we are.
Oh, no! Not the cross again!!!Yes we are.
I can not help but think that things are about to return to “normal”. I sure hope so.
Just kidding! 
I noted at the end of the article they referred to the Pope as another “retro” Pope. HAHAHA Where do they get this stuff? I suppose the feeling going around in liberal Catholic circles and the non-Catholic PC world is that eventually we will have a “modern” Pope and then all will be well with the world, A horrible image just crossed my mind-- Pope Obama! Argh! :frighten:
Can please ask what you mean? I have really only known the Jesuits so I am extremely happy That Pope Francis is our new Pope. I was having a great struggle with where the Catholic church was going and how some were presenting their faith to others. I too have new hope for the church under Pope Francis.Yes we are.
I can not help but think that things are about to return to “normal”. I sure hope so.
People are just odd. If it gets them back to church that is great, but some of those comments in the article had me scratching my head.
I see no change in the Church with the new Pope. He is merely opening our eyes to what was already there to begin with. The Church has always stood for the virtue of humility. The previous Pope was a humble man as was his predecessor. Pope Francis is making more demonstrable what others possessed more quietly. He is now bringing attention to what has always been the Church’s great concern, the poor and disadvantaged. He is now speaking the very same words of truth with a more pleasing dialect, if you will. The message is the same; the messenger is reaching more people by the method of his delivery. We should all thank God for this new revelation of our Catholic faith, if we missed it before. And do not forget that each of us is also a unique expression of our Catholic faith, so we should take Pope Francis’ example, and be ourselves, so that others can see that there is nothing carbon copy about the expression of our faith. Glory to God!
What is really changing is not the Church or the Papacy, but people’s perception of both. Somehow, God used Pope Francis in his uniqueness, to get people’s attention. Yay God!