Excellent! I started watching your videos recently and the videos have sparked an intense interest in learning more about the rich tradition of the Catholic faith. You are one of the people that God gives to His people in times of crises. I thank God for you.
Thank you for reminding us of the great wealth of knowledge that exists in Christian theology. Also for putting importance on the non-seperation between charity, faith, and knowledge Fr. Barron. Keep speaking in favor of God please.
Another great video Father Barron. I definitely agree with what you said about how secular media tends to twist the words of the Popes. I think you had a profound insight with that analogy to Kant. As much as I respect Kant, he has probably caused more harm for Christianity than good, even if that wasn't his intention. His reduction of Christianity to just ethics really did take away from the central message of Christ, and you can see the impact that it has had today. God bless you Father Barron. Please continue to do the Lord's work.
Fr. Barron you are a beacon of truth ! Few people in the media can correctly explain what catholicism is about. What we believe, teach and so on. I have no doubt in my mind that for 10 people criticizing the content of your videos, at least 1 is seriously thinking about what you are actually saying. I wish there where more like you doing exactly this, explaining the faith, explaining the soul of our catholic beliefs. Thank you Fr. Barron. Please keep up the good work.
J.D. Fredricksen Are you serious? Catholics have been consistently proclaiming what they believe since before the Nicene Creed, and it's substantially more than sexual advice.
J.D. Fredricksen Hmmm, now I get the sense you're not even trying, so I'll leave you to that. In any case, there's an entire archive on the Vatican website expressing what Catholics believe, and why we believe it. In a world with such vast knowledge at the click of a button, such demonstrable ignorance is no longer excusable. Peace of Christ be with you
J.D. Fredricksen -You say that the Church's primary message is current hot-button sexual issues, citing what you hear on unnamed secular media sources. I cite the Nicene Creed, affirmed by Catholics all around the world on a weekly basis. You ignore this. -You say that it's up to Catholics to sell their values. Yet you're presence on this page affirms your immediate access to Catholic media which articulates virtually everything the Church teaches. You seem to ignore this, instead reaffirming what a couple of mouse clicks would disprove. People with an honest desire to learn usually seek out the resources necessary to do so. Instead, you choose to blame Catholics for your ignorance. It's be as dishonest as me blaming biologists because i believe that evolution means that humans evolved from monkeys. If you have no such honest desire, that's your choice. But have the decency to own it, rather than thrust the blame upon everyone else.
J.D. Fredricksen Yeah, riiiight. Keep telling yourself that and you will continue to believe it. I guess "your own kind" is basically doing the same thing you are accusing "my kind" of doing. Cheers yourself (or in your case, cheer yourself).
ComradeAgopian Francis is probably one of the more Orthodox Popes of the age. Gjergji311 Learn what 'Autocephaly' means. ***** The Orthodox Church is the Catholic Church.
My mom told me a story about how when John Paul II was asked about how he felt being Person of the Year, he quipped that he was unsure, since that was the same award that was given to Hitler, Stalin and Nixon.
Fr. Barron, This, in my opinion, is one of your best commentary videos to date. I would like to see you explore the issue discussed here in more depth - particularly in regards to the developments in the Church from Pope St. Pius X through Vatican II to the present time, including the challenges which lay ahead of us. The Holy Father, as I understand him thus far, is taking a wise approach: the "right-leaning" Catholics need to be reminded of the importance of charity, the "left-leaning" Catholics need to be reminded of the importance of faith, and we all need to be reminded of the importance of hope so that we may proclaim, with one voice, the Joy of the Gospel. Also, I would like to see you broach the topic of Modernism, in what ways it has affected the Church over the last 50+ years, and how it needs to be addressed. Keep up the good work, Fr. Barron.
I love him so much! I pray for his protection a lot. There's a lot of Catholics here who speak very ill of him and wish him harm (as they do to you too Bishop Barron). Know you are prayed for and loved by many who wish you well always. I love our Pope today and always, no matter what the haters say.
