Comments on: I pray Pope Francis is the right man for the job

By: ron morrison

ron morrison — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Many of us share Stephen’s and your concerns for the Church. However, questioning whether or not the right person was chosen for Pope gets us nowhere. It’s the negative perspective Stephen offered that people responded to. Let’s embrace the new leadership and share with them our concerns and our hopes.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 03:01:32 +0000

I hope everyone reading this article and having the kind of “disheartened” (@Mark Polo) or “WOW” (@Tracy) reactions would step back for a moment and consider a few things at the heart of what Mr. Kokx is trying to say (not “Knox” – @Rich Ketter [if you’re going to lambast someone at least have the ‘Love of Christ’ enough to get his name right]).
Perhaps Mr. Kokx would concede that a few parts of his post could have been worded a little more clearly; then again, here we are now in the midst of a 50+ year battle of ambiguity of hermeneutic of rupture vs. hermeneutic of continuity from what should be crystal writings from an ecumenical council, so maybe we shouldn’t be so critical of a Catholic blogger recognizing problems facing the Church. And this is indeed what seems to be at the core of Mr. Kokx’s message here. The Church is in a crisis. And I can’t understand how any Catholic being honest with himself/herself can really pretend otherwise.
I know I too may be accused of having a “cup half empty,” (@Ron Morrison), but I call it realism. St. Paul told us to test everything, retain what is good (1 Thess 5:21); Our Lord told us to beware of false prophets who come dressed as sheep but are secretly ravening wolves. Make no mistake about it, these wolves are EVERYWHERE in the Church. When God came to Noah, Jonah, Lot or Amos, for example, did they say to Him “my Lord, why is your cup so half-empty?”
I would challenge any faithful Catholic (with a proper catechesis) to “make the rounds” in his or her diocese parishes and prepare to be appalled by what you will see. St. Margaret Mary Alacoque was given the prayers to make reparation for the grave offenses against the Sacred Heart of Jesus, especially offenses against His True Presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Our Lord is today being handed out in dioceses across the country like a mid-variety show snack by lay people dressed immodestly with seemingly no belief in the True Presence. How can this not make our hearts bleed and weep in unison with the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts?
And all Mr. Kokx is asking for, hoping for, praying for is a Holy Father who will take note of these grave offenses and set them right. We courageous Catholic faithful are ready and willing to just have the chance to call upon our Confirmation grace and virtue and to defend the faith!
It doesn’t matter what news station or media source you have been tuned into, all of these alleged pundits keep regurgitating the same things: “He’s humble; he’s a man of the people; he’s a reformer.” Or, my personal favorite, “he’s very orthodox: holds true to the Church’s teachings against abortion, homosexual unions, contraception.” Since when does this mean you are “orthodox?” One would certainly hope this is what you believe! You’re not a Catholic if you don’t hold true to those teachings! And yet, as I alluded to above, there ARE bishops and even cardinals around the world who hold opposite views. St. Paul echoed those same words of our Lord, that he knew the minute he would leave ravening wolves would sneak in and not spare the flock (Acts 20:29).
So, while Mr. Kokx’s wording could have been a little more clear or perhaps worded more strongly toward optimism/hope (which I firmly believe he meant to convey), there also needs to be a measure of realism and all we are asking for is the supporting body of work for all of the above claims (reformer et al.). What we are all surely more concerned with, however, is not what is in the past but what lies ahead.
And so far so good. In his first speech to the world as the Holy Father, Pope Francis asked us to pray for him before giving us his apostolic blessing.
In his first sermon, however, he did something truly bold; something not most of us are accustomed to hearing: he talked about the devil and the untruth of false religions:
“We can walk as much we want, we can build many things, but if we do not confess Jesus Christ, nothing will avail…“Whoever does not pray to God, prays to the devil.” When one does not profess Jesus Christ, one professes the worldliness of the devil.”
This directly echoes St. John, “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father. He that confesseth the Son, hath the Father also.” (1 John 2:23)
And so it should be at the core of any evangelization, old or “new,” a message of the need (not preference) of conversion and belief in the one true faith of Christ. Great. We find what we have in common. Now let’s talk about what really matters: where we disagree and why if others don’t come around they will regrettably not share in eternal life.
I am sure anyone reading this is familiar with the popular song, “Be Not Afraid.” This is what we are asking for from our Holy Father. This is what we are begging for…most certainly this is what we are praying for. The post-conciliar policy of “no more anathemas” and “let’s see where we agree” has become as bad as a parent who doesn’t discipline a child and has morphed into what could unfortunately be called a “Kumbaya Theology.” The sexual revolution has destroyed American morality. But the Hippie mentality of peace, love and tolerance is what is truly and more cleverly leading souls to a damnation of indifference.

