Questions about Catholicism

[buck_wild]

IMO this is all you need to know. Confessing to a mortal man isn't doing anything IMO.
1 John 1:9

⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Just a thought from a semi-Catholic (which I'm slightly ashamed to admit). Sure you can "talk" to God about your sins and ask forgiveness, BUT have you ever tried to sit down with another man (or even person) and actually have the courage to bear your soul and admit your sins verbally? It's not so easy, and to do so creates that extra step of courage needed to correct your misgivings. Additionally, priests are actually pretty good listeners these days, and another form of guidance/counseling, if so needed.

[buck_wild]

RiverRat1 This is your usual bi-annual Catholic thread ??

[HeyMikey]

I don't see any "Catholic bashing" here at all. I see legitimate questions being asked, and opinions being discussed. I was raised Catholic but quit practicing it about the time I graduated from HS. My mother's entire extended family were Catholic, and most still are, so out of respect for them, I never shared my opinions about the most recent pope on FB, but I held him in extremely low regard, and hope for their sake, that the Vatican actually chooses a Catholic to serve as pope this time, and not another woke politician.

[RiverRat1]

1. What does the Church consider the Pope to be exactly? Just a figurehead, a prophet or??
My Belief and teachings show him to be the Leader of the Vatican, and the Senior person representing the Catholic Church throughout the World. His position allows him to guide, inspire and preach to people all around the world. You dont have to be Catholic to hear his sermons, you can listen and take solitude in how or what they are discussing or preaching about. Lastly, he in the one person out there that is not afraid to remind us of the poor, the homeless, the ones that need prayer and forgiveness.
2. Are all Catholics required to do or believe what the Pope says? I think that his teachings and or examples of living a Godly life can impact more people in the entire world. you can choose to follow, or at least listen to his teachings or sermons. If you chose to follow , Great. If you chose to say, no way , i aint going to do that. Thats a personal choice. But he is the Senior person in the Church. Just like the sunday sermon, once its over, we can use it to guide us, help others when we can. and improve one persons life. or we can just go home, watch the game and live life , each to our own.
3. When they elect a new Pope is it just men electing a new leader or do they claim it's much deeper like God putting a new Pope in charge? The Cardinals all have to elect or vote to elect a new Pope. There is lots of discussion about what direction they want the new pope to take, there is lots of discernment or issues that not everyone wants to discuss or change in the Church. Think of it as a choice for who you would want to set the priorities of the Church Doctrine for what issues are important to you. The Pope that just passed said that everyone was welcome in the church. He actually opened the doors and invited old Catholics back in. Many felt slighted or not welcome due to policy issues and went to other churches or directions.
He also allowed more women to take part in various leadership roles withing the church.
These are my thoughts, some might agree, some might have other thoughts. I have more faith in The Pope then the establishment in Washington.

Thanks for the answers.
So the Pope would be sort of like if all Baptist around the world elected one main preacher or leader?

Has it always been this way or long ago was the Pope more like a prophet?

FTR - This thread isn't here to discuss doctrines of the Church.

[Mayhem]

Just a thought from a semi-Catholic (which I'm slightly ashamed to admit). Sure you can "talk" to God about your sins and ask forgiveness, BUT have you ever tried to sit down with another man (or even person) and actually have the courage to bear your soul and admit your sins verbally? It's not so easy, and to do so creates that extra step of courage needed to correct your misgivings. Additionally, priests are actually pretty good listeners these days, and another form of guidance/counseling, if so needed.

Well of course I have, and most other have if you had someone help lead you to Christ. The time right before accepting Christ as ones saver is a very vulnerable time in ones life full of many emotions. I just see no reason to sit in a box and tell a man my sins when the father already knows. The pope cant get you to heaven. I am not bashing Catholics I have just never understood the premise of most of the religion.

[Raleigh]

Curious about a few things.
1. What does the Church consider the Pope to be exactly? Just a figurehead, a prophet or??
2. Are all Catholics required to do or believe what the Pope says?
3. When they elect a new Pope is it just men electing a new leader or do they claim it's much deeper like God putting a new Pope in charge?

Hmm, good questions.
I am catholic and as a simple man will give you my .02.
1) The pope is the leader of the Catholic church and God's representative on earth.
2) Not required to follow the pope. I follow the ten commandments, believe Jesus was born to the virgin Mary, died for our sins, and was risen.
3) Cardinals (who are normal men) elect the pope.

Does this help?
Raleigh

[TMC50]

Growing up with no real religion, I went to a lot of different churches, just depended which friend or county I was in that weekend. Always enjoyed church and hearing scripture but was never a priority.

When I finally grew up and met my wife, she was catholic as was her family and church was important to them. It was important to her to get married in the catholic church so I did what I needed to do to become catholic but did not do it the traditional route. I did my RCIA with the priest and my father in law and let me tell you that is where I learned about the faith. We would do it over dinner and a drink at my house, at the church, or at his house. I am now involved in our church and enjoy every bit of it.

My .02 is not everyone agrees with what is said. I know I did not agree with everything that the Pope said but that is the beautiful thing about life, you can agree to disagree. I am far from knowing the whole part of the Pope but I did learn that they are buried in 3 coffins...

