Pope urges catholic priests to help poor, shun careerism

[naaman fletcher]

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Beginning a busy program of Easter events, Pope Francis on Thursday urged Catholic priests to devote themselves to helping the poor and suffering instead of worrying about careers as Church "managers".

Francis' homily at his first Holy Thursday service as Roman Catholic leader was the latest sign since his surprise election two weeks ago of his determination that the 1.2 billion-member Church should be closer to the poor.

"We need to go out, then, in order to experience our own anointing (as priests) ... to the outskirts where there is suffering, bloodshed, blindness that longs for sight, and prisoners in thrall to many evil masters," he said during a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica.

The 76-year-old former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina has inherited a Vatican rocked by a scandal in which documents leaked to the media spoke of alleged corruption in its administration and depicted prelates as fighting among themselves to advance their careers.

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE92R0B020130328?irpc=932

I'm not a fan of religion in general or the Catholic Church inparticular but within that context it seems like the new Pope is a great guy

[rurallib]

1. this will never fly

If Christ wanted his followers to help the poor, he would have said something
(sarcasm for the humor impaired)

[sabrina 1]

2. He does seem to be trying to be a good representative of

the man Christians claim to follow, but in so many instances, apparently forget whose name is on the religion they claim to be members of.

I never got the whole televangelist thing. 'Give me money and i'll pray for you'!

That certainly was not what Christ did.

Jesus was a socialist. Which is why it's so hilarious to look at who calls themselves 'Christians'. People like Paul Ryan eg, whose main function seems to be to starve the poor and the elderly.

Good for the pope. Now maybe he could speak to 'Christian Politicians' everywhere and ask that they live up Christ's teaching, support programs that help the most vulnerable eg, like SS, instead of trying to destroy them.

[naaman fletcher]

3. Ugh.

I never got the whole televangelist thing. 'Give me money and i'll pray for you'!

I live in oklahoma when not travelling. (I'm in the Balkans now). The big thing in oklahoma is the prosperity gospel, which basically says that god wants you to be rich and you will be if you follow him.

It's such a fucking scam.

I've come to realize that the main religions are not popular because they are clear message from a supposedly divine god, but the opposite. They are so full of contradictions that you can read whatever you want into them.

[sabrina 1]

4. We used to watch televangelists late night for entertainment purposes.

I found it incredible that anyone took them seriously, and more, gave them money. All they talked about was money, it seemed to me. Looking for spiritual guidance from someone like Pat Robertson, eg, friend and defender of Dictators, investor in slave labor, it boggles my mind that people continue to send money to this man.

But real followers of Christ probably don't have the money to have a TV show or big Mega Church. However someone with a huge membership like the Pope might be able to get the word out that taking care of the poor, not enriching yourself, is far more Christian. I hope so.

[naaman fletcher]

6. For some fun

Watch this:

I guarantee you wil lol

[Catherina]

5. Would Jesus wear a Rolex on his television show?