Proverbs 17:15 – “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, both are abominable before God.”
Let’s consider who the real enemies are here before we go “rad-trad” bashing on a man who just clearly has a heart for the restoration of Holy Mother Church.

By: GREG SMITH

GREG SMITH — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 18:24:39 +0000

Dear Stephen ~ You write: I’m having a hard time understanding how this 76-year-old, seemingly unknown Cardinal was who Benedict had in mind to succeed him when he stepped down from a church everyone said was in need of a youthful and vigorous leader. I could be wrong, and I won’t presume to know better than the Cardinals themselves,…”
I believe I understand how it happened; He’s the man the Holy Spirit selected. ~ Great things are a about to happen. Let’s relax and appericiate them. Pax, Greg

By: ron morrison

ron morrison — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 15:13:43 +0000

Stephen, your cup seems half empty rather than half full. Let’s give the guy a chance before 2nd guessing.

By: Mark Polo

Mark Polo — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 06:59:44 +0000

I’m a little disheartened to see posts that are bordering on “Pope bashing” on this blog. He’s been the Successor of Peter for three days, and we waste lines and lines on insinuations about what he may or may not have done and that maybe over two thirds of the Cardinals were all deaf to the Holy Spirit? We have to assume that he is the right man unless direct evidence to the contrary comes to our attention (there have been bad Popes in history). For now, we should be welcoming him in joy, even ignoring seeming missteps in the early days, as he learns his new role.

By: Rich Ketter

Rich Ketter — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 03:24:47 +0000

It was a hostle blog.
You make attacks on part of our Church, and then feel attacked?
You try to box in the Pope to make you feel that your worldview is the only one?
Please, brother, reread your blogs before you post. Then edit it with the Love of Christ. Edgy may work for many political websites, but when you post under the label Catholic, be a true Catholic.

By: Rich Ketter

Rich Ketter — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 03:21:47 +0000

I would pray more for Stephen Knox, that he can give up his personal fights and join the Universal Church who is celebrating the new Pope, while he is only trying to provoke a fight.
I am just glad that the Pope will not be looking to this Website for direction as to what he should do to be a good Shepherd. No one cares if he has the Knox seal of approval.
Bless the Lord, and be of good Cheer. Pope Francis I will challenge many, and will be challenged in his new job.
When Stephen Knox washing and kisses the feet of AIDS patients, I will listen to him on whether the Pope hates LGBT people as much as he does.
Pax et Bonum

By: Thomas Rooney OFS

Thomas Rooney OFS — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 23:40:18 +0000

A third wow. What “Benedict had in mind of for a succesor” is irrelevant in terms of choosing a Pope. He stepped down because he could not do the job any longer and the College chose a man they thought could.
Trust in the Holy Spirit.

By: Stephen Kokx

Stephen Kokx — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:14:00 +0000

Tracy,

I do not understand why you are so hostile to what I said. And i don’t understand why you think I am a “traddie.” Is that meant to mock me? If it is, I hope you wouldn’t call someone of Protestant or Jewish background a slang term.

In any event, I don’t think standing up for marriage or being pro-life is any less important than how we celebrate the mass. Just look at my posts on those very subjects. I care deeply about them.

All I was trying to say is that any candidate the Cardinals would have chosen would have had the same views as Archbishop Bergoglio on those issues. So in that regard I think it’s nice to be concerned with other topics as well.

By: Tracy

Tracy — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 20:57:16 +0000

WOW, forget about the cardinals, don’t presume to know more than the Holy Spirit. That is what you should be contemplating. Really the extraordinary form of the Mass over Life issues is your interest priority? You traddies are giving yourselves and your cause a bad name….and I love the Latin Mass, but man you guys are like a wet blanket at a picnic. The Chair of Peter is filled, Praise be to God!