Like you, Father, I'm very happy that Pope Francis became Man of the Year, and I also agree with your views of the "liberals" twisting the Pope's words. This happened to Pope Benedict when he speculated about condoms for male prostitutes, leading the media to declare that "the Catholic church now allows condom use." Pope Francis' words tend to be blown even more out of proportion and taken out of context. I applaud Time Magazine for endorsing the Pope's concern for the poor, and I agree with the Pope for emphasizing that aspect of catholic religion, but I do not agree with people who denounce every other aspect of the faith and claim that the pope agrees with them. On the other hand, I think that Pope Francis and Pope Benedict balance each other out, and its good to have them both around: its almost as if Pope Francis embodied the pastoral approach while Pope Benedict embodied the doctrinal, together making a complete whole. They share the same faith, the same views on moral issues, even the hot button issues (though both seemed to turn the focus away from those - if you read Pope Benedict's encyclicals, his approach is quite similar to that of Francis, and Pope Francis focuses mostly on the poor and quite a lot on doctrine, actually, if you read his tweets - they tried to turn people's attention away from the hot button issues and onto evangelisation, the poor, the liturgy, the attitude a Catholic should have towards God, faith, and others, etc), and are essentially teaching the same thing, but have different personalities, both of which are much needed in the world today.
Amen. I feel that God gives us a particular shepherd when we need it. We so often try to fit them in a political pigeon hole and it doesn't work. The contemporary culture doesn't appreciate St JP II because our memories are too short. Ben VXI is misunderstood because his focus was on returning proper worship due to our Lord, clearing riftraft clergy and religious out of the Church, and increasing responses to vocations. Francis is needed in a world that is too self-absorbed and on a technilogical ego-trip. mother. All have been successful in these and many other areas and all were /are holy, prayerful, charitable men. Mother Theresa was once asked - by a reporter, no less - what needed to change in the Church. Her answer: "Two things - you and me." Conversion is the key. Those who try spin the smallest comment of a pontiff, taken out of context, are - maybe w/o knowing - trying to do the opposite of conversion, which is not only not changing themselves, but attempting to change the message of another to fit their worldview. That's modernity 101.
I couldn´t agree more. But Father Barron would never be invited. From Maher´s Jokes, Movies and whatever, you can tell he goes for the weak minded. He just has to make his case.... whatever the case is.
Glad for your thought on this Father Barron. I have the Time magazine on the Pope but I have not read it yet, mainly because I'm in the middle of reading your book, The Strangest Way, right now. You're often over my head in your theological discernment, but I'm learning your terms more. Glad to get your insights, and btw, good book you wrote so far!
What a great video! While I'm so happy to see a prominent religious figure like Pope Francis as Time's Man of the Year I suspect it's because they see him as "one of the them" meaning a man of the left politically. I think secularists from the left tend to worship the poor rather try to lift the poor out of both physical and spiritual depravity (an affliction that sickens poor and rich). I see the Pope's understanding that lifting the poor helps us realize the lifting we spiritually need from Christ, That understanding comes from worship of God and while I don't agree with all of Catholic doctrine - clearly the doctrine reminds Catholics of these principles. I don't think the Pope is a man of the left (or right for that matter). I see him as honestly trying to do the work of God in the place he believes God has placed him. Unfortunately many superimpose their politics onto religious figures which only leads to disappointment.
Fr. Robert Barron Hi Fr. Barron. Can you explain the way in which Kant gets at the categorical imperative, and why such a way in problemmatic? Thanks and a meaningful new year to you and your pastoral mission!
3:34. Wow, That picture of Francis and Benedict praying says a lot. Francis, on the one hand, who looks smug and haughty, propped up by the immense power of leftist media in his government-compulsory socialist doctrine, and a humbled Benedict, eyes down, not daring to look up. Reminds one of the passage of the Pharisee and the poor man in the temple in Luke 18:11.
