Father Byers says: “Don’t you dare give Pope Francis a chance!” Hah!

17 Responses to Father Byers says: “Don’t you dare give Pope Francis a chance!” Hah!

1. elizdelphi

   2013/03/16 at 18:58

   Amen
   Thank you
2. Denise

   2013/03/16 at 19:09

   I have already fallen in holy love with this Pope.
3. Kateshon (@Kateshon)

   2013/03/16 at 20:31

   After reading elseewhere a post ranting against Francis, I did think “give Francis a chance” — and this indeed implies the possibility that he could be an “anti-Pope”. I don’t have a clue about what is an anti-Pope however.
   I have no authority whatsoever to judge about that. But I think there were anti-Popes. Who decides about that — if a Pope is in fact an anti-Pope? How does it work?
4. barbaraschoeneberger

   2013/03/16 at 20:47

   Father, you don’t have to post this as a comment, but I wonder if you would be so kind as to write a post to answer my question. Both on the balcony and in his meeting with journalists Pope Francis consistently refers to himself as “The Bishop of Rome.” Now I already know that’s one of his titles, but is he restricting himself to the governance of Rome? Is it a hidden message to the Curia about governance? Is he saying being the Bishop of Rome is more important than being Pope, which I know isn’t an official title of his seat? Isn’t he my bishop, too, in a way? Don’t I belong to him, too? I know a lot of modernist bishops think they are on equal par with him, and as successors of the apostles, of course they are, but isn’t the pope the big guy with the definitive governing power?
5. Holy Souls Hermitage

   2013/03/16 at 20:49

   Kateshon: For instance, if Benedict XVI did NOT abdicate, but a good number of the Cardinals thought that they might get together and elect another one anyway. That other one would be an anti-Pope.

   Or, another scenario — which wont happen since Benedict XVI is such a gentleman and such a believer — but, say people were really upset with Pope Francis, and said that he wasn’t really a Pope, which is absurd, as the election was real, and if you don’t believe that you are not a Catholic — but just say that the visceral absolute hatred for Pope Francis speaking about Jesus was just too much for them, and so they got together and decided to “Re-elect Pope Benedict”, and this really caught on, right around the world, and the media got behind this and fomented it into a storm of affection for Benedict XVI, and so some Cardinals and then more started to get behind the idea and started to visit Benedict XVI to convince him of the idea, and say that they were now in the vast majority, with Pope Francis literally having been forgotten because no one in the media and no Catholics, whether liberal or conservative, said boo about him anymore, and say the Vatican security crowds got behind this and sent him into exile or at least back in that now famous monastery in Vatican Gardens, and say that the Cardinals re-elected Benedict XVI, then Benedict XVI would be an anti-Pope.

   In other words, an illegitimately elected Pope is an anti-Pope. You cannot legitimately depose a Pope for any reason. There is no ecumenical council or unanimous decision that can depose a Pope. No. Matter. What. But people are so not in the know today that they think that the opposite is true. We live in sad times. There have been anti-Popes. Nasty business. People lose the faith and risk going to hell. And all just because some bloggers, say, for instance, started up a campaign of hatred, whether on the left or the right.

   You really want to know my opinion on this? I’ll tell you.

   I think that some of the priests spewing forth hatred of Pope Francis ought to be silenced, suspended a divinis (no public celebration of the sacraments and no preaching) and even, if necessary, excommunicated. But people think it is all a big joke to strike at the Lord’s anointed. They really risk going straight to hell for trying their best to get people to hate the Pope. I mean, doesn’t that strike you as a little off? I think Satan is wildly on the attack, and the sad thing is, so very very very many people are just so willing to be his puppets. But that’s another post.

   Also, just to say: No one is perfect. To expect that from anyone except our Lord and our Blessed Mother is to reject the faith altogether. These people ought to grow up. They ought to wake up and die right.

   Rant over, for now.
6. Holy Souls Hermitage

   2013/03/16 at 20:52

   Barbara: “Bishop of Rome” says it all. Not to worry. The Bishop of Rome has absolute jurisdiction everywhere. Only the Bishop of Rome. That’s the short answer. I’m in rant mode. Perhaps I’ll write a fuller post on this.
7. Jenna

   2013/03/16 at 21:35

   Denise – I am with you. I really love Pope Francis and I think many of those posting negative things about him are going to have to walk a lot of it back (if they are not too proud to do so).

   I have also been thinking about the fact that there were people praying all over the world, for nearly a month. There was the “Adopt a Cardinal” program. I know the Lord has honored those prayers. And if someone is convinced that this man is not the right man for the job, then that person would also have to believe that the Lord disregarded all of those prayers.

   That’s how I see it, anyway.

