Saturday, January 31, 2015

I've been getting, over recent weeks, various panicky messages...

...from Catholics who  describe themselves as Traditionalist  (often with a captital T) and who don't like the way Pope Francis talks. They seem to feel that they ought to feel all comfortable and gosh-this-is-absolutely-right about everything that a Pope says and does. And they get angry when they don't feel that way. They panic and worry and write a lot of complicated stuff. Some  get postively weird about it...

 Ordinary orthodox faithful Catholics don't feel this way.  It isn't the way ordinary faithful Catholics are. I like and admire a lot of what Papa Francis is doing and saying. But even if I didn't, I wouldn't panic about it. I remember reading a book about Pius IX - he's been beatified - and deciding that he was on the wrong foot on a couple of tactical issues, and not particularly aware of  damage done -  I don't think I would have been a great fan of his (though  the book enthused about him and apparently he was a perfectly jolly soul with people he knew and liked, said his prayers faithfully etc).

You don't have to worship Popes. You can stand and cheer a Pope simply  because he is the successor of St Peter. Or you can  cheer with a full heart - as so many of us did with beloved St John Paul the Great and beloved Papa Benedict when they each came to Britain - because you also have deep affection, admiration and love added to the knowledge that this man is Peter's successor.

But you are perfectly entitled to have reservations about a Pope's tactics or conversations. There's no need to panic, and no need to wish him ill. Think Catholic, don't give yourself a factional label, and be prepared to think along larger lines.

6 comments:

BillyHW said...

What am I supposed to learn from John XII?

Joanna Bogle said...
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Joanna Bogle said...
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Joanna Bogle said...

You will learn how God protects his Church, and be warned - see my comments above - about not getting hysterical over Popes.
Auntie J.

Joanna Bogle said...

...my last Comment was for some reason printed 3 times! I've removed two of them. Perhaps the computer was trying to emphasise the usefulness and wisdom of Auntie's advice...

Anonymous said...

Bravo Joanna
Common sense about Pope Francis at last