Thanks, Father! Are you partly saying that the true Source and Goal of true Mercy is Divinity - nameable, knowable Love? (...AND that any systematic or sustained lack of this understanding is detrimental to mercy's full/transformative/saving effect?) I wonder if official talk of 'doctrine' - rather than the actual content of the same - tends to be read, however wrongly, as more of a political matter, and - again, wrongly - through a kind of "power = nec. abuse deserving suspicious hermeneutics only" kind of a grid. ??
Saying "what's important is being a good person" is bad. It's the same as saying "what's important is looking good". It's pure consequentialism. It ignores the crucial difference between superficial charity and charity out of sheer love of neighbor, just like ignoring health regarding personal beauty. It says it doesn't matter whether your goodness is skin deep or is the logical conclusion from your basic assumptions. That idea makes for fair-weather friends.
Each of the Last 3 Popes have shared their Love for the LORD (to us), in different ways. Pope Benedict, like the middle child in a family, tends to not get as much attention. Through his Humbleness, he has taught us to: persevere Criticism, continue JESUS' plan, and pass the Torch to a different Runner....................for continued Celebration of the Catholic Church.
5:15 I don't remember JP2 being a hero for the poor? Remember he openly scolded a liberation theologists priest when he landed in Nicaragua. The poor seemed to be an afterthought to the fear of communism. From what I've heard JP2 is mainly known for centralizing power in Rome. Thank God Pope Francis is trying his best to reverse this. HE is a pope that lives the Gospels--a small glimpse of what it must have been like to be in Christ's presence.
That's way too simplistic! To criticize liberation theology (which adopted a Marxist analysis of politics and economics and reduced religion to this-worldly ethics) is by no means tantamount to neglecting the poor. Take a look at John Paul's Centesimus Annus, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis and especially Laborem Exercens in order to see his deep sympathy with the poor and a concrete program for getting them out of poverty.
Then, instead of believing to rumors and believing suppositions, you need to read George Weigel's biography of John Paul II. Why is that people have to study math and science to understand it, but somehow think they don't have to study a person's life or the Catholic faith to understand it?
empacae Oh please. Can you answer me one question? If what you say is true than why did Republicans criticize Pope Francis so harshly after Pope Francis reprimanded free market societies?
if people would no religion from the meek and the mild, rather then the loud and the corrupt our world would be in a better place, and religion would be on a much better footing. But really that is true for a lot of other issues of the day, but so is life people will always shoot of their mouths.
You are a well spoken man. You make good points, but points nonetheless that are based on believing the Gospels are true. There is significant evidence to suggest they are just stories my friend. Kant saying just be a good person is more than we could hope for.
Problem when you appear to devalue the life issues to an illegitimate child you seem to devalue them. We arent the poor. We are the unwanted. We are the inconvenient. In our world marginalized doesnt seem to include us. We are invisible. If we are poor and many of us are no one wants to admit it is because the adults in our life lived todays cukture to the max.
As an Atheist I think it was a reasonable decision got Time magazine to give the person of the year to pope Francis. I would have been OK with either him or Snowden. I think most people can see his humility and giving nature makes him a positive role model. I take your point that the previous popes may have done work that helped and cared for the poor/sick but there is something more human and humble about this man which many of us find attractive. Its his open rejection of the churches wealth that is impressive. But I am still left wondering why we are only seeing these traits in the current pope. The Catholic church should really examine that more closely. My hope is that he has some positive effect on the right wing Christians in helping them move away from extreme views. Or at least isolating those fundamentalists. He is already receiving criticism from some of those right wingers who are calling him a communist or Marxist. It is deeply strange how such right wing Christians totally ignore who Jesus was and what he represented.
The current pope does it because he is a Jesuit. He doesn't reject that art or beauty that the Catholics have in their Churches. He adores it. His Jesuit vows include papal devotion, so he's obviously very pro-pope. But being a Jesuit also means vows of poverty, so he must maintain a simple lifestyle.
The catholic doctrine includes the care of the poors, but another thing is to promote the left or be anti capitalist, he must avoid that kind of economics and politis positions and defend the faith.
