Saturday 21 September 2013

WILL POPE FRANCIS DESTROY THE MONSTER

WILL POPE FRANCIS DESTROY THE MONSTER
FOR MANY YEARS NOW AT MASS I WAS UNABLE TO PRAY FOR "THE POPE". INSTEAD I PRAYER FOR "ALL GENUINE RELIGIOUS AND WORLD LEADERS".

VERY RECENTLY I HAVE STARTED PRAYING FOR FRANCIS AGAIN AT MASS. BUT I'M STILL A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT IT.

FRIENDS TELL ME THAT THE CARDINALS HAVE APPOINTED HIM DELIBERATELY IN A PR OPERATION  AS A "NICE MAN" AND A "SMILING FACE" AS AN ATTEMPT TO CON US ALL INTO THINKING THAT THE ROMAN CATHOLIC INSTITUTION CAN BE REFORMED AND SAVED.

I DO NOT KNOW? I AM CONFUSED!

THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT IN THE PAST THREE DECADES THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH - AS AN INSTITUTION - HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE A MOST HORRIBLE MONSTER - A MONSTER WHO DEVOURS INNOCENT CHILDREN - A MONSTER THAT HATES WOMEN - A MONSTER THAT SURVIVES ON SWALLOWING BILLIONS OF POUNDS AND DOLLARS - A MONSTER THAT PUNISHES THINKING PEOPLE - A MONSTER THAT SILENCES PRIESTS - A MONSTER THAT HATES SEX - A MONSTER THAT IS AS FAR AWAY FROM THE JESUS OF THE GOSPELS AS ANY MONSTER COULD BE.


THE BISHOP OF ROME IS THE AT THE HEART OF THAT MONSTER. IF THE HEART OF THE MONSTER IS EVIL AND CORRUPT THEN THE MONSTER WILL ALWAYS BE A MONSTER - UNTIL A FORCE BIGGER THAN ITSELF - MAYBE GOD - WILL DESTROY IT OR DROWN IT IN A MASSIVE OCEAN OF TRUTH AND LOVE.

BUT THEN FRANCIS BECOMES THE BISHOP OF ROME. A SEEMINGLY GOOD MAN IS AT THE HEART OF THE MONSTER.

THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE MONSTER KILLED ITS OWN HEART - POPE JOHN PAUL 1

 AND GREW A NEW POLISH HEART - JOHN PAUL 11 - A HARD, RIGHT-WING AND RIGID HEART - A HEART WITH LITTLE OR NO COMPASSION. AND THE MONSTER WENT ON ABOUT ITS BUSINESS OF "MONSTERING". 


THAT HEART WAS FOLLOWED BY A HARD GERMAN HEART - A HEART THAT LIKE ADORNING ITSELF IN FINE CLOTHING - SILK ON THE OUTSIDE - BUT ROCK ON THE INSIDE.

THEN SOMETHING MADE THAT HARD GERMAN HEART CRACK AND DISAPPEAR INTO THE SHADOWS? WE STILL DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THAT RETREAT. IT HAD TO BE SOMETHING VERY, VERY BAD.

AND THEN CAME THE COMPASSIONATE, SMILING, HUMAN FRANCIS FROM ARGENTINA - THE FIRST JESUIT POPE IN THE HISTORY OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

THE FIRST NON EUROPEAN POPE IN 1300 YEARS.

HE REFUSES TO LIVE IN THE PAPAL PALACE. HE WANTS DRIVER IN A FORD FOCUS AND NOT A MERCEDES. HE CARRIES HIS OWN BAG ON TO PLANES. HE POSES WITH TEENAGERS TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED ON THEIR MOBILE PHONES IN A "SELFIE" MOMENT.


AND THIS WEEK HE SAYS THAT WE CATHOLICS SHOULD GIVE UP OUR OBSESSION WITH SEX - SOMETHING I'VE BEEN SPEAKING AND WRITING ABOUT FOR 30 YEARS. 

HE WANTS US TO STOP OBSESSING WITH SEX, HOMOSEXUALITY, CONTRACEPTION AND ABORTION.

HE WANTS US CO CONCENTRATE ON LOVING GOD AND SERVING OUR NEIGHBOUR.

HE WANTS TO REFORM THE VATICAN CURIA.

HE WANTS TO STOP SILENCING THEOLOGIANS AND PRIESTS.

HE WANTS AN END TO THE CANCER OF "CLERICALISM".

THIS IS ALL VERY GOOD. THIS DOES NOT SOUND LIKE PR TO ME. THIS SOUNDS MORE LIKE THE WORDS AND ACTIONS OF A PASTOR.

SO IS THERE HOPE?

WILL THE CURIA - THE ROMAN CIVIL SERVICE - FIND A WAY TO TAME HIM AND CONTROL HIM?

WILL HE DIE OF A HEART ATTACK OR A STROKE?

WILL HE BE SHOT BY A GUNMAN SOMEWHERE?

WILL POPE FRANCIS OVERCOME THE MONSTER - OR - WILL THE 2000 YEAR OLD MONSTER OVERCOME HIM?


WE WAIT AND SEE.

PERSONALLY I WAIT WITH HOPE

Bishop Pat Buckley
21.9.2013

4 comments:

  1. We all hope the same pat, could be cynical and think they picked this man as a last ditch attempt to redeem themselves for the popes/sins of the past.

    Hard to believe, given human nature for what is is, that they did it for any innate goodness.

    I pray simply that they dont murder him.

    Sean f

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  2. While we all wait in hope, as you put it, there is one consistency to the statements Francis makes. One day he expresses a more compassionate, loving approach to a subject. The next day he reaffirms the old hardline approach of the church. As we were often told as we grew up: "You can't have it both ways, now can you?"

    Colman

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  3. Colman,

    As we say and Ireland - "Fan agus feic" - wait and see

    Pat

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  4. Feic is right Feics sake. Bottom line is when are we going to see all these "words words & more words" in action on the streets of Belfast, Dublin Ballinasloe etc etc. This blog is a fantastic talking shop. Now where is the real progress? Sean OOOOO as I am here did not Church of Ireland appoint their first female bishop recently? Irish proddies take the lead !

    ReplyDelete