![torch[1]](https://gerardnadal.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/torch1.jpg)
The people’s pope has been making waves ever since he rode back to his hotel on the bus and tried to pay his bill. False modesty? A swipe at those who came before him in office? Refreshing humility? Inverted pride? There have certainly been no shortage of critics, nor fawning, uber-liberal commenters who have weighed in on the new pontiff.
Are we seeing a shift in teaching, or perhaps a different set of priorities from below the equator? Watching Francis, it has become clear that the Jesuit sitting on the Chair of Peter has jolted the exposed fault lines in the post-Vatican II church. Specifically, by claiming that we don’t need to discuss the issues of sex, abortion, and homosexuality all the time, the pope has carved out awareness of other equally pressing issues, such as the grinding poverty that characterizes life below the equator that affects the world from whence he comes.
In the process, he has accentuated the differences between orthodox Catholics and the liberal/anarchic wing of the church above the equator. The liberal/anarchic wing adopted the issues surrounding global poverty, hunger, homelessness, etc. Not surprisingly, these are the issues championed by the socialist left, which also promotes radical feminism, abortion on demand, gay marriage, and sexual licentiousness: issues near and dear to left-leaning Catholics.
The orthodox tend toward traditional families, pro-life ethics, and a conservative political agenda. If there is a problem with the orthodox, it is that we have allowed concern for the poor to become “their” issue, and not “ours”. The criteria that will be used in our judgement were outlined by Jesus in Matthew 25. The corporal works of mercy are not options.
The truth is that our Catholicism is somewhat bifurcated in the Northern Hemisphere. Essential elements and obligations of the faith have been politicized.
While this bifurcation is very real, the issues of sex, family, marriage, and abortion have a far greater catalytic power at tearing down Weatern Civilization than the issue of grinding poverty, which was omnipresent throughout Western Civilization’s rise. It’s difficult to adress the issues of poverty in a culture where raging hedonism is the new civic virtue.
If there was one nuanced perspective missing in the Pope’s highly nuanced and controversial interview, it is that.
So, when Francis demonstrates a humility whereby he eschews the trappings of office, when he says that we need to expand our focus, he offers us the opportunity to reflect beyond the very real issues that we champion within orthodoxy here in the north. He also offers us the opportunity to reclaim something that has been lost along the way.
However, when we are addicted to tearing our brothers and sisters apart in the womb, using our brothers and sisters as objects for pleasure, and spitting on the natural order created by God, it’s a tough sell to get people behind an authentic vision of being our brother’s keeper.
Perhaps by speaking from within the issues coopted as issues by the left, maybe… just maybe… this pope may be able to break through. Let’s hope so, and let’s lift Francis up in prayer as he tries.
Coming Home 
As usually, you manage to brilliantly articulate up the heart of the problem: “It’s difficult to address the issues of poverty in a culture where raging hedonism is the new civic virtue.”
Jesus said “the poor you will have always with you”.
Sodomy – the sin that cries out to Heaven. Oh, I forgot “We can relatively sure that Hell is empty”. A quote from POPE JOHN PAUL II from his book Crossing the Threshole of Hope.
Pope Francis learned well. Some of us old people still remember the Truth. Obviously he has forgotten
Our lady of Fatima pray for us!
@ Beverly – br good enough to provide the detailed references for you Blessed John Paul II “quote” if you don’t mind.
It seems to me that the more we need to dialogue the issues of life, family and sodomy, the less certain we feel of their non-negotiability.
40 years of abortion clearly signifies the difficulty of conversion by dialogue. What we need is action. And the primary Christian actions are the corporal works of mercy.
Pope Francis is absolutely right to recapture the Christian initiative from the hedonists. Are we really going to let them call us out: “You guys want to save unborn babies, but you don’t care about the grownups starving in Africa”? Our answer should be plain: “We care about both, and we are willing to fight for both.”
These issues are not something to talk about; there is no compromise with truth. We’ve been arguing long enough, and Pope Francis is one of the few to admit the failure of our “diplomacy.”
Dr. Nadal,
Thank you for interesting lunch-time reading. I always learn from your writings. My lunch break is almost over, but I will jot down the following thoughts, in hopes your exceptionally bright readers will weigh in.
I was particularly interested in the following two paragraphs you wrote:
“While this bifurcation is very real, the issues of sex, family, marriage, and abortion have a far greater catalytic power at tearing down Weatern Civilization than the issue of grinding poverty, which was omnipresent throughout Western Civilization’s rise. It’s difficult to adress the issues of poverty in a culture where raging hedonism is the new civic virtue…
“However, when we are addicted to tearing our brothers and sisters apart in the womb, using our brothers and sisters as objects for pleasure, and spitting on the natural order created by God, it’s a tough sell to get people behind an authentic vision of being our brother’s keeper.”
