The pope said what? Six stunners from Francis

[rug]

June 13th, 2013
02:15 PM ET
By Daniel Burke, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor

(CNN) –Pope Francis has challenged his flock of 1 billion Catholics not to be “starched Christians” who chat about theology over tea.

He’s been taking his own advice.

Since his election in March, Francis has delivered sharp and unscripted remarks on everything from homosexuality to atheism to his unlikely election to the seat of St. Peter.

Anyone who bet the 76-year-old Jesuit from Argentina would become Supreme Pontiff likely won a lot of dough, Francis joked on Sunday.

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/13/the-pope-said-what/comment-page-1/

My faivorite is #4, Sleepy prayers.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

1. From the article

Catholicism has long held that salvation is open to everyone – but with a really big caveat. If you know about the church and don’t become a member, the door to heaven is likely closed, a Catholic spokesman later clarified.

That's not exactly what the doctrine says. Section 14 of Vatican II's Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, says

Basing itself upon Sacred Scripture and Tradition, it teaches that the Church, now sojourning on earth as an exile, is necessary for salvation. Christ, present to us in His Body, which is the Church, is the one Mediator and the unique way of salvation. In explicit terms He Himself affirmed the necessity of faith and baptism(124) and thereby affirmed also the necessity of the Church, for through baptism as through a door men enter the Church. Whosoever, therefore, knowing that the Catholic Church was made necessary by Christ, would refuse to enter or to remain in it, could not be saved.

So it's not "have you heard about the Catholic Church", it's "are you convinced that it is the true Church, but you refuse to join it anyway".

This sentence from section 17 may also be pertinent:

Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel.

[rug]

2. Not only that but what does someone know about the Church?

If what someone sees is sex abuse, misogyny, hypocrisy, and Bill Donohue, can that person be said to know what the Catholic Church is? Can it be said that someone who rejects that is rejecting the Church?

One of the concepts of evangelism is that the Church is known by its members. As baptized Catholics, much of what is known about the Church is known through our behaviors and our lives.

[IrishAyes]

4. Every day my gratitude grows for having grown up with so much good Catholic influence.

But it's kind of funny; as a child, if I knew I'd done something awful, my reaction was to wonder "How am I going to explain THAT to the pope?" Just in case he ever asked me about it or found out. My parents, nuns, and the priest didn't worry me too much because they were known quantities I knew how to get along with, or at least around. But that guy in Rome was an awful long way off and a total stranger to me, so he was the one I really watched out for!

[rug]

5. Heh, I was more worried about the nuns.

I got into a fight on my block one Saturday in sixth grade.

On Monday in school the nun was tearing us both up.

[IrishAyes]

6. Their reach was endless, wasn't it? You could run but not hide!

[rug]

7. It still baffles me how she found out.

Sr. Mary John, OP.

Rest in Peace.

[IrishAyes]

3. As for sleepy prayers

I used to be an awful insomniac. So I'd say my prayers, including goodnight to Jesus; then follow up with BTW, which I figured was okay to fall asleep on because I'd really already finished and said g'night. After that, either God might reward me with the sleep I desperately needed, or the dark one might send me to sleep to shut me up!