Pope Francis, in the first extensive interview of his six-month-old papacy, said that the Roman Catholic Church had grown “obsessed” with preaching about abortion, gay marriage and contraception, and that he has chosen not to speak of those issues despite recriminations from some critics.
In remarkably blunt language, Francis sought to set a new tone for the
church, saying it should be a “home for all” and not a “small chapel”
focused on doctrine, orthodoxy and a limited agenda of moral teachings.
“It is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time,” the pope
told the Rev. Antonio Spadaro, a fellow Jesuit and editor in chief of La Civiltà Cattolica,
the Italian Jesuit journal whose content is routinely approved by the
Vatican. “The dogmatic and moral teachings of the church are not all
equivalent. The church’s pastoral ministry cannot be obsessed with the
transmission of a disjointed multitude of doctrines to be imposed
insistently.
“We have to find a new balance,” the pope continued, “otherwise even the
moral edifice of the church is likely to fall like a house of cards,
losing the freshness and fragrance of the Gospel.”
Can a Pope be excommunicated for doctrinal heresy?
maybe not, but perhaps the RC church could be.
ReplyDeletei like the new pope, I think he should form a breakaway sect, lol
ReplyDeleteI wonder when Ratzinger will be saying "Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?"
ReplyDelete"The interview also serves to present the pope as a human being, who loves Mozart and Dostoevsky and his grandmother"
ReplyDelete. . . I wonder what's so special about Dostoevsky's grandmother?
I am always interested in reading about the musings of an elderly cult leader, who wears dresses, concerning societal issues such as abortion, gay marriage, and contraception.
ReplyDeleteWho told you anything about my dresses? Bastard! Now I must hunt you down.
ReplyDeletePLG - I could tell you what's so special about Dostoevsky's grandmother but, sooner or later, you would probably use it against me. And yes, I too was wondering whether visitors to the Holy See can hear the grinding of Joe the Rat's dentures.
ReplyDeleteMy apologies for the dresses reference, Mound. I know you only wear Freudian slips.
ReplyDelete"Can a Pope be excommunicated for doctrinal heresy?"
ReplyDeleteNo - 'cause he's infallible.
But does a Pope who retires remain infallible, or is he only infallible while he's still the Pope?