Pope Francis!

[penguin31]

Some would do well to take heed of the words of the new Pontiff:

Our certainties can become a wall, a jail that imprisons the Holy Spirit. Those who isolate their conscience from the path of the people of God don’t know the joy of the Holy Spirit that sustains hope. That is the risk run by the isolated conscience. Of those who from the closed world of their Tarsis complain about everything or, feeling their identity threatened, launch themselves into battles only in the end to be still more self-concerned and self-referential.

[Apotheoun]

. . . we can probably both agree that the best thing to do is simply pray for him and the Church.  God Bless!

I agree. Prayer can only be a good thing. The other thing to remember is that Pope Francis has not even done anything yet (i.e., besides give an initial blessing to the crowd gathered to celebrate his election). I am willing to let events unfold and see what he has to say about the issues that concern me as a Christian.

 

That said, I do hope that Pope Francis can help to restore reverence in the Roman Church's liturgy, because my dream is one day to able to attend divine liturgy with my Orthodox friends, and that will only happen when communion between the Catholic Church (Roman and Eastern) and the Orthodox Church is restored. May God bring that to reality soon.

[Amppax]

I agree. Prayer can only be a good thing. The other thing to remember is that Pope Francis has not even done anything yet (i.e., besides give an initial blessing to the crowd gathered to celebrate his election). I am willing to let events unfold and see what he has to say about the issues that concern me as a Christian.

 

That said, I do hope that Pope Francis can help to restore reverence in the Roman Church's liturgy, because my dream is one day to able to attend divine liturgy with my Orthodox friends, and that will only happen when communion between the Catholic Church (Roman and Eastern) and the Orthodox Church is restored. May God bring that to reality soon.

 

Are you Eastern Catholic? I thought you were Orthodox. 

[Kateri89]

Some would do well to take heed of the words of the new Pontiff
 

 

You're right I really shouldn't have gotten into any debating.  Sorry about that.  It takes away the focus from the celebration of our new Holy Father.  I'll leave the debates to the liberal media   :P

[Apotheoun]

Are you Eastern Catholic? I thought you were Orthodox. 

I am an Eastern (Melkite) Catholic, with a large number of Orthodox friends (many of whom used to be Roman or Eastern Catholic).

[PhuturePriest]

Allow me to get us back on track to the celebrating. Ahem...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkpTs3PLRLI

[Lil Red]

Fortunately you can give a perspective that sounds less hostile coming from an Eastern Catholic than a Roman

 

wrong.

[mortify]

My opinion is insignificant but personally I like the Holy Father's simplicity and humility, but I also agree with Pope Emeritus Benedict that the crisis in the Church is the crisis in the liturgy, and I'm not sure Pope Francis agrees

[Apotheoun]

My opinion is insignificant but personally I like the Holy Father's simplicity and humility, but I also agree with Pope Emeritus Benedict that the crisis in the Church is the crisis in the liturgy, and I'm not sure Pope Francis agrees

Time will tell. Be of good cheer.

[MIKolbe]

Don't laugh... one of my reactions was .... "aww he's cute" :kitten:

That was Shea's reaction at first, too.

[vee]

viva papa francis!!!!!!!!!!

Edited March 14, 2013 by vee8

[IcePrincessKRS]

Interesting article from when he was the runner up in the 2005 Papal election.

 

http://www.catholicnews.com/jpii/cardinals/0501841.htm

[Guest Allie]

He was obviously a Jesuit gull.

 

could have been a Franciscan gull
 

[LinaSt.Cecilia2772]

This is the picture that got me to really love him. Very profound and moving in my opinion.

 

[Slappo]

My initial thoughts from the day as posted on Facebook:

Pope Francis. He's definitely no Pope Benedict. His experiences and life are much different from our beloved Pontiff Emeritus. I think many will be wondering over the following weeks what we are to expect of this papacy. We tread on into unfamiliar territory as the Cardinal Electors have chosen our first Latin American, and our first Jesuit shortly after seeing the first abdication in near 600 years. The Holy Father adds to our curiosity by being the first Pope to choose the name Francis.

Reading some articles today and gathering my own thoughts I have this to say: As a young Catholic who has now experienced a conclave for only the second time in my life, I was very moved listening on the radio when Cardinal Proto-Deacon Tauran announced Habemus Papam. I was again very moved receiving Pope Francis' first papal blessing at his Urbi et Orbi address. His leading us in prayer, his call for silence, and his request of our prayers was very awesome in the truest meaning of the word. I was drawn into awe as I listened in on the beginnings of a new pontificate.

In much lighter news: All the Franciscans are going to be really confused over the following years when talking about Holy Father Francis! They'll have to constantly clarify between Pope Francis and St. Francis :).