[Magdalen] Conservatives Chafe Under Francis

[ROGER STOKES]

The deal breaker for me were two actions by Benedict XVI.  One was the forming of the Ordinariate for former Anglicans, starting in England but then extending to other countries as well. I know some people who chose to go to the Ordinariate and some who opted to enter the normal diocesan structure, as has been possible for many years.  I respect them as they believed that was right for their continuing spiritual journey, and some of those who had been clergy are now RC priests, whether they are married or not.  It always seemed to me as if those entering the Ordinariate wanted to remain traditional Anglicans. Incidentally the number of current members of the Ordinariate is not clear - what is that they are short of money and have a remarkably high number of priests for the number of laity they have.

The other part of the deal breaker was the approval of the new "English" translation of the Missal.  I put "English" in quotes because it certainly is not English as spoken, I believe anywhere in the world. There were some deficiencies in the former translation - the Opening Prayers (Collects) being particularly short in gravitas and meaning.  A series of articles in The Tablet pointed that out, and how more uplifting translations of the Latin into good English were possible.  What is now offered is clunky and, as many will admit privately, not something that flows, taking the faithful with it as good liturgy should.

Of course you can add to that the effect of historic child abuse and how the hierarchy have sought to protect the Church's reputation, something which has contributed to most of Joan's relatives no longer being practicing Catholics.

Roger




________________________________
 From: Sally Davies <sally.davies at gmail.com>
To: "magdalen at herberthouse.org" <magdalen at herberthouse.org> 
Sent: Tuesday, November 4, 2014 5:51 AM
Subject: Re: [Magdalen] Conservatives Chafe Under Francis
 

Which in itself sounds like a deal breaker for ever joining the RC,
regardless of where the Pontiff may be on the spectrum of conservative
religious organisation.

I simply cannot understand how Christ's Representative on Earth can adopt
(or be afforded) a style of leadership that is so radically at odds with
Christ's own life and teaching in earthly life, and still have any
credibility.

If there's anything attractive about the current Pope (and for me there is)
it would be in his adoption of a more simple and Christ like approach to
people, relationships and problems. I hope he's not going to order anyone
to jump.

Given the pain we've been through in our own Communion, and still go
through, I would not wish that on any other church. Lately I've been
reading some sermons from Chris Chivers, who has interesting things to say
about how we choose to be church; including the implications of our
becoming preoccupied with our own self-understanding as Christians or as
Church.

He says it results in a closing-in mindset which all too easily becomes
closing-down - literally. One of the sermons is a meditation on a painting,
"The Baptism of Christ" by Hans Feibusch, which is in the Baptistry at
Chichester Cathedral. It's well worth taking the time to study this
painting, which is worth several thousand words about the Church, the
Kingdom, and the Great Commission:

http://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%22The_Baptism_of_Christ%22_by_Hans_Feibusch_within_Chichester_Cathedral_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1141190.jpg

Sally D





On Tuesday, 4 November 2014, ROGER STOKES <roger.stokes65 at btinternet.com>
wrote:

> What these traditionalists forget is that the Pope's power is unfettered.
> Canon Law says he can do what he likes and that he has universal
> jurisdiction.  If he says "jump" the correct response is "how high?" not
> "why?" or "I don't want to".
>
> Roger
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>  From: Scott Knitter <scottknitter at gmail.com <javascript:;>>
> To: "Magdalen at herberthouse.org <javascript:;>" <magdalen at herberthouse.org
> <javascript:;>>
> Sent: Monday, November 3, 2014 2:56 PM
> Subject: Re: [Magdalen] Conservatives Chafe Under Francis
>
>
> On Mon, Nov 3, 2014 at 1:27 AM, Roy Murphy <roy.murphy at gmail.com
> <javascript:;>> wrote:
> > "It's almost as if the Catholic Church was recently baptized in a vat of
> > irony: so-called traditionalists--the same people who insisted that
> liberals
> > fall in line behind John Paul II and Benedict XVI--are petulantly calling
> > for schism and for bucking Church hierarchy. What makes it even more
> > absurd: Francis isn't all that liberal."
>
> When the traditionalists were fluttering their eyelids each of the
> many times they solemnly referred to "The Holy Father," I remember
> wondering whether they would still do so for another pope who might
> have a different approach. Sure enough, although they should fall in
> line and show him the same deference, now it's a different story.
>
> --
> Scott R. Knitter
> Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA
>