A SCOTTISH Church has attacked the Pope's forthcoming tour of Britain, describing the decision to bestow state visit status on the occasion as "particularly offensive". [Read below and you'll see why the visit is offensive.]
The attack from the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland came as it was confirmed Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate an open-air mass at Glasgow's Bellahouston Park in September during his first visit to Scotland.
The venue for the ceremony was confirmed after a meeting between Glasgow City Council and the Bishops' Conference of Scotland. The conference said:
"The park provides a wonderful venue for what will be a tremendous event, it is a place that has a great resonance for Scottish Catholics, many of whom remember fondly the wonderful day in 1982 when Pope John Paul II said mass there." [See? JP2 was there. But I am not sure if they had the same reaction with Papa Lolek as they have now with Papa Benny.]
But the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland deplored the plans and passed an official protest at its recent synod.
A statement said it finds it "offensive that this visit results from an invitation to the Pope as Head of State, giving him that recognition and pretended legitimacy which he claims in opposition to the principles of the Reformation." [Two points: First, the pope IS a head of state since Vatican City is a sovereign state, just like tiny states like Malta and Singapore. So it is but proper that a visiting head of state get the courtesy he deserves...unless these presbyterians were not taught the proper manners on receiving guests! Second, GROW UP! The Reformation is long gone and the Council of Trent and the Jesuits have already dealt with it!]
It adds: "We deny that he is the head of the Christian Church [he is of the Catholic Church! He does not claim to be your head or any other Christian denomination!] or that he has any civil power which should receive recognition by any State, [*belch*] particularly one which has renounced his pretended jurisdiction." [huh?! what history book is this dude reading?]
Describing the Papacy as "deceitful and unrighteous", [hu-hum...] the Free Presbyterians highlighted recent global exposure of child abuse by Roman Catholic clergy, and suggest the Pope has connived in a cover-up. [suggests. Maybe they have a fifth Gospel...The Gospel of the New York Times!]
It also highlighted that the tour is scheduled for the key anniversary of the Scottish Reformation in 1560. The Free Presbyterian Church adds: "We find it particularly offensive that this visit will commence in Edinburgh where, 450 years ago, under the brave and godly leadership of John Knox and our other Reformers, the jurisdiction of the pope was forever abolished." [By your severance from Rome, yes, but not of the pope's power over the whole Catholic world. But seeing it as it is, I found it funny that the event was times during the time ole Johnny Knoxvilee, ehrm, John Knox made his own church. LOVE IT!]
A spokesman for the Scottish Catholic Church [more appropriately should be Catholic Church in Scotland] said: "Pope Benedict XVI will come to this country as a guest of the UK government and with the good wishes of many people of all faiths and none.
"All viewpoints within society, no matter how small and unrepresentative they may be, have a right to be heard, but intemperate objections should not detract from what will be a tremendous occasion for Scotland, which will enjoy many benefits as a result of the visit." [Bing! Bing! Bing!]
More than half of the 185,000 Catholics who attend Sunday services across Scotland are expected to be able to attend the mass on 16 September.
The 450 parishes in Scotland will receive a pro-rata allocation of places based on their mass attendance figures. Thousands more are expected to line the route of the Pope's motorcade through Edinburgh that day.
A St Ninian's Day Pageant in Edinburgh, involving children and pipe bands, is also planned.
Pope Benedict will celebrate an open air mass at Coventry Airport to beatify 19th-century Cardinal John Henry Newman. Crowds of 250,000 are expected at the event, which is open to all, on 19 September.
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You know who hates people who teach sexual abstinence and faithfulness to spouses? Lustful people.
You know who hates the truth? Liars
You know who fears God? The devil.
You do the math. It's like 1 + 1 = 2.
Chicken feed.
The blog of a group of Filipino Catholics and their frank commentary on anything that affects their lives as a citizen of the Philippines and as a Roman Catholics.
These Protestants have to be reminded that the Pope is Sovereign of the Holy See by the fact that he is Bishop of Rome. This has long been recognized even before nation-states were formed in the middle ages. Now if they ask from where the Pope gets his sovereignty, then the answer is obvious. It is not by the consent of the people as in Scotland and other democracies , but from Christ himself, King of the Universe!
ReplyDeleteThe Pope is not the head of the Catholic Church but the Vicar of Christ (translation: representative of Christ). But this representative is no ordinary one with delegated powers. He possesses real power since Christ himself granted these to Saint Peter.
He therefore has de jure authority and primacy over the whole Christian Church: Protestants, Anglicans, Orthodox, Born Agains etc included. Non-Catholics may not recognize this authority, but this does not alter the fact that he has real authority over them.
No law of man or act of synod of any separated church can abolish the Pope's authority. Only Christ can.
This authority becomes more relevant in our times. The Pope is the only global personality that people of all confessions and even those who do not hold religious belief recognize as a universal moral authority. Richard Dawkins and those secularists who want to crucify the Pope are a tiny minority. God's will is that his witness be heard by all.
However, the Pope is our servant rather than Lord in fidelity to Christ. He will not impose his REAL authority on the Protestants. He will however give Christian Charity to anyone, even the non-believers.
Also the
Correction: he believes to have / to be. His claims are, however, unsubstantiated. The Orthodox point of view is much more convincing... He simply wishes he were a regular monarch, thus creating a Church that resembles a state so much it's almost indistinguishable. It doesn't mean conquering the world, but joining it.
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