OK, three questions:
- Does a bishop lose his “pastoral nature” when he warns a member of his flock not to endanger her soul?
- What is the political problem—and for whom?
- Why should a bishop worry about creating a political problem, if it’s the result of carrying out his pastoral duties? (Did St. Thomas a Beckett create a political problem for King Henry>? Was he wrong to do so?)
Let’s rephrase the matter: “When a bishop worries first about a political problem, he loses his pastoral nature.”
I do not like this Pope’s poor reasoning and approach– to me, this is babyish, dishonest and hypocritical.
“No discipline” should note that there is absolutely nothing wrong with what the Holy Father has said: that a bishop should have a “pastoral” approach is totally acceptable and correct. There is nothing “babyish” nor “dishonest” in what the Pope has said here. Please. Moreover, there is absolutely nothing wrong with what Archbishop Cordileone did: that he was indeed “pastoral” in trying repeatedly to reach out to Pelosi. Therefore, viewed with this gracious lens and giving the Pope all benefit-of-the-doubt, the Holy Father has in effect given his approval to what Cordileone has done. Do not listen to bombastic anti-Francis blogs/commentators out there people.
No. Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, praised Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, and said that to deny Rep. Nancy Pelosi from reception of Holy Communion was truly pastoral.
“No discipline,” it may do you good to actually read what I wrote above. Ok?
Waste of time, jon.
It will do you good “Reply” to actually read people’s comments here, especially if you’re going to post a counter-comment. Otherwise, your comment sounds tone-deaf.
If the Pope was truly pastoral he would care about Pelosi’s journey to perdition and try to intervene.
The Pope is indeed truly pastoral by reminding bishops all over the world of their principal task to be pastors first, not politicians. Taking his cue from the Holy Father, Cordileone, by his actions, is also truly pastoral by repeatedly asking to meet with Pelosi, and when there has been no response, by admonishing her (as her more immediate pastor) not to present herself for Holy Communion. People, the problem here is not Pope Francis nor the Archbishop. The problem here is the moral stubbornness of the current Speaker of the House. No amount of “intervention” would dissuade her. She’ll just have to answer for her decisions on the Last Day.
The pope has made it clear, he does not care if Nancy Pelosi receives Communion. He does not really care about the issue of abortion. He has even praised a prominent abortion rights advocate of Italy.
“Pope doesn’t care” is totally wrong. Of course the Holy Father cares about abortion. He just said so in that plane interview.
No. The Pope really does not care whether or not Nancy Pelosi receives Communion. He has also warned the bishops that denial of Communion to pro-abort Catholic politicians is not “pastoral.”
“Reply” you are wrong. The Pope did not say that “denial of Communion to pro-abortion politicians is not pastoral.” Wrong. Rather, he said that pastors must be sure to be pastors first when addressing this situation. Pope Francis said. “When the church, by defending a principle, does it in a non-pastoral way, it gets into the political plane, and this has always been so…And what should the pastor do? He shouldn’t go around condemning. And he must also be a pastor with those who are excommunicated, and be so with God’s style, which is closeness, compassion and tenderness.” Do actually read what the Pope said, “Reply.” That’s a charitable thing for you to do for the Pope, especially if you’re going to comment about him here.
Waste of time, jon.
And not taking the time to do your legwork by reading the Pope’s actual words as well as other commentators’ words here before you post a counter-comment is why your own comments sound tone deaf.
Maybe not “no disciple” or “babyish,” but certainly evasive.
Yes! “Evasive”– and a waste of jon’s time.
There is nothing “evasive” about the Pope’s words. He told it like it is; he articulated what is to be THE priority for bishops: be pastors first, not politicians. Nothing “evasive” there from the Pope. And Cordileone took the Pope’s words to heart and exercised a pastor’s heart by reaching out to Pelosi. Perhaps there are some people here who would rather that the Pope categorically castigate the Democrat party, that the Pope publicly humiliate Pelosi by calling her out, that the Pope also call out Biden, that the Pope really condemn pro-abort Leftist Democrats. Well, if those people were hoping for something like that from the Pope, then it is they who are playing “politics.” For them, this is not really about protecting the life of the unborn, but about merely winning political games.
Yes. The current pope is evasive and ambiguous. Everyone but jon knows the truth.
Prove it then. Make your point that the Holy Father has been evasive rather than you just spewing accusations without merit and without substance.
I know it’s ridiculous to give Francis the benefit of the doubt, but his recent comments about Holy Communion for pro-abort politicians may have suggested something that pastoral bishops need to take into account.
Instead of denying Communion using information in the internal forum. Francis suggested that they should first be placed under the penalty of Interdict or Excommunication in the external forum. These penalties, in turn, would deny Communion to the offenders.
I give up. Nothing makes sense anymore. Nothing’s worth hoping for anymore. Everything just gets worse every year.
Thank Jesus.
When nothing makes sense, then you have realized the limits of the human’s puny mind.
You should be hoping for the forgiveness of your sins, the help of God’s grace and life everlasting. Only you can prevent that.
So what if things get worse? Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8)
Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, says that denying Holy Communion to wayward, Catholic pro-abortion politicians, is correct “pastoral care.”
CONFUSED MORE THAN EVER….
[…] Follow-up questions from Phil Lawler […]
this ain’t my idea BUT
i think we hit they point
where Jesus would say:
“Shake the Dust from your Shoes.”
“Shake the dust from your shoes, and move on.” Don’t waste your time. The commenter “jon” needs to understand that, too– he is wasting his time.
There are enemies of the Catholic Church who would attempt to portray a “feud” between the Pope and one of his Archbishops, such as Cordileone, when there is none. The Pope reminded bishops to be “pastoral”; Cordileone exercised that Papal admonition in the case with Pelosi by trying to communicate with her, and then finally by advising her not to receive. People, resist the Devil’s attempt to further divide the Church by thinking there’s a “feud” between Pope and Archbishop when there isn’t one.
They just project their own immaturity onto the Pope and the Archbishop.