Dr. Nadal, it is my belief that abortion has also been omnipresent throughout Western Civilization’s rise. I also believe the Pope’ s position is that hedonism results in a failure to address poverty, which further begets hedonism of various kinds. To end this vicious cycle, you suggest successfully treating one symptom must occur before one can treat the other symptoms. In what seems to be the contrast for me, the Pope “feels the pain” created by all symptoms, and feels no gain can come without treating the patient holistically. As to whether his approach will succeed, who knows, but I can think of no approach with a greater chance.
Best wishes,
Reblogged this on Romulo's Advocate.
Tony,
I can not tell you the page number cause when I read that
I threw everything he wrote away. Sorry.
Perhaps Fr. Robert Barron. He has series called
Catholicism. He has a u-tube from the series as
to whether or not Hell is empty. Check it out.
Beverly
@Beverley Perhaps it would be better not to put words in thehe Pontiff’s mouth if you cannot give the accurate reference – especially contentious words.
I think pt-109 has hit it on the head. We will never remove abortion until we treat the disease; materialism and hedonism. If we can get back to simple honest living, a re-evangelization of civilization things will change. Hearts will open, we will begin to rediscover the love for our brothers and sisters.
It was in his book and I don’t keep heresy in my home. However, perhaps Fr. Barron may. enjoy his contentious
thoughts with you on facebook. He defended JPII on this issue
quoted him and agreed 100 percent.
I do not want to argue about facts anymore. I was mistaken
about most everyone here who neither reads or detects illogical
statements. As a retired school teacher, it’s driving me bonkers.
Bye
@Beverley when you throw around words like “Heresy” in relation to a saintly Pope , and make particular allegations about his writings, you have an obligation to substantiate your claims. But now you want to wilk away from your responsibility saying you don’t “want to argue about facts any more” then you complain about people neither read nor detect illogical statements without any logical indication what you are talking about.. Don’t be surprised at the way people will view what you say.
@ Beverley. I have taken the time to track down Father Barron’s views on the subject dated December 2012:http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/column.php?n=2383 It seems to me that he is arguing that the majority of people do not go to Hell, allowing for the efficacy of Our Divine Lord’s salvific work and the operation of Purgatory that does not seem to be a a Heretical position to hold. We cannot be certain that it is so – but it is not Heresy to believe that it is so.
@ Beverley I have also tracked down Bl John Paul II ‘s formal teaching on Heaven, Hell and Purgatory here: http://www.ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/jp2heavn.htm which you will see does not accord with your recollections, but does accord with the Church’s constant teaching and thus of course with Saint Thomas Aquinas. Let readers make their own judgement on your assertions.
I was raised a secular humanist; this week, I will attend my first RCIA class. So, I will read just about anything labelled “Catholic.” I am dismayed by the lack of obedience and charity found at both ends of the spectrum. There is a lot of “us” and “them.” It doesn’t really sound like “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” If I were joining a merely human organization, I would think twice about it. But I love the Eucharist, and I love the saints. My observation is that the orthodox, who fail to address poverty, and the liberals who think the goverment should fix it, share something in common. Both perspectives lack any personal sacrifice. I am not well read on what the magisterium has to say on the issue, but I am familiar with the Gospels and the lives of the saints. Personal sacrifice is a common component in the life of our Lord and the saints. We are all called to be saints.
@Adrienne You are not shy with your generalizations,especially for one new to the Catholic Church.We are all indeed subject to the “universal call to holiness”. Saint Paul’s thinking moves along a bit further , and acknowledges that we have all been given different talents for use in support of Christ’s Church.As Pope Francis has reminded us the Church is not to be merely a philanthropic NGO.What will save us from erring in that direction or on the other hand , from being merely satisfied with knowledge without Love, is the
Love of the Person of Jesus Christ.When we have this we will then “love one another as I have loved you”.The Catholic Church is God’s hospital for mankind, it is not full of the Ideal Christians but of sinners striving for the prize of eternal life with God.Be patient with us, or rather, become a patient with us. God bless you and you time in the RCIA but always rely on the Catechism of the Catholic Church to verify what you are being taught.
Tony, scripture says , “the road to perdition is wide and many go, and the road to Heaven is narrow and few enter”. Doesn’t quite jive with Fr. Barron. He has also toned his statement down, probably too much heat.
@ Beverley You might extend you love of quoting Sacred Scripture back a few verse ti Matt 7 :1-3. Or even forward to Matt 7: 20 – would that I could demonstrate the fruits of Father Barron – which have been quite abundant even here at the end of the Earth in Australia. In any case the passage is Our Divine Lord speaking of the present time before the world had been blessed with the 7 sacraments – including the Sacrament of Baptism, Confirmation and the Blessed Eucharist, of Penance and of the Anointing of the Sick.etc. All of which He gave us, recognising the problem He Himself had described. As Pope Benedict has reminded us the Scriptures are to be read as a whole not on a cafeteria basis, picking a particular passage to beat over the headthose we should be loving