"Let my prayer be directed like incense before you; the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice. Hear me, O Lord." - Psalm 141:2This most assuredly will be extremely difficult for Pope Benedict XVI, the 265th Pope and successor to the Apostle Peter, to accomplish with a clear conscience.
Pope Benedict XVI recently finished his trip to the United Kingdom and it is time to reflect on the pope's supremacy since his elevation in 2005.
This Pope's reign over the Roman Catholic Church has been marred by cases of sexual abuse that have wreaked havoc on the church, not to mention the lack of ecumenism and hateful statements that have been made.
The Church, under his control, has moved from a progressive modernizing Church, backwards to a Church from the High Middle Ages, where popes were not only religious leaders but also monarchs, ruling with such pomp and circumstance that would rival any royal court in the world.
Even the pope's fashion has gone from modest under Pope John Paul II, to the current flair and fashion that rivals the couture and houses of Italian fashion.
"The pope communicated in a cold way that was little suited to what was happening around him," said Italian film director Fanco Zeffirelli. "These are not times for high tailoring in papal vestments,"
The pope, who now sports exotic fur-lined garments and hats, should take an in-depth look at the world in its current state.
The image of Christ being born in a manger and wearing carpenters' garments, juxtaposed with his lavish dress are yet another reason the Church is out of touch with society.
Speaking of "out of touch," remember when the pope told Africa that the distribution of condoms would not subdue the spread of AIDS but rather increase the spread of AIDS?
A former pope also told Galileo that he was wrong about the heliocentric model of our solar system, and look how well that turned out.
Who can forget the pope's words that sparked outrage in the Islamic world when he quoted Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Paleologos, saying, "Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."
According to The New York Times, he went on to say that "...violence in the name of religion was contrary to God's nature and to reason."
Pause.
Thank you.
Maybe you can go back in time and tell that to the other dozen popes, like Urban II, who called for the Crusades.
When it comes to ecumenism and interfaith dialogue, Pope Benedict XVI does not have diplomacy, tact or the willingness to mend old wounds, like many of his predecessors ,including Pope John Paul II, Pope Paul VI and Pope John XXIII.
Pope Benedict XVI's recent visit to the United Kingdom, while cordial and friendly on the outside, was extremely tense on the inside.
The people who gathered to see the pope perform Mass were dwarfed in comparison to the massive crowds Pope John Paul II had when he visited the UK.
Last year, Pope Benedict XVI made it easier for Anglicans to convert to Roman Catholicism, citing that many Anglicans were disenchanted by a church who had allowed openly gay bishops and female ordination. Sounds like a great idea for inter-Christian dialogue and relations.
The ability to steal as many converts from the other church as possible. Pope Benedict XVI attacked what he felt was the secular threat in Britain and said that they must stay true to their long-standing traditions.
This is in line with his long-term goals to reinvigorate the faith in Europe.
Good Luck.
The monumental clergy sex scandal has already destroyed the church in many irreversible ways.
Before he was Pope, Cardinal Ratzinger was head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which was assigned to investigate clergy abuse by Pope John Paul II.
Yet new reports, including a CNN documentary entitled "What the Pope Knew," shed light on the fact that the pope covered clergy abuse, most notably Rev. Murphy, who was charged with molesting and raping as many as 200 deaf boys.
Benedict said that the Church had failed, but in fact, he had failed in carrying out his duties.
"[Ratzinger] would always accede to the priest's wishes first, rather than the victim's wishes, rather than justice for the victims," David Gibson, a Papal biographer said on CNN.
"They were secondary to what the priest wanted and what he felt was best for keeping things quiet and taking care of the institutional church."
So I leave you with this question. What do you think Christ thinks of the leadership of the
Catholic Church?
SIC: TUSDV/USA