Anyone here neutral about Pope francis, or actually like him ?

[Acolyte]

I haven't posted much about him, other that a comment about him being a replacement for BXVI after BXVI was forced to resign. I recant that theory and no longer believe it to be so.

I just don't like to jump to conclusions about popes. Anyhow, after sitting back and watching Pope Francis, I don't see any reason to reject him as pope. Yes, he resembles a modernist moreso than a trad . That's certain.

I kind of like the guy now. He seems to be doing what he believes Christ would have him do in many things. And he has a sense of humor that isn't such a bad thing imo.

Cardinal Dolan and +Kurtz met the pope last fall, and +Kurtz told what happened at the end of the audience .....

....At the conclusion of the audience, Pope Francis offered to walk his guests to the door, to which Cardinal Dolan responded that it wasn't necessary for him to do so. Francis jokingly replied, "No, I want to make sure you leave."

So how would everyone here grade the pope so far ? I think we tend to jump the gun on many things he says without first considering his intent. But I admit some things he has said raise an eyebrow.

Like him, dislike him, or still waiting to see ?

[Larry]

I'm conflicted about the Pope as a person. I think he seems like a nice old guy. But there are a lot of nice old guys who have false ideas, and I think that applies to Francis. When the nice old guy who holds false ideas  is the Pope, it causes big problems.

[The Harlequin King]

He'd make for a great uncle. But great uncles don't necessarily make for great popes.

[orate]

I'm conflicted about the Pope as a person. I think he seems like a nice old guy. But there are a lot of nice old guys who have false ideas, and I think that applies to Francis. When the nice old guy who holds false ideas  is the Pope, it causes big problems.

I pretty much agree with Larry on this.  I'm still in "wait and see" mode, and I am seriously praying for the pope.

[voxxpopulisuxx]

Anyhow, after sitting back and watching Pope Francis, I don't see any reason to reject him as pope.

Expressing the possibility that the BVM might want to call God a deceiver and be scandalized by the cross is a big red flag dontchya think?

[Daniel]

I am not a fan, but I'm not sedevacantist and I think he's the Pope.

[Penelope]

I am not a fan, but I'm not sedevacantist and I think he's the Pope.

This is where I stand as well. Given the current situation, I'd much rather the sede be vacante, but I don't think it is.

[Sockpuppet]

While a very different personality, he's not much different from the previous pontiffs when it comes yo theology.

[Elliott]

I don't think he's a nice old man. He's constantly insulting people including the Blessed Virgin. He is a traitor.

[Petrie]

Yes, he resembles a modernist moreso than a trad . That's certain.

Given that modernism is the synthesis of all heresies, I'm not sure how anyone can say this in one breath and remain neutral or like him in another.

[Kaesekopf]

I think he is not a nice old fellow.  I think it's all an act.  I think he's malicious and intent on tearing down the vestiges of Catholicism.  He speaks out of both sides of his mouth. 

And, as Elliott said, he's constantly insulting or putting someone down.

Also, I don't think we've seen this type of arrogance in a long while.

[LouisIX]

While a very different personality, he's not much different from the previous pontiffs when it comes yo theology.

I think that remains to be seen, especially if we don't count comments to the media as a "theology".  He's essentially written two works as a pope: one was mostly the completion of a work already started by Benedict and the other was proclaimed as more of a pastoral than theological work.

[GopherBroke]

Well I'm more FSSP than SSPX, and I'm certainly not a sedevacantist, so I think he's legitimately the Pope and of course I want to support and like the Pope. And I do, to an extent. He was actually more or less responsible for my conversion, I started getting interested in Catholicism during the conclave and Francis provided an easy transition into this rabbit hole of a religion.

But I think the deeper I get into Catholic theology, history, philosophy, etc., the more I realize that Francis is very pedestrian. He's trying, I think, to appeal to non-Catholics, to modernists and liberals, he's trying to make everyone happy, and I think that's a deeply flawed strategy. The Church is shrinking and it's only going to get smaller, what we need right now is a man more in the mold of Benedict XVI, someone who can provide the Church a strong center and lead us in the truth of the faith, not someone who will continue to confuse and dilute it.

Now I certainly don't think Francis is out to destroy the Church or to undermine its teachings or that he wants to set the state for the ordination of women or gay marriage or abortion or anything like that. I simply think he has a (at least publicly) shallow theology, he's naive to the way the media reads him, and he has been a source of great confusion. It's unfortunate, but I have hope that he will begin getting used to the public attention soon and learn how to talk to a global audience, something I don't think he's quite mastered yet. And once he does that, hopefully we can just get through the years of his pontificate (I don't hold out any hope really of him turning into some great orthodox theologian out of nowhere) and pray for someone of a little tougher make to follow him. But I do think he's the Pope, and what's more I think he's a good guy, just maybe not quite cut out to lead the Church the way it needs to be lead right now. I do pray for him though, and for the success of him and the Church during these hard years.

[Sockpuppet]

While a very different personality, he's not much different from the previous pontiffs when it comes yo theology.

I think that remains to be seen, especially if we don't count comments to the media as a "theology".  He's essentially written two works as a pope: one was mostly the completion of a work already started by Benedict and the other was proclaimed as more of a pastoral than theological work.

True, but what's really the worst he can do: Assisi IV?

[LouisIX]

While a very different personality, he's not much different from the previous pontiffs when it comes yo theology.

I think that remains to be seen, especially if we don't count comments to the media as a "theology".  He's essentially written two works as a pope: one was mostly the completion of a work already started by Benedict and the other was proclaimed as more of a pastoral than theological work.

True, but what's really the worst he can do: Assisi IV?

I don't know.  There are a world of possibilities including proclaiming heresy.  But I don't expect that.