I've said it before and I'll say it now. The Holy Father's attempts at spontaneous interviews often yield disastrous results. He gave an interview to Il Messagero, and the reporter seems to have been a feminist. She was implying that there's misogyny in the Church. He attempted to reply in the form of a joke: "the fact is that woman was taken from a rib..(laughes)... I'm kidding, that's a joke."
Really? The Genesis account of the creation of man and woman is a joke? Since when is Holy Scripture a joke? There has been some discussion about the creation of the universe and other animal species, but the Church has always taught that Adam and Eve were real people who were created immediately by God and infused with souls. See Humani Generis by Pope Pius XII. Pope Francis' lame attempt at humor (presuming it's that innocent) undermines the teaching of the Church in that matter. I only hope and pray that he did not deny the Genesis account of the creation of Adam and Eve.
When Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio accepted the papal election last year, he accepted a calling that is his 24/7/365. There is no "punching the clock", as it were. In the eyes of so many, every deed and utterance is taken as God's holy will for the Church. Most of his deeds and utterances will not happen ex cathedra but he will bear immense responsibility for any scandal caused by any carelessness.
These interviews should cease immediately. What we are seeing is a key reason why his predecessors never granted these. Why does he not learn from their wise practices?
You do such great work (ok, so you know it's coming), BUT must you pounce with every utterance our Holy Father makes? You state, "In the eyes of so many, every deed and utterance is taken as God's holy will for the Church." I was one of those many and rebuked quite a few times before seeing my error. At first, it angered me because I so totally agreed with those words. Eventually, I realized the roller coaster journalists and bloggers had placed me on...palpitations caused by, "Pope Francis confirms the Church's teaching on...blah, blah, blah" and then, "In an interview today, Pope Francis stated who is he to judge...blah, blah, blah" Up and down, round and round! Why? Perhaps he was looking into the eyes of someone who doesn't get it...if they did get it, they wouldn't have posed the question. It can be a laughable moment if you place yourself in the Supreme Pontiff's position. He was not laughing at Genesis...read it again with an open heart and mind. He's laughing at the foolishness of the question when it doesn't seem that people understand...The Catholic Church has spoken to this issue (how many times does it take to give the same answer and be done with it)...Dogma hence done. God's blessing upon a good-natured man who sees foolishness before his eyes. Why can't you? My guess is you are as I was. Now, I am at peace and don't have to pounce. Reform begins with self...see our Holy Father with renewed eyes and know peace.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you and your loved ones. Keep up the good fight where fighting is necessary.
When someone gives an interview to a reporter, they speak not only to the reporter but to the entire readership of the publication. In this day and age, that means the words go literally around. the world. They must bear in mind the impact that those words will have on the entire world. It cannot possibly be a "laughable moment" when a reader is already shaky in his/her faith and understandably takes the Holy Father's words seriously. I pray for the Holy Father and all church leaders. By dint of their responsibilities they simply are NOT at liberty to be carelessly glib about their remarks for their words do bear greater weight than do a layperson's in the eyes of many.
DeleteYou really don't see it. I am so surprised. The Holy Father changed nothing. I believe you are perhaps stepping out of bounds as to your responsibility when perhaps by your words people already shaky in their faith will begin to doubt Pope Francis. Perhaps you should consider that you do NOT have the liberty to pounce on every word uttered by our Holy Father to a reporter for you may be causing damage to people of Faith where it wasn't damaged.
ReplyDeleteHow am I "damaging faith" when I stated simply that the creation of Adam and Eve is Catholic truth, using teachings of previous pontiffs? If I had agreed that the story of the rib was a joke, yes I could be said to be contributing to damage of faith. I'm not the only one voicing these concerns by the way.
DeleteYou state, "I'm not the only one voicing these concerns by the way." That is not the point of my comment...I'm not looking for a show of hands on how many and who have pounced on this one. My point is that you are making a BIG deal out of a snapshot moment. By doing so, you may be lessening a person's view of capability in which they hold the Holy Father. You keep saying "...that the story of the rib was a joke..." That is precisely where I believe your error lies. I'm giving this one more try, so slow down for just one moment, stop even, breathe, now read these words..."the fact is that woman was taken from a rib..(laughes)... I'm kidding, that's a joke."
ReplyDeleteSo, to me, as I stated above, Pope Francis is NOT laughing AT Genesis. The interviewer's clueless and foolish question received a kind response vs. a response you and all of those others voicing concerns wishing a robot Pope would say..."The Catholic Church has spoken to this issue (how many times does it take to give the same answer and be done with it)...Dogma hence done." Quoth Catechism, quoth Scripture, quoth Church Fathers...
My opinion, for what it may be worth, is you are incredibly sharp and on the ball with your mission. However, you (and all of those others that you say are voicing concerns) are blogging like chicken littles when it comes to the Holy Father. Quite unnecessary and more potentially damaging than you may think.
God bless you this day and always.
We obviously have a difference of opinion here. That "snapshot moment" obviously was more than a mere "snapshot"; else I and others would not be concerned. A reasonable person (even if you disagree) could construe the meaning of the Holy Father's words to imply that the Genesis story is a joke. I presume he holds to the Genesis account; unfortunately his ill-placed laughter could well be interpreted to mean he doesn't hold to it.
DeleteI regret you think we're "blogging like chicken littles". Hopefully you're just as distressed at the Holy Father's gaffes during these interviews that cause so many to scratch their heads.