Sorry for the delay replying, but I am afraid that is a ridiculous thing to suggest.
Jorge Bergoglio, like every other Pope, is just a person like you or I, he is not a divine entity.
The modern phenomenon of "Papolatry" - that is, Pope Worship, is a serious challenge for the Church today. Catholics must realise that the Catholic Faith is a thing in and of itself. It stands alone, and would continue to do so even if we had no Pope, because the things it teaches are true.
The Catholic Faith is not "whatever Pope Francis has said on a whim now".
While Catholics must assent to the teaching of the Church, that does not mean our opinions on any matter are automatically subject to those of the Pope.
Catholics should also realise that the personal opinions of the Pope may differ from the formal teaching of the Church.
It is crazy to suggest that a Catholic is not entitled to form their own opinion on the liturgy based on their own experience, historical information, how well it reflects their Catholic beliefs and the trends it is responsible for. Or that an opinion is invalid, simply because Jorge Bergoglio does not happen to share it.
Look at the contrast between Benedict and Francis: the former said the Traditional Mass was a good thing and that is was justifiable for Catholics to desire it. The latter says the precise opposite.
Who on earth could take this seriously, this flip-flopping which is only politics and not faith?
At the end of the day, the liturgy does not belong to the Popes and they have no place attempting to dictate to Catholics which they should prefer. I could not think of a worse example of clericalism.
Neither I nor most other Catholics worship the Pope. We do believe that he in union with the bishops throughout the world is infallible in matters of faith and morals when he speaks, and that he should be respected due to his office.
One of the things the Church teaches is that Jesus said it was founded on Peter and therefore on the papacy.
Certainly the Pope says some things off the cuff which he shouldn't have said, but there has been much more twisting of his words to make them say what he didn't say, who am I to judge being the first I really noticed. He has by now a long history of not correcting those who misquote him or misinterpret what he has said, which is why I don't read most of what is said about him. I don't trust the sources to report accurately what he says so I don't waste my time on them.
Traditionally the Pope in union with the bishops has changed things for the good of the Church in specific circumstances. In the original Church everyone received, probably under both species. Eventually only the priests received under both. The laity went from receiving daily or weekly to receiving 3 times a year and then to receiving once a year. Now we are back to daily or weekly reception, with both species available at least on Sunday. These changes were decided by the hierarchy in every case.
It is arrogant to decide that one's opinion on a matter is better than that of the Pope on whom the Church is built.
HI Sue,
Sorry for the delay replying, but I am afraid that is a ridiculous thing to suggest.
Jorge Bergoglio, like every other Pope, is just a person like you or I, he is not a divine entity.
The modern phenomenon of "Papolatry" - that is, Pope Worship, is a serious challenge for the Church today. Catholics must realise that the Catholic Faith is a thing in and of itself. It stands alone, and would continue to do so even if we had no Pope, because the things it teaches are true.
The Catholic Faith is not "whatever Pope Francis has said on a whim now".
While Catholics must assent to the teaching of the Church, that does not mean our opinions on any matter are automatically subject to those of the Pope.
Catholics should also realise that the personal opinions of the Pope may differ from the formal teaching of the Church.
It is crazy to suggest that a Catholic is not entitled to form their own opinion on the liturgy based on their own experience, historical information, how well it reflects their Catholic beliefs and the trends it is responsible for. Or that an opinion is invalid, simply because Jorge Bergoglio does not happen to share it.
Look at the contrast between Benedict and Francis: the former said the Traditional Mass was a good thing and that is was justifiable for Catholics to desire it. The latter says the precise opposite.
Who on earth could take this seriously, this flip-flopping which is only politics and not faith?
At the end of the day, the liturgy does not belong to the Popes and they have no place attempting to dictate to Catholics which they should prefer. I could not think of a worse example of clericalism.
Neither I nor most other Catholics worship the Pope. We do believe that he in union with the bishops throughout the world is infallible in matters of faith and morals when he speaks, and that he should be respected due to his office.
One of the things the Church teaches is that Jesus said it was founded on Peter and therefore on the papacy.
Certainly the Pope says some things off the cuff which he shouldn't have said, but there has been much more twisting of his words to make them say what he didn't say, who am I to judge being the first I really noticed. He has by now a long history of not correcting those who misquote him or misinterpret what he has said, which is why I don't read most of what is said about him. I don't trust the sources to report accurately what he says so I don't waste my time on them.
Traditionally the Pope in union with the bishops has changed things for the good of the Church in specific circumstances. In the original Church everyone received, probably under both species. Eventually only the priests received under both. The laity went from receiving daily or weekly to receiving 3 times a year and then to receiving once a year. Now we are back to daily or weekly reception, with both species available at least on Sunday. These changes were decided by the hierarchy in every case.