With Pope Francis came a tremendous change of direction in the Roman Catholic Church. The authoritarian style gave way to the tender affection of a people-loving church leader. Instead of violence, now the seduction of the human family to be united.
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Francis brought about a complete change
Since the inauguration of Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio SJ), a different wind has been blowing in the Vatican and in the rest of the world. The change would have after the resignation of his predecessor Benedict XVI. (Josef Ratzinger) could hardly be bigger. If you want to think in black and white, then ultra-liberal followed immediately after ultra-conservative.
The Argentinian of Italian descent not only deepened rifts within the Catholic army of clergy with his change of direction, but also caused astonishment in the religious and secular world. Just his first words after his election on the balcony in front of St. Peter’s Square indicated such a paradigm shift. “Fratelli e sorelle, buonasera” (Brothers and sisters, good evening) was Francis’ pragmatic greeting to the crowd. The “freshly minted” Benedict XVI. had at this point a little homage to his predecessor Joh. Paul. II. and the self-representation as a vineyard worker with a final “urbi et orbi”.
On March 13, 2023, it was 10 years since Francis took office and the summary is impressive. The tone from the Vatican, which can be heard worldwide, has changed significantly. The authoritarian style from the position of “elevated overview” changed into an approach to people from different cultures on an equal footing. Francis spoke of the “style of God”, which is characterized by kindness and goodness.
Sorting out in the church
It’s understandable that a squad of hardliners à la Ratzinger didn’t really know what to do with Bergoglio’s cozy course. The conflict was inevitable. The cath. Church internally roughly divided into two camps. But even today it can almost be prophesied that the clerics clinging to the arch-conservative and authoritarian traditions have little or no chance of survival. The sorting is already underway. The change from “untouchable authority” to an institution “friendly to the people” will be carried out. Ultimately, the goal is to gain the affection of all people from all countries and cultures. There must be nothing underneath. For this, the old-fashioned traditions that are referred to as Christian have to step back a little. Now climate protection and nature conservation, “Brother Sun” and “Mother Earth” are at the center of the conveyed “gospel”. How else can the Muslim, the Hindu and the indigenous recognize the “tender and people-loving moral institution” in Rome?
Human family must be united
Once the course was set. The train is very close to the home straight. An important and groundbreaking intermediate station is the encyclical Laudato si’ published by Francis. A script for further action to unite people, within a planet shaken by approaching “climate catastrophes”. An authoritarian style of terror as in the darkest times of the early to late Middle Ages the church cannot apply in the current time. The “united human family” needs understanding, affection, much love and confidence. The Pope and the guidelines of the Catholic Church can do all of this. Deliver social teaching with warmest hearts.
Has Cath. Church lost power and influence?
Anyone who believes the cath. Church has continued to lose power and influence in recent years, he is very wrong. The opposite is true. Colleagues from Francis’ same stable, the Jesuit order, have recently emphasized this fact. The influential Jesuit magazine “America – The Jesuit Review” highlighted the expansion of power through “charity” rather than authority and titled:
This cannot be contradicted at all. This was already clearly evident in 2015, when Francis visited the “executive power of the Vatican”, the USA, on September 23 and gave a speech in the US Congress. The heads of government of all countries, the CEOs of global corporations and the leaders of other religions hand each other over in the Vatican. Do they all want to ask the Pope for Mary’s intercession? Hardly likely.
Seduction instead of violence
The former monster was transformed into a graceful, cuddly woman. In the foreground the beguiling circus, the roaring lion in the background. The Bible has clear definitions for both figures. The “whore of Babylon” and the “Satan” bestowing power and authority. The peoples, along with their heads of government, have become drunk on the whore’s wine. They were all deceived, according to the clear message in Revelation 18:3:
“For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.”
Such monstrous activities as the cath. Church practiced during the worst sustained period in human history is not to be expected in the near future. Seduction instead of violence, that’s the motto. The evangelical churches, daughters who have returned to their mother Rome, contribute significantly to these developments. In the end it will be the normal but seduced people who, after legalization ordered by the state, will start persecuting the true believers who are defined as “pests of the common good”.
The prophet Micah has already announced this, Micah 7:6:
“For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.”
Jesus acknowledged these sad conditions in mankind, Matthew 10:36:
“And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.”
Bible verses from King James Version
