Tags
The new Pope has not been crowned and it has started. From one side the self-styled traditionalists are bemoaning Pope Francis lack of their sense of his office in a way captured brilliantly here by Fr. Longenecker. Like the Father, I am rather inclined that way myself, but I find something ridiculously infantile and premature about the attitude of some. If Jesus Christ Himself turned up in the wrong regalia would you also criticise Him?
On the Fundie Right in the USA the fact that Pope Francis is a Jesuit has sent people into paroxysms of what is, frankly lunacy. One video asked ‘who rules this world?’ before going off on one about the ‘Illuminati’ (and no, I am not linking to it, you can find it easily enough).
The Pope mentions the poor as one of his main concerns, and some people need smelling salts. If they do that strange thing, read the Bible, they will find Christ had similar concerns; people of their persuasion crucified Him for it (among other reasons).
On yet another wing, the ageing dinosaurs of the Tablet seem to think that the fact that the Pope does not wear a mozzetta means that there wil be clown masses in the Vatican next Sunday and that there will be communal festivals of ‘Shine Jesus Shine’ on a weekly basis, complete with liturgical dancing and compulsory lessons in tumbling.
Suddenly everyone has a contact in Argentina, and on that basis they are qualified to pronounce as above. He worked with the Junta; no he didn’t; well he didn’t fight the Junta and that’s the same thing; and so it goes, and no doubt will go until the Pope actually does something. I prophecy that when he does he will not please all Catholics; there, that’s bold of me. You are welcome to come back and tell me I was wrong; I would love that, but we all know it is not going to happen.
It is, we are told by those whose minds were already made up, the Cardinals who did this. Well, the belief of the Church is that they are guided by the Holy Spirit, although those who are more Catholic than the Pope cleaely know better than that – and for all we know, than the Holy Spirit Himself.
I know next to nothing about the new Pope – so do most of those commenting. So I would ask them to calm down and pray for him, as he asked us to. Those subject to fantasies of the Middle Ages and of a Pope as a great ruler in pomp and state might take time off to pray for a Pope who, like Christ, wishs to concentrate on the salvation of souls. And if there are clown masses in the Vatican next week, we can all decamp to the Orthodox Church – and get back to a Church which thinks the filioque a novel addition.
So, how about we all give it a rest (even journalists) and see what this new chap gets up to. One question though about the photograph – the Cardinal on the far right looks like Rupert Murdoch – could it be …. (one for the conspiracy theorists).
Very well said, and as an outsider to the church this is what I think as well. And you’re right, I wonder what…?
It seems to me far too early for anyone to get excited either way.
It does to me as well, none of us knows diddley-squat yet, and like with our Supreme Court Justices, prior experience doesn’t really apply, when a man realizes that for the rest of his life, he answers to God alone, it can change him.
My own view is similar; let us wait and see.
Indeed so,
To some extent this is a construct and consequence of our age and the media; back when Pius IX became Pope, they probably didn’t know about it in China for months.
That’s very true and the so-called “24 hour news cycle” exacerbates it rather badly, they have to fill all that air time with something, after all.
The fact that most of the journalists had never hear of the man before meant they had to become ‘instant experts’ – the bane of modern life.
True, and my experience with journalists, yours may be different,of course, says that they can get absolutely anything wrong, to the point of adding 2+2 and getting anywhere from 5 through 12
Whenever I have had anything to do with journalists they have been consistently incorrect in reporting what was said to them – even when that was written down.
They’re pretty amazing, really, how in the world can they never get, even by accident, anything right. But, my experience is the same as yours.
They rely on most people knowing less than they do – and rarely do anything to change that situation.
That is very true.
Which is a great deal more than one can say for journalism. A good piece has just appeared on Fr Z’s blog.
Indeed, and Thanks
The papacy (and sometimes ones position in the Curia) has a way of changing the way the people of the world view them. Pope Pius IX was considered a liberal as a Bishop and yet was a Pope that was strongly orthodox. The same could be said of John Paul II and Benedict XVI who in the days of the Council were considered liberals but became known as Conservative Popes.
I remember right after Benedict XVI was made Pope the same silliness began and everyone thought he had become a liberal again and nothing was good enough. They blamed the problems in the Curia on him as if he alone had created the whole mess.
So we the world goes on as it always does making headlines and selling sensationalism when nothing yet warrants it. Within a year or two we would know if the Pope is working for the good of the Church or not. As you say the Holy Spirit is there for all Popes to lead them; although even the Pope has free will. Some may listen to His voice better than others but time will determine that. One thing we do know is that the new Pope will not introduce a change to doctrine or morals — we hold that as fundamental to our Faith.
It is always best to assume that the Holy Spirit knows what He is doing; of course, whether the Pope/Cardinals are listening is something we have also to believe.
You and I are both dissatisfied with “happy, clappy” Novus Ordo Masses and might be considered traditionalists. That said, we need only “pray, hope and don’t worry” as Padre Pio was fond of saying and have some confidence that the Holy Spirit is leading the Church in a direction that God feels appropriate for our times. I understand the anxiety of some after the progress with the SSPX and the Summorum Pontificum of Benedict XVI – it is only natural. But no matter who was elected Pope the same angst surely would have raised its head as it did during the Benedict XVI years. We are a fickle people and it doesn’t take much to have us see a snake on the path instead of a rope of rescue.
That is right, my friend. If we cannot give the Pope the benefit of the doubt, we really are a small-minded people.
Indeed, I expected nothing less from this present world. We are a world pre-occupied with “stuff” and “personal license”. To expect patience for the small-minded is probably too much to ask.
The impatient are always good subject to their Master!
I think we have a “winner” here with Pope Francis. I don’t much care for what the naysayers believe.
As for the Novus Ordo, our version here in Paradise Valley at the Franciscan Renewal Center works fine with me. On the other hand, there’s nothing quite like the “Pange Lingua” chanted as The Blessed Sacrament is repositioned on Mauday Thursday. So yes, I guess I’m a switch hitter. I was brought up in the Tridentine even to being a full 360 degree Thurifer, yet enjoy the more participatory sense of the Novus Ordo.
I concur. I love TLM, but a good NO Mass reverently celebrated is also good. Wherever God can be encountered is good.
As an Anglican I’m excited and full of joy at the election of Francis I. Like David B. Monier-Williams I think he is a winner. He will loved by Christians from all traditions.
That is an encouraging thing to read. I would simply ask the critics if they were uncritical of either of the last two Popes, and then ask them what it is would satisfy them?