I am in love with Pope Frances. He is the pope I wanted all along. I probably would go back to the Church, except for a few things I’d like to see done first.
1. Open the priesthood to women. There are already women priests, just not accepted by the papacy. They are wonderful women.
2. Separate the priesthood from celibacy. Most of these young seminarians don’t have a clue about sex let alone what they will be going through in their middle age. Celibacy is a good thing, though. Those actually called to it have an awful lot to give to the world. And it doesn’t need to be limited to those in religious orders nor does it have to be for a lifetime. A person can take a temporary vow and renew it if they want to. I think that is what the Nazarenes did in the bible.
3. Start focusing on the poor, like Jesus did. Oh yeah! Frances is already doing that…which is why I love him.
4. Get rid of the glitzy pomp and wealth stuff. The Church needs a new reputation. Oh yeah! Frances is doing that, too.
5. Remove those scriptures used in liturgy that communicate a mean vengeful God. I don’t know who they are talking about, but it isn’t the God I worship. Just because something is in the bible doesn’t mean we have to keep hearing it. There is plenty of good stuff in there.
I am hearing that there are some Catholics upset with Frances. It seems to me they are the very same people who, when the last pope did things that people like myself disagreed with, they cried out that the anyone who calls themselves Catholic should obey the Shepherd, the “vicar of Christ”.
I’ve read a number of articles about what the pope is doing and saying. Here is the most recent:
Pope Francis, Frances would be his sister or a woman pope. I like him too, he gives me hope.
I should know better. My mother’s name was Frances. Glad to hear from you, Elizabeth.