I have taken my own advice this past week and prayed. And discerned.
So now I have to speak up.
The Pope is not just the Pope.
He is the Bishop of Rome.
Now everyone pretty much thinks of St. Peter's Basilica when they think of the Pope. Well, as Bishop of Rome he also has St. John Lateran as his diocesan cathedral.
But in his eagerness to be humble, Pope Francis has not yet taken possession of St. John Lateran.
Holy Thursday Mass, which celebrates the institution of the holy priesthood and the Eucharist has for hundreds of years been celebrated by the Bishop of Rome at St. John Lateran.
Not this year.
This year the new Holy Father has decided to take a road trip down to the local prison.
Yep.
Pope Francis will celebrate Holy Mass in a youth prison outside of Rome.
Ok, fine.
We get it. You're channeling St Francis of Assisi.
Great.
Get over it because you are the Pope now, not the bishop of Buenos Aires. You have duties and responsibilities. Remember all those people who stood outside in the crappy weather when you were elected?
Remember how you spoke as the Bishop of Rome to your flock?
Yes, it is an act of mercy to visit those in prison.
But couldn't you visit the prison earlier in the day? Wednesday, perhaps? Said Mass for them some other time?
The bigger picture is that every time he rides the bus or doesn't wear the Mozzetta, or wears black shoes or moves Holy Thursday Mass to a prison, he makes it all about him. "Oh look! Our Pope is sooooo humble and nice!"
If he really wanted to show them some mercy, he should have arranged for the prisoners to come to St. John Lateran and get them out of the prison for a few hours to assist at Holy Mass.
But, what are ya gonna do? Hopefully someone at the Vatican will tell him what he's supposed to be doing. We'll see.
Watch and pray my friends as the Pope Francis show continues!
Latest update: Pope Francis also got rid of the Papal Throne, and is making the humble Papal apartments in the Vatican smaller. On top of that, lets not forget they had to order brand new vestments for his installation. He didn't like any of the ones the Vatican had laying around. Not too thrifty, eh? More money that could have been saved for the poor.
4 comments:
Absolutely. This Pope is not the Pope indeed. May God have mercy. The End is coming soon.
"I have given you example, that you also must do." Our Lord spoke of leading by example (and isn't he the highest and greatest example?) so who's to question Pope Francis' motives? Rather than someone in the Vatican "telling him what to do," shouldn't we be more concerned with paying attention to his teaching? Or have we given up on the Pope as Vicar of Christ? As an aside, Pope Benedict didn't take possession of St. John Lateran for several weeks after his own election, either. Pope Francis' neglect to do so would seem understandable given the proximity of his election to Holy Week and Easter, so as NOT to make this holy time, as you say, about him.
Who died and made you Pope?
Estimado Señor Traddy,
I have read your blog for some years; even though I do not always share your opinions, I have always respected your devotion to a particular manifestation of the Roman Catholic Church that you call "traditional" -- even though your focus is really on the trappings of the Tridentine, post-Reformation era. There is much majesty and ornateness in that tradition that can ignite and sustain the faith.
Given your outspokenness and eagerness to advance your opinions, I was a bit puzzled that you waited so long before commenting on the election of Pope Francis.
I would suggest that you need to spent more time in the desert, my brother; or perhaps you crawled out from under your rock too soon?
What a querulous, mean-spirited commentary! Now I know that your true motivations are not in upholding "tradition" at all--but in being pridefully self-centered in your own narrow perspective.
Before the Pope was ever Bishop of Rome, he was the vicar of Christ, the invisible head of the church that Jesus called together. What could be more traditional than to return to the simple love and compassion of the man of Galilee who is also the Son of God? Did he not, in the Sermon on the Mount and on many other occasions, demonstrate the church's priority for the poor, the prisoner, the sick, the marginalized? "When, Lord, did we see thee sick and visited thee, in prison, and ministered to thee?"
Your comment regarding the veetments, that they could be sold and the money given to the poor, is nothing more than an echo of Judas' comment when the woman anointed Jesus' feet with precious ointment.
Let's rock with Jesus and with Pope Francis, who calls us to a higher selfhood through service and compassion. The "rock" of your so-called "traditionalism" has been cleft by the simplicity of unconditional love, which is of God.
I no longer find your saccharine commentary to be of interest.
In Christ Crucified and Risen, and Living Among His People,
Thank you and God bless.
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