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Saturday, July 19, 2014

Pope Benedict on Clarity (and does Pope Francis cut it?)

Today I had come across Pope Benedict's remarks given in 2006 re: Simon and Jude.  In light of on-going discussions in the Catholic community regards the need for church teachings to be clear, I was somewhat amused but gratified to find these remarks by Pope Benedict.

"Today we are no longer in the habit of using such controversial language, which nevertheless tells us something important: That in all the existing temptations, with all the currents of modern life, we must preserve the identity of our faith. Of course the path of indulgence and dialogue, which the Second Vatican Council has felicitously undertaken, will surely be continued with firm constancy. But this path of dialogue, so necessary, must not make us forget the duty to rethink and to witness always with as much force the guiding lines of our Christian identity that cannot be given up."

"It is important to keep very present that this, our identity is not to be toyed with on a simply cultural plane or on a superficial level, but requires strength, clarity and courage given the contradictions of the world in which we live."

Given the present occupant of the Chair of Peter, and his propensity to give unrecorded remarks to Italian atheist journalists with agendas, and flippant remarks such as "who am I to judge" I would say Pope Francis is falling well short of the mark regards "clarity."  In fact, rather than using "strength and courage" he seems to be pandering to the very people to which the letter of Jude was aimed.  One wonders if Pope Francis has read Jude lately.  

Discuss.

2 comments:

Православный физик said...

I'm interested in getting Pope Frank a muzzle

gemoftheocean said...

Me too Joe, me too!

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