Secular media like him, because they hear from him what they longed to hear from a pope - a sign of shift attitudes towards the seal of approval. I have mixed feelings about him, but I do not believe, because of a pope or priests otherwise I would probably have lost faith long ago.
Yedface With statements to media you have to think twice before saying something and be crystal clear. Those random interviews and sometimes attitude of pope Francis towards faithful catholics puzzles me. I don't understand pastoral logic of pope Francis one does not slap in face (figuratively with harsh words) people that actually still care about the faith.
Pope Francis' next year will be a radical shift from the last: he'll learn that a head of state needs to delegate responsibility (i.e. get someone to pay his bills) or he will simply not have enough time in the day to be effective. And I pray he will learn to stop speaking like a Latin American Jesuit who waits for the applause before his next sentence, and instead begins to speak like the leader of the church with measured words which cannot be easily misinterpreted by the media.
Pope Francis elected as 266th Roman Catholic pontiff The Malachy Prophecies says about the 266 pope In persecutione extrema SRE sedebit. Petrus Romanus, quipascet oves in multis tribulationibus: quibus transactis civitas septicollis diruetur, et Iudex tremendus iudicabit populum suum. Finis. "In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations, after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people. The End."
You assuming too much, and making too many excuses for the intellectuals. The Time magazine writers haven’t forgotten JP11 or Benedicts actions and it isn’t about ethics. The quickest way for Pope Francis to end this love affair is start preaching the Ten Commandments. Sadly now, if you want to know what the next issue the Catholic Church is going to take up, just go to a Democratic meeting. Want to know why my faith suffers, it isn’t because our leaders are sitting down with sinners, but they legitimize and support and fight for their causes, while the Church is marginalized.
The purpose of the church: 1. Cares for the poor 2. It worships god 3. It evangelizes *Very* interesting. If women were allowed to raise their standard of living worldwide, people wouldn't need the church anymore. Perhaps that's the reason the church is against women is because the church's goals of caring for the poor conflicts with the church's evangelization quota.
St. Hildegarde of Bingen, St. Claire, St. Catherine and St. Teresa among others would disagree with you that the Church is against women. Besides, there are poor men in the world as well as poor women, and the Church cares for the poor in spirit as well s the materially poor. Ergo, I fail to see your point.
Excellent! I started watching your videos recently and the videos have sparked an intense interest in learning more about the rich tradition of the Catholic faith.
You are one of the people that God gives to His people in times of crises.
I thank God for you.
Thank you for reminding us of the great wealth of knowledge that exists in Christian theology. Also for putting importance on the non-seperation between charity, faith, and knowledge Fr. Barron. Keep speaking in favor of God please.
Another great video Father Barron. I definitely agree with what you said about how secular media tends to twist the words of the Popes. I think you had a profound insight with that analogy to Kant. As much as I respect Kant, he has probably caused more harm for Christianity than good, even if that wasn't his intention. His reduction of Christianity to just ethics really did take away from the central message of Christ, and you can see the impact that it has had today. God bless you Father Barron. Please continue to do the Lord's work.
Fr. Barron you are a beacon of truth !
Few people in the media can correctly explain what catholicism is about. What we believe, teach and so on. I have no doubt in my mind that for 10 people criticizing the content of your videos, at least 1 is seriously thinking about what you are actually saying. I wish there where more like you doing exactly this, explaining the faith, explaining the soul of our catholic beliefs.
Thank you Fr. Barron. Please keep up the good work.
J.D. Fredricksen Are you serious? Catholics have been consistently proclaiming what they believe since before the Nicene Creed, and it's substantially more than sexual advice.
J.D. Fredricksen Hmmm, now I get the sense you're not even trying, so I'll leave you to that. In any case, there's an entire archive on the Vatican website expressing what Catholics believe, and why we believe it. In a world with such vast knowledge at the click of a button, such demonstrable ignorance is no longer excusable. Peace of Christ be with you
cellomon09 Ignore the attention seekers, because that's all they are. Pax†
J.D. Fredricksen
-You say that the Church's primary message is current hot-button sexual issues, citing what you hear on unnamed secular media sources. I cite the Nicene Creed, affirmed by Catholics all around the world on a weekly basis. You ignore this.
