posted December 16, 2014 04:57 PM            

NEWSER) — Pope Francis continues to show he's anything but traditional. During a recent public appearance, Francis comforted a boy whose dog had died, noting, "One day, we will see our animals again in the eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all of God's creatures."

Theologians say Francis — who took his papal name from the patron saint of animals, St. Francis of Assisi — was only speaking conversationally.

But the remark is being seen by some as a reversal of conservative Catholic theology that states because they are soulless, animals can't go to heaven, The New York Times reports.

In 1990, Pope John Paul II said animals have souls, but his successor, Pope Benedict XVI, gave a 2008 sermon that seemed to say the opposite.

Francis' comment has now sparked a new debate on the subject, and the Humane Society says it has been flooded with e-mails. If Francis does, in fact, believe animals have souls, "then we ought to seriously consider how we treat them," a rep says. "We have to admit that these are sentient beings, and they mean something to God."
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/12/12/pope-francis-dog s-can-go-to-heaven/20296955/

posted December 16, 2014 06:59 PM            

But I dunno, I kinda miss old Pope Palpatine, least with him you knew where you stood

The Darkside...

posted December 22, 2014 06:08 AM            

That would just be hilarious!

posted January 11, 2015 03:42 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by GeminiKarat:
Thank you very much for the quote. I like it.

---

posted January 11, 2015 03:43 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by juniperb:
also

NEWSER) — Pope Francis continues to show he's anything but traditional. During a recent public appearance, Francis comforted a boy whose dog had died, noting, "One day, we will see our animals again in the eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all of God's creatures."

Theologians say Francis — who took his papal name from the patron saint of animals, St. Francis of Assisi — was only speaking conversationally.

But the remark is being seen by some as a reversal of conservative Catholic theology that states because they are soulless, animals can't go to heaven, The New York Times reports.

In 1990, Pope John Paul II said animals have souls, but his successor, Pope Benedict XVI, gave a 2008 sermon that seemed to say the opposite.

Francis' comment has now sparked a new debate on the subject, and the Humane Society says it has been flooded with e-mails. If Francis does, in fact, believe animals have souls, "then we ought to seriously consider how we treat them," a rep says. "We have to admit that these are sentient beings, and they mean something to God."
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/12/12/pope-francis-dog s-can-go-to-heaven/20296955/

---

posted January 11, 2015 03:45 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by mirage29:
Lexxi! Great quote, thank you

---

posted January 11, 2015 03:47 PM            

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis baptized 33 infants in the Sistine Chapel on Sunday and told the mothers to feel free to breastfeed them if they cried or were hungry. "You mothers give your children milk and even now, if they cry because they are hungry, breastfeed them, don't worry," he said, departing from his prepared text. The written text of his homily had the phrase "give them milk," but he changed it to use the Italian term "allattateli", which means "breastfeed them," and added that they should not hesitate.

As the 20 girls and 13 boys in the room famous for Michelangelo's frescoes cried, Francis asked his listeners to remember poor mothers around the world, "too many, unfortunately, who cant give food to their children." Even before he read the homily, at least one mother was seen breastfeeding, perhaps recalling that the pope had used similar words to make mothers feel at ease before.

posted August 07, 2015 03:38 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Randall:
That is a cool Pope.

---

posted December 22, 2016 09:43 AM            

with video coverage

December 22, 2016 at Ground Zero, NYC
Pope Francis in America

Arrives for an interfaith ceremony
United Nations
Prays for recent attack on muslim bros and sisters (Oct 29, 2016)*

Quote...

Pope Francis on Thursday denounced the resistance he's encountering in reforming the Vatican bureaucracy, saying some of it is inspired by the devil and that the prelates who work for him must undergo "permanent purification" to serve the Catholic Church better.

For the third year in a row, Francis took the Vatican bureaucracy to task in his annual Christmas greeting. He said the reform process he was elected to push through in 2013 isn't aimed at a superficial face-lift for the Holy See, but rather a profound change in mentality among his collaborators.

"Dear brothers, it's not the wrinkles in the church that you should fear, but the stains!" he said.

In 2014, Francis stunned the Vatican Curia, or administration, when he listed the 15 "spiritual ailments" its members were suffering.
He accused them of using their careers to grab power and wealth, of living "hypocritical" double lives and of forgetting — due to "spiritual Alzheimer's" — that they're supposed to be joyful men of God.

Last year, Francis listed a "catalog of virtues" they were supposed to show instead, including honesty, sobriety, respect and humility.

This year, he gave the priests, bishops and cardinals who work for him 12 guidelines that are inspiring his reform process, which has involved consolidating Vatican departments and creating new ones.

He called for a "definitive end" to the Vatican's face-saving way of getting rid of unqualified or problematic staff by promoting them to a higher office.

"This is a cancer!" Francis said.

Francis said it's entirely natural that there should be resistance during such a profound process of reform — but he said there's good resistance and bad.

Positive resistance is an open willingness for dialogue but "hidden" resistance comes from the "fearful or hardened hearts" of people who say they want change but really don't, he said.

And then there's "malevolent resistance ... when the devil inspires nasty intentions often dressed as lambs."

He urged his collaborators to undergo an ongoing process of spiritual purification guided by the Gospel.
Later, he told staff who work for the Vatican City State that the Gospel also should dictate the Vatican's labor practices to make sure people have proper contracts.

"No employment off-the-books. No subterfuge," he said.

———
This version corrects translation to "lamb" sted "angel" the reference to the devil inspiring intentions "dressed as lambs."

endQuote

http://www.astro.com/astro-databank/Pope_Francis_I.

* http://www.arabnews.com/node/1003916/saudi-arabia

________________
From the Pope's last visit to Ground Zero