Pope Francis, Catholics, and Christians in the news worldwide

Found this journey to faith well said...

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/24/opinion/religion-politics.html

mtierney said:

Found this journey to faith well said...

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/24/opinion/religion-politics.html

 Brooks writes: "I’d say we have more to fear from political dogmatism than religious dogmatism. We have more to fear from those who let their politics determine their faith practices and who turn their religious communities into political armies. We have more to fear from people who look to politics as a substitute for faith."

That is, in fact, today's GOP.  And it's starting to have a negative effect on faith communities.

Speaking of religion and politics, here's a rather chilling account of the People of Praise, a group in which Amy Coney Barrett, possible SC nominee, is a member.  Women in the group used to be called "handmaids", although this was recently changed.  It is described in the video by an ex-member as a cult:

I do not visit this discussion except on very rare occasions but this deserves a post and it seems this was the most appropriate thread.

https://www.politico.eu/article/pope-rejects-meeting-with-mike-pompeo/

A new saint in the making! Good news, indeed.

https://cruxnow.com/church-in-europe/2020/10/techie-teen-saint-of-the-ordinary-latest-halo-to-sprout-in-umbrias-rich-soil/

Pope Francis Calls for Civil Unions for Same Sex Couples:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/pope-francis-civil-unions/2020/10/21/805a601c-139e-11eb-a258-614acf2b906d_story.html

Jasmo said:

Pope Francis Calls for Civil Unions for Same Sex Couples:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/pope-francis-civil-unions/2020/10/21/805a601c-139e-11eb-a258-614acf2b906d_story.html

 It seems that Pope Francis is more progressive than our future Supreme Court.

Floyd said:

Jasmo said:

Pope Francis Calls for Civil Unions for Same Sex Couples:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/pope-francis-civil-unions/2020/10/21/805a601c-139e-11eb-a258-614acf2b906d_story.html

 It seems that Pope Francis is more progressive than our future Supreme Court.

The Pope isn't an "originalist". 

The bureaucracy of the church will fight this tooth and nail.

More on the teenage saint-to-be..

https://www.facebook.com/102923876440478/posts/3451911134875052/

While the papal endorsement of same-sex unions is the top story, let's not forget that Francis also condemned the US policy on separation of children from their parents: 

"It’s cruelty, and separating kids from parents goes against natural rights,” the pope says in a new interview given for the documentary. “It’s something a Christian cannot do.”

https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2020/10/21/podcast-pope-francis-endorses-same-sex-civil-unions-and-slams-trump-immigration

I don't really pay attention to the Pope very much, but I have to say he's saying the right things.

drummerboy said:

I don't really pay attention to the Pope very much, ...

Careful, someone might mistake you for a right-wing Catholic. 

There are nuances ...

https://www.ncregister.com/news/pope-francis-calls-for-civil-union-law-for-same-sex-couples-in-shift-from-vatican-stance

mtierney said:

There are nuances ...

https://www.ncregister.com/news/pope-francis-calls-for-civil-union-law-for-same-sex-couples-in-shift-from-vatican-stance

What in particular are you trying to point out from that article?

nohero said:

mtierney said:

There are nuances ...

https://www.ncregister.com/news/pope-francis-calls-for-civil-union-law-for-same-sex-couples-in-shift-from-vatican-stance

What in particular are you trying to point out from that article?

 Nuances! Pay attention!

It appears that there is considerable conservative Church backlash to the Pope's latest comments in his movie interview. The Vatican had removed his endorsement from the official release of the original interview, but it was found and restored in the new movie. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/22/world/europe/pope-same-sex-unions-mystery.html

New York Post : Catholic leaders condemn Pope Francis' endorsement of same-sex unions.
https://nypost.com/2020/10/23/catholic-leaders-condemn-popes-endorsement-of-same-sex-unions/

Pope Francis is "packing" the College of Cardinals -

"The creation of nine new cardinal electors will put their total number well above the limit of 120 set by Pope Paul VI. As of Nov. 28, there will be 128 electors. ... The holding of a new consistory again cements Francis' influence on the group that will one day elect his successor. As of Nov. 28, assuming there are no unexpected changes, the pontiff will have appointed nearly sixty percent of the prelates: 73 of 128 electors."