-You say that it's up to Catholics to sell their values. Yet you're presence on this page affirms your immediate access to Catholic media which articulates virtually everything the Church teaches. You seem to ignore this, instead reaffirming what a couple of mouse clicks would disprove.
People with an honest desire to learn usually seek out the resources necessary to do so. Instead, you choose to blame Catholics for your ignorance. It's be as dishonest as me blaming biologists because i believe that evolution means that humans evolved from monkeys. If you have no such honest desire, that's your choice. But have the decency to own it, rather than thrust the blame upon everyone else.
J.D. Fredricksen Yeah, riiiight. Keep telling yourself that and you will continue to believe it. I guess "your own kind" is basically doing the same thing you are accusing "my kind" of doing. Cheers yourself (or in your case, cheer yourself).
Even though I ' m Eastern Orthodox , I greatly admire this current Bishop of Rome . Our own Patriarch could learn from him .
What's wrong with Patriarch Bartholomew?
He is not my Patriarch .
ComradeAgopian Francis is probably one of the more Orthodox Popes of the age.
Gjergji311 Learn what 'Autocephaly' means.
***** The Orthodox Church is the Catholic Church.
Very true , brother .
We could learn a lot from you guys as well!
Thanks Fr. Barron - Rene
My mom told me a story about how when John Paul II was asked about how he felt being Person of the Year, he quipped that he was unsure, since that was the same award that was given to Hitler, Stalin and Nixon.
Sanguiluna
Another enlightening point of view of Father. I cannot stop listening to you. Thank you.
Fr. Barron,
This, in my opinion, is one of your best commentary videos to date. I would like to see you explore the issue discussed here in more depth - particularly in regards to the developments in the Church from Pope St. Pius X through Vatican II to the present time, including the challenges which lay ahead of us. The Holy Father, as I understand him thus far, is taking a wise approach: the "right-leaning" Catholics need to be reminded of the importance of charity, the "left-leaning" Catholics need to be reminded of the importance of faith, and we all need to be reminded of the importance of hope so that we may proclaim, with one voice, the Joy of the Gospel.
Also, I would like to see you broach the topic of Modernism, in what ways it has affected the Church over the last 50+ years, and how it needs to be addressed.
Keep up the good work, Fr. Barron.
i love Pope Francis. He has restored my hope in the church, that the church I loved has not died.
I love how you keep us running on all cylinders Father! I think of you as a Catholic mechanic. ;^D
I love him so much! I pray for his protection a lot. There's a lot of Catholics here who speak very ill of him and wish him harm (as they do to you too Bishop Barron). Know you are prayed for and loved by many who wish you well always. I love our Pope today and always, no matter what the haters say.
Like you, Father, I'm very happy that Pope Francis became Man of the Year, and I also agree with your views of the "liberals" twisting the Pope's words. This happened to Pope Benedict when he speculated about condoms for male prostitutes, leading the media to declare that "the Catholic church now allows condom use." Pope Francis' words tend to be blown even more out of proportion and taken out of context. I applaud Time Magazine for endorsing the Pope's concern for the poor, and I agree with the Pope for emphasizing that aspect of catholic religion, but I do not agree with people who denounce every other aspect of the faith and claim that the pope agrees with them.
On the other hand, I think that Pope Francis and Pope Benedict balance each other out, and its good to have them both around: its almost as if Pope Francis embodied the pastoral approach while Pope Benedict embodied the doctrinal, together making a complete whole. They share the same faith, the same views on moral issues, even the hot button issues (though both seemed to turn the focus away from those - if you read Pope Benedict's encyclicals, his approach is quite similar to that of Francis, and Pope Francis focuses mostly on the poor and quite a lot on doctrine, actually, if you read his tweets - they tried to turn people's attention away from the hot button issues and onto evangelisation, the poor, the liturgy, the attitude a Catholic should have towards God, faith, and others, etc), and are essentially teaching the same thing, but have different personalities, both of which are much needed in the world today.
