We Have A New Pope

        We now have a new Pope even along side Benedict XVI. It will be hard for him, no doubt, to reign just across the courtyard, more or less, from a living Pope. Normally the last Pope dies and has to be replaced.

         This time one has resigned and lingers. A new Pope is set up.
        Just who is this person? A biography has been written. More like a press release, but you have to start someplace.
       It is not like he is not known by the inner circle. He worked fairly close with John XXIII and with Benedict XVI. He just does not put himself forward to be notriced. He seems to have been working behind the field in the background.
     A book has been written ,as I have noted. Francis, a man of prayer by Mario Escobar. I will place a link to Amazon so you can get this book..
     You should get to know this person. He may do great things.

Francis: Man of Prayer
 

Pope Benedict XVI Steps Down

     Everyone has heard by now. Pope Benedict XVI Steps Down from his Pope-ship.
    After all,  the Pope is just a CEO of the company
    Of course if you are a member of the Catholic Church you expect the Pope to die in office and then have the Cardinals gather together and vote in another CEO or Pope
     That is the way it is according to the rule book.

      No, not the Bible.
      The Bible nowhere talks about the office of Pope.
      Sure, if you are a member of the Roman Cathoic Church and have sent your child to be taught at a Catholic School, you know the story of Jesus asking the disciples who do the people say I am.
     And they tell Him people say he is a prophet or Elijah or whatever.
    Jesus asks them who do you say I am?
    This is where Peter says, you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
      Jesus says, blessed are you,Simon Bar Jonah for neither flesh or blood has told you but my Father who is in heaven.
 .  Now this is the place the teachers of religion classes slip in that Jesus gave him,-- Peter,-- the keys that made him a Pope.
    Wrong.
    Any person who studies the Bible, and they don't, knows that you have to interpret a passage by the context. The church that was to come is not in view in this passage. What we have is leadership . Peter would be the one in the early church that would open the door to the gentiles.

     Getting back to  the stepping down of Benedict from the Popeship. He is not going to be the first.. He joins three others in the history of the Roman Catholic Church.

      In 1045 Benedict IX sold the popeship to his godfather before resigning. In 1294  Celestine V was so overwhelmed by the job that after  five months he stepped down. In 1415 a Pope Gregory XII stepped down in order not to cause a schism in the church.

     So the present Pope in in a group of leaders who didn't die in office.

     He will be missed as are all leaders of some sort or another.

The Sin Of Roger Mahony

Surprise!!

     You have heard. You would have to not have been aware of the sin of Roger Mahony. What he did not only hurts Roman Catholics but True Christians.
      It was bad enough that he hid the pedophile life style of those he was placed in authority of, but he lied. He lied by not allowing the crime committed toward the young people to be known, but by saying he represented God's people.
      It was wrong to not report the priests who were molesting the children.  It is wrong to write about it and then bury the criminal under the umbilla of church protection.
     He is as guilty of the crime as those who did it.
     Be sure your sin will find you out. Also these things which are done in darkness will be brought to light.
     Now that it is known and his part in the crime is exposed, he should be stripped of his position and sent to do time in prison. He is not above the law.
     As I see it the problem with the Roman Catholic Church is that its' leaders think themselves above the law.
      Okay, maybe I shouldn't put the blame on the organization. It was Mahony  who did the crime.
      Think of the people whoes lives he ruined.
      You see, Roman Catholic mothers feel that their child is safe when they allow a priest-- a so called man of God-- to be alone with the child. Nothing can happen since the priest is so holy and would not ever think of doing anything to the child.
       Having been a Roman Catholic I can tell you that it just aint so. Having gone to Catholic schools and suffering under the educational system that allows the nuns and brothers to beat the child if there is a slight infraction,or even a bit of forgetfulness, -- as if the child belonged to the system and not the parents..I understand the underside.
       But Thank God that He and I met back in 1969 and He forgave me all my sins. It was the sins that kept me from heaven. Sin bears guilt. Guilt demands a punishment. That punishement being death or eternal separation from God.
       God wants a relationship. Sin keeps a person from that relationship.
       It is Christ not the Church that saves.
       It is that truth that makes the Roman Catholic Church not the true church but a cult.
      One of the signs of a cult is when they say they are the only true church.
      A relationship with God obtained by a relationship with Jesus who said " I am the way, the truth, and the life, No one comes to the Father by through me". that puts you on the road to heaven.
      I will let you think about that.