In life, there are many things you may find shocking. For me, I actually agree with Pope Francis on something, leaving me flabbergasted.
I am hardly ever someone who says they can align their thoughts with the Catholic Church. However, I do agree with Pope Francis calling out hypocrisy among some Catholics who expressed their disapproval at his decision to allow priests to bless same-sex couples. It should be noted the Catholic Church still treats same-sex actions as sinful and does not allow for same-sex marriage which are just two of many things I disagree with the organization about.
According to NBC, Pope Francis told Italian magazine Credere, “Nobody gets scandalized if I give my blessings to a businessman who perhaps exploits people, and this is a very grave sin. But they get scandalized if I give them to a homosexual.”
I wholeheartedly agree with his Holiness on this point. Some Catholics will ignore many so-called sins, but be very quick to condemn homosexuals. These same Catholics might ignore that the meek will supposedly inherit the earth, the merciful will be shown mercy and the peacemakers will be called sons of God.
My favorite ignored commandment of Jesus is not to pray in public. While there are many conservative Christian who want to bring mandatory prayer back in school, this would be an ultimate insult to their god.
Matthew 6:5-6 states, “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Above all, Jesus preached against two people: the rich and hypocrites. Ironically, many so-called “Trad” [traditional] Catholics tend to be hypocrites. Religions tend to evolve, no matter which one. Christians, Jews, Hindus and Pagans from around 2,000 years ago would be unrecognizable in the modern day. Trad Catholics tend to be those who are blinded by nostalgia of a pre-Vatican II Catholic Church. By rejecting the Pope’s orders, these “Catholics” are hilariously more in line with Protestants.
The Trad Catholic movement is one which is frightening and regressive. It is a movement more obsessed with Latin masses and only placing the Eucharist on a tongue, as opposed to a hand, than it is with feeding the hungry or clothing the naked.
While I do agree if something is not broken there is no need to fix it, there was plenty wrong with the Catholic Church, which is why the Second Vatican Council happened. You are supposed to replace the things that are outdated.
If someone really cares about having Latin mass that is totally fine by me, but I feel they should be more focused on the bigger picture of what their religion preaches. Catholics are supposed to listen to the Pope, so I suggest they actually listen and treat homosexuals better.
Nico Brazill can be contacted at
nbrazill@kscequinox.com
