www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News What you'll be hearing a lot of in the next few days/weeks/months/years ...

Some have dubbed him as "PanzerKardinal" (and now could be "PanzerPope"), still by others as God's (or the Vatican's) "Rotweiler!"

Affectionately, I like this one: our "German Shepherd!"

Amado

I like that one too! Yes, we can definitely use a good watchdog!

I'm not the least bit surprised that the liberals aren't exactly thrilled by Pope Benedict. The gay and lesbian groups here in the Philippines weren't too happy, either. But then the Church isn't about to fudge on such issues just to please these groups. I believe Pope Benedict also wants a smaller, but more intact, Church rather than a large and diverse one.

I get the feeling when reading some scripture passages, especially in the Old Testatment, that God is more interested in quality than quantity. He seems to prefer 100 devout believers over thousands who are not faithful. I think we may just have to accept the fact that the Church can not change in ways that will make it popular in our society. It has a higher calling than that.

God is interested in the salvation of all. This is a quality and quantity issue. It is a shame for people to think it is a good thing for the Church to shrink; it never is.

Henry,
I don't think any of us truly wants to see the Church shrink, and to be honest, I don't see shrinkage happening in the near future. Truth is, most people, even if they don't agree with everything the Church teaches, are willing to wait for change to happen in God's time, and if the change doesn't come, accept that this is just how it is. The ones who threaten to leave every time they don't get their way, whether they be progessive, modernists, or traditionalists, are probably a very small minority and I would bet that for every one of them that actually does leave, at least two more come in to take their place. Of course it would be better if no one left at all and we all learned to get along like the large, diverse family we are, but we are human and sinful and there are always going to be those who, in their pride and inpatience, tend to rock the boat a bit harder than normal. Most of what we are hearing about people threatening to leave and a 'grand inquistor' Pope who is going to throw people out, is just the media pandering to those who get into scandal and gossip and in this country, unfortunately, it's gossip and scandal that sells.

Vie

Well the other nite on Journey Home, the doctor made an excellent comment. "He said 99% of those who leave the Church, leave because of an emotional responce. The 99% that come into the Church, come in because of Scripture and doctrine. The last have sought it out and know it to be true."

The Church may shrink some, but they will come back.

In John 6:68-72, Jesus shows mystery of free will. Although Gods chooses us, we have the free will to reject Him, Yet He knows already what we will do. In John 6:68 Jesus offers them the choice of leaving Him, but at the leadership of St. Peter, the Apostles profess their faith in Jesus and remain with Him. This is not the first time they believed He was the Messiah, the Son of God, for the expression of their faith is in the past perfect tense: they believed in the past, and continue to believe. In John 6:71 Jesus demonstrates His Divinity by showing that He chose them yet they chose to continue with Him.

People have a choice to make, they can't straddle the fence. He has called them to have faith in Christ, but he will let them go. He calls them to follow the Church, but she will let them go.

An awesome picture of the two popes following the Cross.
http://www.spiritdaily.com/benedictjohnpaul.htm

Is it not written in Scripture somewhere that the Good Shepherd will abandon 99 sheep in search of the 1 that is lost ?

I wouldn't say "abandon". I would say he locked them up safe and sound in the sheepfold before he went out looking for the lost one.

Tammy