Among the new cardinals is Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington: "The Washington prelate, typically known for having a quiet demeanor, made headlines in June when he sharply criticized the Knights of Columbus-owned John Paul II National Shrine for hosting a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump. The visit came a day after the president had ordered the dispersal of peaceful protestors near The White House with tear gas. Gregory is also the first African American Archbishop of Washington and will be the first Black U.S. cardinal."

I do like this guy.  For an institution that historically moves at a near glacial pace, he seems willing to calve off a big chunk of ice every now and then and let the rest worry about the tidal waves.  

drummerboy said:

 Nuances! Pay attention!

 https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2020/10/transcript-shows-popes-distinction-between-gay-marriage-civil-unions/

nohero said:

mtierney said:

There are nuances ...

https://www.ncregister.com/news/pope-francis-calls-for-civil-union-law-for-same-sex-couples-in-shift-from-vatican-stance

What in particular are you trying to point out from that article?

mtierney said:

 https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2020/10/transcript-shows-popes-distinction-between-gay-marriage-civil-unions/

 The Crux article came out after I asked the question about what we should look for in the National Catholic Register article.  The headline of the Crux article doesn't even address my question.  

I won't even get into what the text of the article actually says, apart from the headline.

Vatican addresses the confusion caused editing and overeager newsmakers...

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/02/world/europe/pope-gay-civil-unions.html

Status check on Fulton Sheen?

mtierney said:

Vatican addresses the confusion caused editing and overeager newsmakers...

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/02/world/europe/pope-gay-civil-unions.html

I'm sure there were underinformed people who missed the point and needed this.  That doesn't mean the reporting of what he said was wrong.

Klinker said:

Status check on Fulton Sheen?

 Probably still dead.

[Edited to add] Status unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.

A problem facing Pope Francis and Catholics are the Pope's detractors who bring QAnon/Trumpist claims into their attacks.  The diagram in the tweet below is NOT an exaggeration of the conspiracy theory they push.  The whole Twitter thread explains -

If anyone didn't have time to read Archbishop Vigano's most recent letter, or if you had trouble understanding what he was saying, here is a diagram that may help explain it. pic.twitter.com/1dGQNGyHyN

— Mike Lewis (@mfjlewis) November 9, 2020

What do folks think about this story in the Washington Post today? I believe it's about the just-released final official Vatican report on knowledge of and response to the behavior of McCarrick over the years. 

The Washington Post: Top Stories | Vatican: Pope John Paul II knew of allegations against ex-cardinal nearly 2 decades before removal

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/vatican-mccarrick-sexual-abuse/2020/11/10/c92de382-2045-11eb-ad53-4c1fda49907d_story.html

Jasmo said:

What do folks think about this story in the Washington Post today? I believe it's about the just-released final official Vatican report on knowledge of and response to the behavior of McCarrick over the years. 

http://www.vatican.va/resources/resources_rapporto-card-mccarrick_20201110_en.pdf 

Lame excuses made for Pope Francis.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/10/europe/cardinal-theodore-mccarrick-vatican-report-intl/index.html

Rome (CNN) The late Pope John Paul II was warned about allegations of sexual impropriety by Theodore McCarrick, but chose to promote him to Archbishop of Washington anyway following McCarrick's own denials and an investigation by American bishops that returned "inaccurate and incomplete information," an internal Vatican investigation concluded Tuesday.

The report into the Vatican's handling of the highest ranking Church figure to be defrocked over sexual abuse comes after two years of investigation, and years' worth of scrutiny over how McCarrick was allowed to rise through the hierarchy.Raised to cardinal in 2001 by John Paul II, a year after he became Archbishop of Washington, McCarrick went on to become a power player both in the Church and in Washington DC, and was known for his fundraising and influence.He resigned from the College of Cardinals in 2018 and was defrocked by the Vatican last year after a Church trial found him guilty of sexually abusing minors.

The Vatican's report largely appears to absolve the current pope, Francis, from blame. "Until 2017, no one ... provided Pope Francis with any documentation regarding allegations against McCarrick," the report's executive summary said."Pope Francis had heard only that there had been allegations and rumors related to immoral conduct with adults occurring prior to McCarrick's appointment to Washington," the report said, adding that Francis at first believed "that the allegations had already been reviewed and rejected by Pope John Paul II."

McCarrick had been replaced and was retired by the time Francis became Pope. 

[Edited to add] The factual situation concerning Pope Francis has to do with whether McCarrick was violating whatever conditions had been put on him by the prior Pope.