What do you guys think of Pope Francis?

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PaleoConCatlick

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I personally think Pope Francis I is good for the Church, although I don’t always agree with him.

The Church has come under much defamation with the scandals, and many in intellectual circles equate it to an anti-gay far right hate group. Feminist groups also hate the church for the whole birth control thing and abortion thing. It is very much mocked by the media.

Pope Francis is a quiet and humble man. I believe the best leaders and rulers are those who leave people alone. He has no lust for power. I also think his quiet demeanor instead of a damn-it-all-to-hell fire-and-brimstone screamer is a much better image.

I got to wonder though, what’s up with his pardoning of atheists.

Any thoughts?
 
He did not “pardon” atheists. My understanding, which may be flawed, is that he said good atheists, meaning those who love one another and struggle to do good, may be saved through God’s grace. Or perhaps he said we should engage such atheists in dialogue and work together with them to perform acts of charity. There is also the possibility of their conversion at a later time in life, or even upon their deathbed. All things are possible with God.
 
I really like Pope Francis I. He is a great example of holiness and humility for the whole Church. I don’t think he will bring about huge amounts of change but I think he will change the stigmas about the Church from outsiders and increase evangelization that the Catholic Church truly needs.

Blessings!
 
When he was elected I was very disappointed, I would have wished for someone like Burke, more traditionalist. But now I have faith that Jesus leads the Church and he will act by his Vicar. Regarding his pontificate, so far so good…
Sometimes it is hard to let go on my opinions and embrace the will of God and what he allows to happend in the Church, but then I remember what Bl. Mary of Jesus Deluil-Martiny, who lived during the First Vatican Council, said to those who had fears for the future of the Catholic Church: ,It’s not the Church that is in danger, it has the words of Christ, but those who try to harm it"…something like this.
So, I think the election of Pope Francis is an invitation to faith and trust for a part of the catholics.
 
Beryllos said:
He did not “pardon” atheists. My understanding, which may be flawed, is that he said good atheists, meaning those who love one another and struggle to do good, may be saved through God’s grace. Or perhaps he said we should engage such atheists in dialogue and work together with them to perform acts of charity. There is also the possibility of their conversion at a later time in life, or even upon their deathbed. All things are possible with God.
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True, there a big diffence between people who have heard the gospel and reject it and those who were raised as athiests.
 
PaleoConCatlick said:
I got to wonder though, what’s up with his pardoning of atheists.

Any thoughts?
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I’m honestly not sure why some people are having such an issue with what he said about Atheists.

Atheists are capable of doing good and being good… and they are, of course, our sisters and brothers. 🤷

Not sure why that ticked off so many people.
 
Debora123 said:
I’m honestly not sure why some people are having such an issue with what he said about Atheists.

Atheists are capable of doing good and being good… and they are, of course, our sisters and brothers. 🤷

Not sure why that ticked off so many people.
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Because people misunderstood what he actually said. Some often equate redemption with salvation. So, many thought he was saying that all atheists who do good will go to heaven. Though, the fact is that they MAY go to heaven, if God so chooses.
 
Well, this gal really likes him. So far, I think he has been good for our Church.
 
The atheist has rejected the “first and greatest” commandment. His ability to love his family and a few friends down the street is not likely to save him if he dies in that condition.
 
Beryllos said:
He did not “pardon” atheists. My understanding, which may be flawed, is that he said good atheists, meaning those who love one another and struggle to do good, may be saved through God’s grace. Or perhaps he said we should engage such atheists in dialogue and work together with them to perform acts of charity. There is also the possibility of their conversion at a later time in life, or even upon their deathbed. All things are possible with God.
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I don’t think he was referring to the Atheists that spread hatred towards God. But the ones who do not know and love God thru no fault of their own…
I never did understand how an Atheist could hate a God they don’t even think exists. All mankind no matter what they used to believe or not believe can come to a conversion. And so we pray! God Bless, Memaw
 
Polycarp1 said:
True, there’s a big diffence between people who have heard the gospel and reject it and those who were raised as atheists.
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People aren’t equal when it comes to “selling” the gospel, take a haughty or particularly annoying person, and see how many people convert to the faith because of him. Case in point…
 
I like Pope Francis simply because he reminds me every time I hear him or read his homilies or homiletic comments…that I am the…“one”…not part of the “ninety-nine”…in the parable of the lost sheep…and how incredible it is for me to be reminded and to realize (thanks to Pope Francis’ pastoral style)…that Jesus…as “crazy” as it sounds and as “crazy” as it actually is…still came after me!