Amen. I feel that God gives us a particular shepherd when we need it. We so often try to fit them in a political pigeon hole and it doesn't work. The contemporary culture doesn't appreciate St JP II because our memories are too short. Ben VXI is misunderstood because his focus was on returning proper worship due to our Lord, clearing riftraft clergy and religious out of the Church, and increasing responses to vocations. Francis is needed in a world that is too self-absorbed and on a technilogical ego-trip. mother. All have been successful in these and many other areas and all were /are holy, prayerful, charitable men. Mother Theresa was once asked - by a reporter, no less - what needed to change in the Church. Her answer: "Two things - you and me." Conversion is the key. Those who try spin the smallest comment of a pontiff, taken out of context, are - maybe w/o knowing - trying to do the opposite of conversion, which is not only not changing themselves, but attempting to change the message of another to fit their worldview. That's modernity 101.
SAINThoodSEEKER sorry, I mispelled "technological" and added an extra "mother" in there. Peace.
Great video. Thank you Fr. Barron, Merry Christmas!
Finally, a pope who is of the world, not just in the world.
Thanks, Father Barron!
Yes yes yes!
Does Bill Maher know about you? I'd like to see him invite you on his show so I can finally see someone intelligent beat him!
I couldn´t agree more. But Father Barron would never be invited. From Maher´s Jokes, Movies and whatever, you can tell he goes for the weak minded. He just has to make his case.... whatever the case is.
Faro Catolico EGGsactly
Maher is an asshole...just ask anyone in LA that know him...he does not deserve good people on his show
Fr Robert Barron you are so right,
Dear Fr. Barron, could you clarify on how religion is different from ethics?
Glad for your thought on this Father Barron. I have the Time magazine on the Pope but I have not read it yet, mainly because I'm in the middle of reading your book, The Strangest Way, right now. You're often over my head in your theological discernment, but I'm learning your terms more. Glad to get your insights, and btw, good book you wrote so far!
Ah good! Finish the Strangest Way and then get back to Time Magazine.
Nice to see someone human as Pope - I wish him well.
Very clarifying and exact. Like pore cleanser for the mind.
So far, I appreciated HH of Pope Francis' acts. Hope that he will continue to be a positive role model, for Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
What a great video! While I'm so happy to see a prominent religious figure like Pope Francis as Time's Man of the Year I suspect it's because they see him as "one of the them" meaning a man of the left politically.
I think secularists from the left tend to worship the poor rather try to lift the poor out of both physical and spiritual depravity (an affliction that sickens poor and rich). I see the Pope's understanding that lifting the poor helps us realize the lifting we spiritually need from Christ, That understanding comes from worship of God and while I don't agree with all of Catholic doctrine - clearly the doctrine reminds Catholics of these principles.
I don't think the Pope is a man of the left (or right for that matter). I see him as honestly trying to do the work of God in the place he believes God has placed him.
Unfortunately many superimpose their politics onto religious figures which only leads to disappointment.
Haha! Yes, I see a lot of Christ in Stalin. Again, for the left politics is religion.
J.D. Fredricksen Yes! Because Jesus just loved abortion!
Fr. Barron, you said you disagree with Kant on nearly all major issues. What about the categorical imperative?
In itself, it's fine, but the way Kant gets at it is deeply problematic.
Ah. Thank you, Father.
Fr. Robert Barron Hi Fr. Barron. Can you explain the way in which Kant gets at the categorical imperative, and why such a way in problemmatic? Thanks and a meaningful new year to you and your pastoral mission!
Orlando Mijares oh, I found some useful answers on Dr. Peter Kreeft's site : www.peterkreeft.com/topics-more/pillars_kant.htm
Orlando Mijares Happy Three Kings,everybody!
