In a world where most of all I do is complain, I would like to take a short moment to say,
Pope Francis, you are a true pope. I appreciate you like I have appreciated no other pope during my cognitive lifetime. Thank you.
I call him a true pope because if the story in Rio. He welcomed people. Talks with them. rather than hide in an armored car. What would Jesus do? Certainly not exalt himself over anyone else. He was supposed to set the example. Which was implied as possible for anyone because he was human. That is the way the story is told to me. He did not live in fear, he did not guard himself. He did not exalt himself. He went and talked to lepers.
The Washington Post advises that we all take a moment to wonder if he really will change anything. Hesitancy is not always a sin, but worrying doesn't accomplish anything. And negativity breeds contept. I am positive there are things about Pope Francis I am not going to like. No one is perfect; there's stuff I don't like about me. Lots of stuff. But I am also a fan of giving people a little benefit until they lose it. And even then, it is good to remember that we are all only human. Francis has so far given a good example. I appreciate it. (By the way, Jon, the catholic church was much more concerned with Galileo's assertion that we revolved around the sun rather than the sun revolving around us. A lot of people understood that the earth was not flat.)
However, I am very sad to learn that Francis is not more supportive of contraception. I would not have expected him to be in favor of abortion, but not endorsing contraception is the same thing in my mind. If people can't protect against a pregnancy, then they will end their pregnancies. Which would you rather have?
Or would we all rather just go to war....?
To be sure, I am not really involved with catholicism. I like religion and study it a bit (read The Religions of Man by Huston Smith. It is a wonderful book) but it's not my house. Still, I was happy to hear he doesn't judge homosexuality (even if he still sees it as a sin), and he wants to allow more opportunities for women in the church (even if its not clergy).
I would agree with Jon O'Brien that this isn't the change I would really like to see. But nothing happens overnight. At least we still have Mrs Melinda Gates giving out catholic birth control. Too bad she can't be pope.
#Pope Francis #Catholicism #catholics #earth #religion #faith #reform #change
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