"Finally, I would like to say a word to you, my dear young Catholics of Scotland. I urge you to lead lives worthy of our Lord (cf. Eph 4:1) and of yourselves. There are many temptations placed before you every day – drugs, money, sex, pornography, alcohol – which the world tells you will bring you happiness, yet these things are destructive and divisive.
There is only one thing which lasts: the love of Jesus Christ personally for each one of you. Search for him, know him and love him, and he will set you free from slavery to the glittering but superficial existence frequently proposed by today’s society. Put aside what is worthless and learn of your own dignity as children of God. In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks us to pray for vocations: I pray that many of you will know and love Jesus Christ and, through that encounter, will dedicate yourselves completely to God, especially those of you who are called to the priesthood and religious life. This is the challenge the Lord gives to you today: the Church now belongs to you!"
Interesting question to ponder: is there any Anglican Primate, outside of Africa and Asia, who would be likely to say something similar to young people in a public address?
Pope Benedict, who said these words the other day in Scotland, believes a number of things which are disagreeable to those who are not Catholics. But here he says something which I think is most agreeable to Jesus Christ and to Scripture's witness to Jesus. I salute him for saying it.
Incidentally I am not alone as a conservative Anglican in appreciating this point of common accord with a leader of many Christians. On the strength of it I am prepared to grant the Pope an indulgence to cover the possibility of a less than honourable ecumenical gesture by shifting the date of the feast of beatified Newman. :)
9 comments:
I believe that all of them would.
Are you sure that layfolks can grant indulgences?
If indulgences are not sacraments then, surely, layfolks can grant them ...
I'm afraid that after this -
http://physicsworld.com/blog/2010/09/in_the_pub_with_the_popes_astr.html - I shall never be able to picture the Pope other than as Ludwig von Drake.
Greetings Peter
I’m with David. I struggle to see what you find particularly stirring here – the essence of this message I would regularly bring to the young people with whom I serve. I wonder on what basis you are suggesting our three primates would not be likely to proclaim such sentiments? I suggest our three ACANZP non-African, non-Asian primates would happily proclaim this, as would the Archbishop of Canterbury, of York, the Presiding Bishop of TEC. In fact none I can think of would take issue. So I don’t understand your point. It’s quite a moderate statement.
As to moving the date of Newman – that I think is ecumenical skullduggery run amok. See my http://tinyurl.com/2wndock
Blessings
Bosco
Hi Bosco,
I would be delighted to be proven quite wrong in thinking that Western Anglican primates would not, and recently have not, spoken as clearly as the Pope spoke.
As for skulduggery, I shall comment on your post not here!
Peter, most primates speak to the topic relevant to where they have been invited. And certainly any of the Anglican primates of the world would speak along similar lines were they invited to address a situation directed toward the youth of the church.
They also do not hold themselves in the same light as the Bishop of Rome. Good primates realize that they are guests when they are in the jurisdiction of another. They do not fancy themselves the Supreme Pontiff of the world, and conduct themselves accordingly.
Just a fleeting thought, but I wonder how Benedict would behave were he the guest in the Orthodox East?
Hi David
I am sure he would be more circumspect than he is in the West!
Just a fleeting thought, but I wonder how Benedict would behave were he the guest in the Orthodox East?
Here's your answer
Benedict XVI and Bartholomew I recite the Creed in Greek
Andy, that answers nothing. The man was in a Catholic building celebrating Mass and the Patriarch was his guest.
But publicly he laid pretty on that trip. No pontificating in Turkey. Of course he had shot himself in the foot with his remarks about Islam a couple months before his trip.
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