Catholic Church Remains In Dark Ages

[ChillDoubt]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29677779

He's got work to do yet it would appear. Shame really, he appears very down to earth and popular.
Looks like the Synod is not yet ready to join the 21st century though, and for some time to come I'll wager.

[jim360]

Not surprising, although a bit of a disappointment. Still, even considering the question is arguably a positive step.

[DTCwordfan]

Bit like the CoE and it took a few Synods to get the concept of a female bishop into place. Same here, I guess and I don't think that Pope Francis has finished yet.

[EDDIE51]

As the Bible clearly states that homosexuality is 'An abomination unto God'
it is a bit difficulty to see how this can be resolved unless the Church is prepared to say that Bible is wrong!

[ducksie]

yet there are gay priests (RC) in Ireland fighting over a propery - well, it's actually been resolved in the courts yesterday

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/i-am-who-i-am-says-gay-priest-in-property-row-with-his-former-lover-30673480.html

[EDDIE51]

^^ Gay priests are not allowed. This priest will now lose his living and be excommunicated if the allegations that he is Gay are substantiated. It is known that he and the other man have lived together for many years but it was assumed they were just friends who shared a house. There is no ban on priests sharing a house with other men/ priests ( it is very common) but there must not be a sexual element to the relationship.

[sandyRoe]

I never knew the Church was a democracy. Indeed, I had thought if the Pope wrapped himself in the garb of Papal Infallibility the rest of the Church, high and low, had no option but to accept what he was saying.
I live and learn.

[jno]

papal infallibility only applies to doctrinal matters; this isn't really one.

[janbee]

Never forget though, that the Catholic church is not in the dark ages compared with radical islam... in fact , it is positively glowing with enlightenment !

[Peter Pedant]

// it is a bit difficulty to see how this can be resolved unless the Church is prepared to say that Bible is wrong! //

nothing wrong with that
no one believes that Jonah lived in the whales stomach for 7 days

[Peter Pedant]

// I had thought if the Pope wrapped himself in the garb of Papal Infallibility //

well think again ! the two main infallible bits are
1) the pope is infallible
the pope tells roman Catholics what they believe and if they dont like it they can become protestants or muslims . What is wrong with that ?

2) Immaculate conception - St Mary was the onlyone to beborn without original sin - otherwise makes it difficultto be theotokos - Mother of God.

er and that is it

The Pope sandy take it from me does not go around saying: I infallibly think it will be a fine day tomorrow......

I dont know Pope F personallybut I stillknow he doesnt do that

[anotheoldgit]

I think we have more to fear from Islam than a religion who's only threat is it's slowness to recognise homosexuality, at least the Catholic Church along with the Church of England, do not commit violence towards homosexuals.

[sandyRoe]

PP, he needs to be circumspect when he dons the cape of infallibility. He has the wit to know he can't play King Canute or order tomorrows weather. But as Christ's Vicar on Earth you'd think he carried the clout to knock a few curmudgeonly cardinals into line.

[whiskeryron]

As head of the Roman Catholic Church I think the pope should start pensioning off a few cardinals & introduce some who have moved into the 21st century.

[Hypognosis]

@Chilldoubt

Excuse the lack of answer but there was no question in your OP.

The church is none of my concern but, to go out on a limb, I reckon that they should go against the tide of public opinion and go the other way: indist that priests be asexual. Any kind of sexual relations and they are out of the door. That would be fair to all proclivities, wouldn't it?

[whiskeryron]

Sorry to disagree Hypognosis but I feel that would be counter productive & totally against human nature, better that the Roman Catholic church change their attitude & employ married priests.

[Hypognosis]

@PeterPedant

//nothing wrong with that
no one believes that Jonah lived in the whales stomach for 7 days //

I did. But that was when I was just a kid. Biology lessons put that right.

It can't be spun as being 'figurative'. It's easy to make out that it was a sci-fi spaceship/submarine scenario or that he was tripping on ergot-contaminated bread.

[Hypognosis]

@WhiskeyRon

(celibacy) it's supposed to go against human nature. They are supposed to imitate the life of JC, in order to be godly and, on a practical level, they need to be "on-call" for their flock for most of their waking hours, not restricting it to just 'working hours', like ordinary folk. No distractions from their duties, such as relationships, children, grandchildren and so on. It would be unfair on their spouse and kids for them to be frequently called away to aid parishoners in distress.

If they become 'unworldly' as a result of that then maybe that's the point - they're meant to be intermediaries with God and the 'next world'.

[vetuste_ennemi]

If you believe that God (in His Word, and in the tradition of the Church, and through His Vicar on earth) has revealed eternal truths, then what was wrong yesterday does not become right today merely because homosexuals and divorcees want it so.

[Retrochic]

I always thought that Celibacy was enforced in the middle ages by the catholic church for its priests so that none of the churches wealth could be inherited by wives, sons and daughters. Totally agree with vetuste enemmi.