Not convicting people and not acknowledging mortal sin is not love or mercy. It leads souls to hell.
3:34. Wow, That picture of Francis and Benedict praying says a lot. Francis, on the one hand, who looks smug and haughty, propped up by the immense power of leftist media in his government-compulsory socialist doctrine, and a humbled Benedict, eyes down, not daring to look up. Reminds one of the passage of the Pharisee and the poor man in the temple in Luke 18:11.
Thank God for Pope Francis
Thanks, Father! Are you partly saying that the true Source and Goal of true Mercy is Divinity - nameable, knowable Love? (...AND that any systematic or sustained lack of this understanding is detrimental to mercy's full/transformative/saving effect?) I wonder if official talk of 'doctrine' - rather than the actual content of the same - tends to be read, however wrongly, as more of a political matter, and - again, wrongly - through a kind of "power = nec. abuse deserving suspicious hermeneutics only" kind of a grid. ??
Saying "what's important is being a good person" is bad. It's the same as saying "what's important is looking good". It's pure consequentialism. It ignores the crucial difference between superficial charity and charity out of sheer love of neighbor, just like ignoring health regarding personal beauty. It says it doesn't matter whether your goodness is skin deep or is the logical conclusion from your basic assumptions. That idea makes for fair-weather friends.
Each of the Last 3 Popes have shared their Love for the LORD (to us), in
different ways. Pope Benedict, like the middle child in a family, tends to
not get as much attention. Through his Humbleness, he has taught us to:
persevere Criticism, continue JESUS' plan, and pass the Torch to a different
Runner....................for continued Celebration of the Catholic Church.
5:15 I don't remember JP2 being a hero for the poor? Remember he openly scolded a liberation theologists priest when he landed in Nicaragua. The poor seemed to be an afterthought to the fear of communism.
From what I've heard JP2 is mainly known for centralizing power in Rome. Thank God Pope Francis is trying his best to reverse this. HE is a pope that lives the Gospels--a small glimpse of what it must have been like to be in Christ's presence.
That's way too simplistic! To criticize liberation theology (which adopted a Marxist analysis of politics and economics and reduced religion to this-worldly ethics) is by no means tantamount to neglecting the poor. Take a look at John Paul's Centesimus Annus, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis and especially Laborem Exercens in order to see his deep sympathy with the poor and a concrete program for getting them out of poverty.
Then, instead of believing to rumors and believing suppositions, you need to read George Weigel's biography of John Paul II. Why is that people have to study math and science to understand it, but somehow think they don't have to study a person's life or the Catholic faith to understand it?
He will never replace John Paul 11,
A John Paul 11 Who was He? what primary school did You go.
I love how the left try to make the Holy Father in their image.
And that is because Christianity shares most of the views of the left.
No it doesn't.... it really doesn't, nor is it in the image of the right either. Christianity doesn't look left nor right, it looks up.
empacae Oh please. Can you answer me one question? If what you say is true than why did Republicans criticize Pope Francis so harshly after Pope Francis reprimanded free market societies?
empacae You didn't respond to my last response. Conceding that I stated the truth? Thank you.
pope keeps me catholic but still i leaving for orthodox closer to what a apostolic church should
be
if people would no religion from the meek and the mild, rather then the loud and the corrupt our world would be in a better place, and religion would be on a much better footing. But really that is true for a lot of other issues of the day, but so is life people will always shoot of their mouths.
You are a well spoken man. You make good points, but points nonetheless that are based on believing the Gospels are true. There is significant evidence to suggest they are just stories my friend. Kant saying just be a good person is more than we could hope for.
Problem when you appear to devalue the life issues to an illegitimate child you seem to devalue them. We arent the poor. We are the unwanted. We are the inconvenient. In our world marginalized doesnt seem to include us. We are invisible. If we are poor and many of us are no one wants to admit it is because the adults in our life lived todays cukture to the max.
As an Atheist I think it was a reasonable decision got Time magazine to give the person of the year to pope Francis. I would have been OK with either him or Snowden.