Pax Christi
Luke 15:3-7
Knox Bible (KNOX)
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3 Whereupon he told them this parable: 4 If any of you owns** a hundred sheep, and has lost one of them, does he not leave the other ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?** 5 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders, rejoicing, 6 and so goes home, and calls his friends and his neighbours together; Rejoice with me, he says to them, I have found my sheep that was lost. 7 So it is, I tell you, in heaven; there will be more rejoicing over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine souls that are justified, and have no need of repentance.
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Beryllos said:
He did not “pardon” atheists. My understanding, which may be flawed, is that he said good atheists, meaning those who love one another and struggle to do good, may be saved through God’s grace. Or perhaps he said we should engage such atheists in dialogue and work together with them to perform acts of charity. There is also the possibility of their conversion at a later time in life, or even upon their deathbed. All things are possible with God.
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He was talking about how Christ’s crosswork redeemed the world, which was previously under God’s wrath, and made a way of salvation for mankind, and that because of our redeemed state the Holy Spirit is able to work among us (in varying degrees) and thus we are all under a universal call to charity. It wasn’t really so much a statement about salvation. The Church has always taught that those who through no fault of their own have never heard the gospel or understood it may find a way to salvation… however in this day and age I don’t know how many people this applies to.
 
PaleoConCatlick said:
I personally think Pope Francis I is good for the Church, although I don’t always agree with him.

The Church has come under much defamation with the scandals, and many in intellectual circles equate it to an anti-gay far right hate group. Feminist groups also hate the church for the whole birth control thing and abortion thing. It is very much mocked by the media.

Pope Francis is a quiet and humble man. I believe the best leaders and rulers are those who leave people alone. He has no lust for power. I also think his quiet demeanor instead of a damn-it-all-to-hell fire-and-brimstone screamer is a much better image.

I got to wonder though, what’s up with his pardoning of atheists.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
I don’t think he pardoned atheists, I believe the word he used was redeemed ( to deliver from sin by means of a sacrifice) Jesus redeemed all of us. What we choose to do with that redemption is another story.
 
Pope Francis, (not Pope Francis 1)’ has proven to be a great Pope to date. His leadership and having us look into ourselves is what I have needed. It is our daily deeds that will earn us heaven or hell. We don’t hear about sin from the pulpit anymore, wonderful that the Pope is reminding us!
 
Does anyone know the original verbatim text of the Pope’s remarks about atheists? I know the Vatican went into action immediately to make sure the public did not misunderstand them, which leads me to believe the recorder of those remarks make not have given the full context in which the remarks were made.
 
bzkoss236 said:
Because people misunderstood what he actually said. Some often equate redemption with salvation. So, many thought he was saying that all atheists who do good will go to heaven. Though, the fact is that they MAY go to heaven, if God so chooses.
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Whoever thinks the pope said all atheists go to heaven as long as they do good, is pretty naive.

Truth is, perhaps they do and perhaps they don’t. That’s also true for everyone else, not just atheists. Truth is we can’t say who does/does not go to heaven, because we don’t know.
 
landon13 said:
I really like Pope Francis I. He is a great example of holiness and humility for the whole Church. I don’t think he will bring about huge amounts of change but I think he will change the stigmas about the Church from outsiders and increase evangelization that the Catholic Church truly needs.

Blessings!
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I have been enamored with his efforts to date…from reordering priorities to focus on the least of our breathren, to eradicating the remnants of monarchy (no done yet), to taking collegiality to the next level, to his tremendous example of modest living… I think he talks like Jesus did and I love it.

I think he has already made major changes by establishing the advisor council of cardinals… And I think he will bring much more reform which is a big part of why he was elected and his groundbreaking choice of name…

God bless Papa Francis!
 
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