Tuesday, February 12, 2013

What Should the Next Roman Catholic Pope Do?*

The world was shocked yesterday when Pope Benedict XVI of the Roman Catholic Church announced he will resign from the Papacy.   The last time that a Pope resigned was over 600 years ago.   In modern times, the Roman Catholic Church has never had to deal with this issue.   When a Pope is elected to the See of Peter, it is typically a life position which they leave only upon death. Pope Benedict XVI in the short 8 years which he has served as the leader of the 1.2 Billion member Roman Catholic Church, ironically he has, as noted by many of his contemporaries within Vatican, moved the Roman church back 200 years.  

Within his short 8 year Papacy, he brought back the Latin mass which has not been practiced in the Roman Catholic church since Vatican II.  The spirit of ecumenism which Vatican II brought into the church like a breath of fresh air, he has alienated almost every major religion.  The bridges to every major religion and to many, many other different Catholic jurisdictions (there are more Catholics than just Roman Catholics) to which his predecessor took 25 years to build bridge in order to move toward a truly universal Christian church as much as possible, it has taken Benedict XVI 8 short years to undo.

It is my hope that the 118 brothers in the College of Cardinals will strongly look at the church and its decline and its movement backward in tradition and theology, will once again consider a Cardinal who will once again embrace Vatican II even more than Pope John Paul II.   I pray the brothers will for the first time in the history of the Roman Catholic church, consider their brothers and sisters in other Catholic jurisdictions whom are linked together through Apostolic Succession and a Valid Eucharist as valid true particular churches in their own right.   It is also my hope that the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic church will finally see that celibacy is not a mandate from Christ.  I pray that the Roman Catholic church will recognize that God calls people of all genders and status in life.   I hope and pray the Roman Church will have the wisdom to recognize women as priests, and married men and women as priests, are equally qualified as celibate priests.  I pray that they will even recognized that LGBT persons are called to serve as priests as equally as their straight counterparts.

What a difference the world of Roman Catholicism would be to celebrate and be in communion with all Catholic jurisdictions of the world.  It would be a first step in the Roman church moving the world toward a truly "universal church".   I recognized that not all Catholic jurisdictions will necessarily agree equally on dogma, doctrine and policy, but as Catholics all bound together by Apostolic Succession and a Valid Eucharist, we are all one universal Catholic community.  Finally, at the very least, I pray the brothers will consider a electing a Pope from Latin America (such as South America).  It would go so far in healing wounds of disenfranchised Roman Catholics in the Latin World.  

Whatever happens,  I hope that all Catholics of all jurisdictions will continue to pray, press, push, and explore "outside the box" new ways of reaching non-Christians and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ through its actions and not just it words - by serving all with love.   Pope John XXIII when moved by the Holy Spirit to call for a General Council (Vatican II), when he looked at the crucifix, with Christ's arms wide open, I can imagine him saying - Christ died with His arms wide open welcoming all - ALL - persons to Him.   May God give wisdom and strength as they prepare for their upcoming conclave after Pope Benedict XVI's resignation takes effect at 8:00pm local time in Rome on February 28th and may the Holy Spirit inspire them with the spirit which Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI brought to Vatican II.

Peace,
Bro Jeff

*The opinions noted in this article are my own and reflect no organization opinions - just my own