The Pope's Speech

Maybe not the king's speech, but for the spiritual leader of 1.5 billion, his latest speech took many by surprise.


CNN link

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The Pope also blasted "trickle-down economics," saying the theory "expresses a crude and naïve trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power."

How DARE he attack the legacy of St. Ronnie Reagan? HOW VERY DAY-UH HE?

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I look at it as a big game of "Would you rather...?"

Would you rather have a pope who is a mean-spirited former Nazi-kinder or one who is committed to social justice and sounds like Dorothy Day?

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I look at it as a big game of "Would you rather...?"

Would you rather have a pope who is a mean-spirited former Nazi-kinder or one who is committed to social justice and sounds like Dorothy Day?

Exactly. And looks like Judge Turpin.

I don't think Pope Francis is a surprise to anybody who elected him, but to the masses out there who know their church is in crisis mode, you can go one of two ways: either cling to your traditions (oh, those traditions!) and rules and procedures, or remind your minions that Catholicism shouldn't be reduced to ancient rules and procedures. That's not what the core belief is about.

I'm sure One Million Moms and their Catholic cousins all just fainted dead away.

I actually de-friended a scary Catholic freak on Facebook. She's an older mom now, and all she does is call her friends out on how un-Catholic they are. She calls them CINOs. "Catholic In Name Only."

She's so angry and scared and pisses everyone off with her radical judgements. I saw a friend of hers rip her apart for her lack of understanding for the faith. Then she pulled out her "rule book" again, and let her friend have it.

I de-friended with no regrets.

That's why I especially love his comment about "Catholic sourpusses." Preach it!

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Updated On: 11/27/13 at 10:17 AM

His opening statement in that article really is the best:

"I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security."

In other words, get out there in the streets and help people, don't just bitch about how people are supposed to behave.

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My religious views aside, I happen to think that religion in and of itself isn't about just going to a building once a week and praying, nor is it about quoting religious texts. It's about how one conducts oneself in the world: Do you show compassion, tolerance and humility toward others? Are you as kind and generous as you can be with your time and talents (whatever you believe in, you have been given gifts and I happen to be of the opinion one should use them for good)?

I see people who go to church and profess religion and then every other day of the week come across as hateful bigots. I ask you is that what religion is about? (I like the quote in the film "Chocolat" where the priest says "It's not about who we exclude, but who we include". That's what it's about.)

This pope is like Dolores when she came into the convent and took the other nuns out to a bar and then danced in the streets with people wearing early 90's clothes while cleaning up the city and at the same time getting the sticks out of their asses.

The Papal Hot Air Machine keeps pumping out the PR. Doesn't mean a damned thing, more whitewash and smoke and mirrors.

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I can't imagine what the Opus Dei-ies are doing. I'm picturing meetings in the Montgomery Burns castle.

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That idea is so incredibly stupid.

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What a hunky pontiff!

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That might be the greatest film description I've ever read. Joey, you should work for Time Warner Cable, writing their program descriptions.

The Church is stuck in the Middle Ages.