Confession is one of the things that I thought was silly but boy is it hard at times to sit and talk to someone about your wrong-doings.. Don't believe me, try it! Try to be 100% honest with someone about what you have messed up on. I told my ol lady the other day, it is like free therapy.

[ThisLadyHunts]

https://www.google.com/search?q=answers+to+the+catholic+faith+concerning+ the+pope&sca_esv=af28ae19672f4faf&sxsrf=AHTn8zrfpI zu3oMRJE19SZfu-VPNPIeUfw%3A1745277529720&ei=WdIGaPXQK5LR0PEP4o-Q8A8&ved=0ahUKEwi14cW5oeqMAxWSKDQIHeIHBP4Q4dUDCBA& uact=5&oq=answers+to+the+catholic+faith+concerning +the+pope&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiMWFuc3dlcnMgdG 8gdGhlIGNhdGhvbGljIGZhaXRoIGNvbmNlcm5pbmcgdGhlIHBv cGUyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigAT IFECEYnwUyBRAhGJ8FMgUQIRifBTIFECEYnwUyBRAhGJ8FSOg8 UJ4VWLcqcAF4AZABAJgBnQGgAYYUqgEEMC4yMLgBA8gBAPgBAZ gCFaACpBXCAgoQABiwAxjWBBhHwgIGEAAYFhgewgILEAAYgAQY hgMYigXCAggQABiABBiiBMICCBAAGKIEGIkFwgIFECEYqwKYAw CIBgGQBgiSBwQxLjIwoAf7lwGyBwQwLjIwuAedFQ&sclient=g ws-wiz-serp

Lots of good information here of which I suspect even most “everyday” Catholics are unaware. For example, I did not know that the Pope is considered a successor to the apostle Peter.

Thanks for sharing.

[mikemorvan]

Is the question: What does the Roman Catholic Church teach as far as the role of the Pope and what that means for members of the faith?

Or, what do individual members of North American Roman Catholic parishes believe about the role of the Pope, etc.?

The answers to the questions will be very different. FWIW: raised Catholic, went to Catholic school through 8th grade.

[RiverRat1]

Hmm, good questions.
I am catholic and as a simple man will give you my .02.
1) The pope is the leader of the Catholic church and God's representative on earth.
2) Not required to follow the pope. I follow the ten commandments, believe Jesus was born to the virgin Mary, died for our sins, and was risen.
3) Cardinals (who are normal men) elect the pope.

Does this help?
Raleigh

Helps except the bolded. Sounds like man chooses God's representative according to others in this thread, which is fine. But that was the main question I had.

Is the question: What does the Roman Catholic Church teach as far as the role of the Pope and what that means for members of the faith?
Or, what do individual members of North American Roman Catholic parishes believe about the role of the Pope, etc.?
The answers to the questions will be very different. FWIW: raised Catholic, went to Catholic school through 8th grade.

It gets deeper. After dealing with other religions I'm curious the answer to both these questions today, 100 years ago, and also even further back.

But thanks for the answers. Clarified it for me.

[Landrover]

RiverRat1 This is your usual bi-annual Catholic thread ??

, pretty much........politics, sex and religion don't go well in this type of environment. If I truly wanted those answers I would probably go to the rectory and knock on the door to have a discussion from a place of ignorance/knowledge seeking.

[Death from Above]

Confession is instructed in the Bible. James 5:16

King James Bible
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

New King James Version
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

New American Standard Bible
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much.

NASB 1995
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

HOW a denomination goes about doing it us up to them...but there should be no discounting its purpose and practice in the Christian life.



As a SBC seminary graduate and pastor of an SBC church...knowing the track record of SBC leadership keeps me from throwing shade at any denomination lol

[Man]

So would other Catholics agree that you can be Catholic and not care what the Pope says?

No one has ever told me I can't.

[mikemorvan]

There is a really good book: The Nuns of St. Ambrosio. It deals with a scandal in the Roman Catholic Church in Italy. A side plot / issue deals with the role of the Pope and how what an individual Pope may believe affects the whole of the faith. Very enlightening.

it’s like with everything in the world. It’s all about the individuals involved. There’s good and bad in everything, even the papacy. Interesting tidbit, there was a time when there were two Popes. Imagine the fun that engendered. 😬

[fishfeeder01]

Riverrat1,
Yes, there has always been a Pope. and yes, he is the elected leader of the Catholic Church. But remember the Vatican is its own city. I have worked and attended services with
Baptists, methodists, episcopal churches and have completed many mission based projects involving construction and hurricance cleanup with lots of youth. The cool thing, is that
no matter our backgrounds, at the end of the day. i can enjoy a cold beer ( or mineral water as some call it, ) with the Church leaders and have general discussions about almost anything.
As for Historical positions of the Pope.
I think that as times have changed, his Mission has also changed, back in the dark ages, the teachings and Doctrines I think were more applicable to those times. But nowadays i understand that they also can use social media to spread lessons of hope, and Homilies to reach us all. No matter where we are, My times in Iraq taught me that there are no athiests in a foxhole ( or Chemical shelter ) . And fun Fact. there is also a Actual drink a beer with your Priest day. I normally meet up with a Catholic priest, a Methodist and if / when available a Jewish Rabbi to have conversations. no joke, a fun meeting each year to learn from each other.