   Father, I like what you said about priests who are denouncing Pope Francis. Wow. I did not even know that was going on. For shame.
8. Cathy

   2013/03/16 at 21:58

   I as well love Pope Francis. In many ways he reminds me of “Pope John Paul The First”. As we all know John Paul 1 wanted to clean up many things that hurt the Church however he did not live long enough to accomplish it. We must pray for Pope Francis for long life, health and clarity of mind. That Our Lord Jesus, The Blessed Mother all the Angels and Saints bless him and protect him…
9. Kateshon (@Kateshon)

   2013/03/16 at 22:12

   Thank you again Father! It makes sense.
10. Gregg the obscure

    2013/03/17 at 00:12

    He is the Pope now. There is no other. If one doesn’t accept him as the current Pope; that one is functionally Protestant
11. pelerin

    2013/03/17 at 04:41

    Doesn’t it all boil down to obedience? Obedience is easy when you agree with what is being done but far more difficult when you may not agree. We must all pledge our complete obedience to Pope Francis and thus to Christ Himself – may God grant him a long and fruitful reign.
12. Meredith

    2013/03/17 at 11:35

    What I don’t understand is where the anger is coming from? I will admit that I am not an expert on Pope Francis but I have not seen or read anything that would garner such anger toward him or his election. Is this simply supernatural forces using weak humans to divide?
13. Meredith

    2013/03/17 at 11:38

    One other thing: my pastor was making reference to Pope Francis’ choosing “Francis” as him name. I love St. Francis but somehow in the craziness of the week I missed this: God asked St. Francis to “rebuild My Church, which you can see has fallen into ruin.” Now I don’t pretend to have any specific knowledge of why our new Holy Father chose “Francis” but I do know our beloved Church could use some rebuilding.
14. Donald butler

    2013/03/17 at 17:59

    Yep!!!
15. MarcAnthony

    2013/03/18 at 00:47

    Hmmmm, Fr. what are you saying (and yes, Marc is a pen name, but one that I believe, personally, I have good reason for)? That we should accept him no matter what, and forget about “giving him a chance”?

    First let me say, I love Pope Francis. Really I do. But saying “give him a chance” to do a good job as pope before writing off his papacy as a bad one (e.g. one that hurts the Church rather than helps it) seems like a perfectly reasonable comment when made to people who have already judged his papacy before it begins. And there CAN be bad popes-just look at the Borgias. Remember, even St. Paul criticized St. Peter.

    The best we can be assured of is that Pope Francis won’t mess things up completely. As Pope emeritus Benedict once said:

    When asked whether the Holy Spirit is responsible for the election of a pope, he said:

    “I would not say so, in the sense that the Holy Spirit picks out the Pope. . . . I would say that the Spirit does not exactly take control of the affair, but rather like a good educator, as it were, leaves us much space, much freedom, without entirely abandoning us. Thus the Spirit’s role should be understood in a much more elastic sense, not that he dictates the candidate for whom one must vote. Probably the only assurance he offers is that the thing cannot be totally ruined.”

    He continued:

    “There are too many contrary instances of popes the Holy Spirit obviously would not have picked!”

    Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/the-next-pope-will-be-gods-choice-.-.-.-right/#ixzz2Nrb73Rud

    In short: I don’t think criticizing the Pope or his papacy is inherently bad. I DO think obedience is counted on. But I think it’s perfectly fair to tell people to “wait and see” how he’ll do as Pope-because he CAN do bad, and we ARE allowed to say that.

    I think he’ll do fine though
16. Holy Souls Hermitage

    2013/03/18 at 08:13

    Marc: Of course. I think I was going after this sort of thing:

    http://holysoulshermitage.com/2013/03/16/fisking-the-spirit-of-sede-vacantism-in-those-who-condemn-pope-francis-while-saying-they-recognize-his-pontificate/

    The idea is that the newly elected Pope starts fresh. Anything else is against tradition.

    Those who say otherwise should be taken to task with, I think, something stronger than “give him a chance” which puts the burden of judgment on 1.2 billion Catholics instead of encouraging them.

    That’s what I’m trying to do here.

    Sure, as with any Supreme Pontiff, he can make mistakes, but I think the “give him a chance thing” sets things out the wrong way.

    Just watch, the first little thing he does wrong, and so many will become sede vacantist because of the horrific, horrific innuendos etc that have aired, and just to say, by those using pen names.
17. MarcAnthony

    2013/03/18 at 14:55

    Okay, I understand what you mean. My only point was that many times I see the complete opposite reaction from supporters of Saint Francis-for example, Fr. Zuhlsdorf recently had a post about how he didn’t like that the Pope didn’t wear the red shoes. But he certainly didn’t bash him, yet you’ll quickly get hordes of people asking him not to judge the holy father so quickly-to wait and see, in other words-, to be more charitable, to hold off on the criticism, et cetera ad nauseum.

    My point being, Fr. Z’s post was very respectful and at best a light criticism of the Pope’s choice and a hope that in the future he’ll wear black shoes. But some supporters of Pope Francis don’t want to hear it, and I think that’s unfair.

    Still, obviously that isn’t what you meant so no need for complaints.

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