I think most people can see his humility and giving nature makes him a positive role model. I take your point that the previous popes may have done work that helped and cared for the poor/sick but there is something more human and humble about this man which many of us find attractive. Its his open rejection of the churches wealth that is impressive. But I am still left wondering why we are only seeing these traits in the current pope. The Catholic church should really examine that more closely.
My hope is that he has some positive effect on the right wing Christians in helping them move away from extreme views. Or at least isolating those fundamentalists. He is already receiving criticism from some of those right wingers who are calling him a communist or Marxist.
It is deeply strange how such right wing Christians totally ignore who Jesus was and what he represented.
The current pope does it because he is a Jesuit. He doesn't reject that art or beauty that the Catholics have in their Churches. He adores it. His Jesuit vows include papal devotion, so he's obviously very pro-pope.
But being a Jesuit also means vows of poverty, so he must maintain a simple lifestyle.
The catholic doctrine includes the care of the poors, but another thing is to promote the left or be anti capitalist, he must avoid that kind of economics and politis positions and defend the faith.
Doctrinal claims should be verified from the Holy Bible. Your reference at 6:18. No need to go into history.
Secular media like him, because they hear from him what they longed to hear from a pope - a sign of shift attitudes towards the seal of approval. I have mixed feelings about him, but I do not believe, because of a pope or priests otherwise I would probably have lost faith long ago.
Yedface With statements to media you have to think twice before saying something and be crystal clear. Those random interviews and sometimes attitude of pope Francis towards faithful catholics puzzles me. I don't understand pastoral logic of pope Francis one does not slap in face (figuratively with harsh words) people that actually still care about the faith.
well, at least is not Miley Cyrus...
Very nice clarification, Father. I get so tired of reading these inane journalists.
Pope Francis' next year will be a radical shift from the last: he'll learn that a head of state needs to delegate responsibility (i.e. get someone to pay his bills) or he will simply not have enough time in the day to be effective. And I pray he will learn to stop speaking like a Latin American Jesuit who waits for the applause before his next sentence, and instead begins to speak like the leader of the church with measured words which cannot be easily misinterpreted by the media.
Pope Francis elected as 266th Roman Catholic pontiff
The Malachy Prophecies says about the 266 pope
In persecutione extrema SRE sedebit. Petrus Romanus, quipascet oves in multis tribulationibus: quibus transactis civitas septicollis diruetur, et Iudex tremendus iudicabit populum suum. Finis.
"In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations, after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people. The End."
You assuming too much, and making too many excuses for the intellectuals. The Time magazine writers haven’t forgotten JP11 or Benedicts actions and it isn’t about ethics. The quickest way for Pope Francis to end this love affair is start preaching the Ten Commandments. Sadly now, if you want to know what the next issue the Catholic Church is going to take up, just go to a Democratic meeting. Want to know why my faith suffers, it isn’t because our leaders are sitting down with sinners, but they legitimize and support and fight for their causes, while the Church is marginalized.
I found interesting your comment. What's the next issue the catholic church is going to take up?
:)
If he is concerned for the poor he should condemn usury
He just did!
action speaks louder than words
The church dit it a long time ago.
The purpose of the church:
1. Cares for the poor
2. It worships god
3. It evangelizes
*Very* interesting. If women were allowed to raise their standard of living worldwide, people wouldn't need the church anymore. Perhaps that's the reason the church is against women is because the church's goals of caring for the poor conflicts with the church's evangelization quota.
St. Hildegarde of Bingen, St. Claire, St. Catherine and St. Teresa among others would disagree with you that the Church is against women. Besides, there are poor men in the world as well as poor women, and the Church cares for the poor in spirit as well s the materially poor. Ergo, I fail to see your point.
HardboiledKnight I'll read what you wrote after a woman is accepted wearing a clerical collar.
+GoGuide888 What would that do?
Cultural Relativism anyone?
Do you still think there’s a reasonable hope that there are no people in hell?