Who are your favorite Popes?

[Michie]

Lol! Info scramble. I'm a pro.

 

[JackRT]

I certainly agree with your choice of John XXIII and Francis. The Popes in between were an unfortunate setback.

Being most familiar with popes of the past 200 years, it would be difficult for me to rank other popes before that.

Gee whiz! You just gotta be the oldest person I know!

 

[Martinius]

Colin, I have no idea why you are getting so upset. This is supposed to be an up beat thread where we learn about our favorite Popes. Seems that to me you are being overly sensitive. I'm sorry you feel that way. I'll miss your presence.

Colin may be thinking of similar threads in the past that quickly degenerated into arguments over certain popes, along with some nasty words and flaming. I actually had that thought when I first saw the thread title, but so far it has been quite calm. But there hasn't been much in the way of contributions as yet.

 

[JackRT]

A most interesting read is "Vicars of Christ --- the dark side of the Vatican" by Father Peter Rosa.

 

[Michie]

Shoot! You got me looking through my book shelves. Pope John XXIII is the one that brought in Vatican II right?

The first is easy for me, Pope John XXIII. He is probably the biggest reason I am a Catholic today. He put a human face on the Church, and made it seem relevant to what was happening in the world and with humanity. To me, he led Catholicism out of the dark, cold, somber shadows of a Latinized European religion that overly stressed sin, shame and punishment, and showed it to be a gospel oriented Church of faith, love and hope.

My number two right now is Pope Francis. His focus on a forgiving, merciful and welcoming church is also gospel oriented. I really liked both of his first major documents and in putting the spotlight on issues of the family and marriage (and re-marriage), and his focus on a year of mercy. I love his simpler, low key style, and how he does not put himself above the rest of us, but acts like the servant of all of us. And expects the same of his fellow bishops.

A somewhat distant third would be Pope Paul VI, primarily for how he opened the Church to the world, and by being the first to travel extensively, started to change the view of a church revolving around Rome and the Curia, to one of a Church centered on Christ and encompassing all the faithful equally.

Being most familiar with popes of the past 200 years, it would be difficult for me to rank other popes before that. From what I have read, however, there have been other excellent ones over the centuries.

 

[Michie]

A most interesting read is "Vicars of Christ --- the dark side of the Vatican" by Father Peter Rosa.

I'd like to read that. There was a lady on my RCIA class that was reading about the history of the Popes. Good, bad and ugly. She still entered the Church and said the book she was reading was very interesting. I remember it starting an interesting conversation about anti-popes, infallibility, etc.

 

[bill5]

I get the popes who have the same name with different numbers mixed up.

lol - I think you have a lot of company.

I admit John Paul II is my easy choice, but I also admit my knowledge of the previous Popes is more limited than it should be. I think I'll start some reading.....

 

[Martinius]

I certainly agree with your choice of John XXIII and Francis. The Popes in between were an unfortunate setback.

I actually liked JPII a lot for the first few years, and he probably would be in 4th place of all the popes of the 20th and 21st centuries. His theology was fine, and he actually was quite progressive in promoting the social gospel and ecumenism. He also brought a very personal dimension to the papacy, and appealed to youth more than any pope that I know.

Gee whiz! You just gotta be the oldest person I know!

I didn't mean that I personally knew all the popes of the past 200 years, just that I am most familiar with the Church's history for that period and therefore the popes who served during that time.

But I still may be one of the oldest people you know.

 

[Michie]

Well he should not judge others intent. But I can understand him getting upset if that is what he thought. I have been trying to add threads where we discuss faith and spirituality more so we can clarify finer points. But this thread was only do discuss Popes we admire and why so we can learn more. One thing I do know, every Pope is different but they are there for a reason. We cannot expect cookie cutters of one another. Like I said, after JPII died I struggled with the transition as a new convert. And I think even cradle catholics struggle with each transition as well. It does not mean anything nafarious.

Colin may be thinking of similar threads in the past that quickly degenerated into arguments over certain popes, along with some nasty words and flaming. I actually had that thought when I first saw the thread title, but so far it has been quite calm. But there hasn't been much in the way of contributions as yet.

 

[Mountain_Girl406]

John Paul XXIII, for reasons listed above, and because my mom was able to meet with him and it was meaningful to her.
Maybe Pius X, too, I went to a Pius X high school, and have just begun a book about him

 

[Martinius]

John Paul XXIII, for reasons listed above, and because my mom was able to meet with him and it was meaningful to her.
Maybe Pius X, too, I went to a Pius X high school, and have just begun a book about him

You have scrambled John XXIII and John Paul II. Your mother most likely met JPII.

 

[Michie]

How was your mom able to meet the Pope? Awesome!

John Paul XXIII, for reasons listed above, and because my mom was able to meet with him and it was meaningful to her.
Maybe Pius X, too, I went to a Pius X high school, and have just begun a book about him

 

[Michie]

You have scrambled John XXIII and John Paul II. Your mother most likely met JPII.

Ok. Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[Martinius]

Well he should not judge others intent. But I can understand him getting upset if that is what he thought. I have been trying to add threads where we discuss faith and spirituality more so we can clarify finer points. But this thread was only do discuss Popes we admire and why so we can learn more. One thing I do know, every Pope is different but they are there for a reason. We cannot expect cookie cutters of one another. Like I said, after JPII died I struggled with the transition as a new convert. And I think even cradle catholics struggle with each transition as well. It does not mean anything nafarious.

He may not have been questioning your intent, but anticipating results. When you ask people who their favorite pope or president is, someone will usually bring up those they they didn't like, or question why a poster didn't pick a particular one, or diss the favorite of someone else. Then we descend into barroom brawl types of arguments. I will be pleasantly surprised if that doesn't occur here.

 

[Michie]

I'm the OP so no dissing allowed in this thread. Come back Colin! Who is going to keep the joke thread going?

I was not questioning your intent. When you ask people who their favorite pope or president is, someone will usually bring up those they they didn't like, or question why a poster didn't pick a particular one, or diss the favorite of someone else. Then we descend into barroom brawl types of arguments. I will be pleasantly surprised if that doesn't occur here.

 

[Mountain_Girl406]

You have scrambled John XXIII and John Paul II. Your mother most likely met JPII.

Oops, John XXIII, my mom is almost 90 and visited Europe in the early 50s.

 

[Michie]

How did she get to meet him?

Oops, John XXIII, my mom is 90.

 

[Mountain_Girl406]

How did she get to meet him?

If I recall right, she just happened to visit the Vatican and he was holding audiences.

 

[Michie]

That was lucky! I can't imagine that happening in the weekly audiences today.

If I recall right, she just happened to visit the Vatican and he was holding audiences.

 

[ALoveDivine]

I agree with many of the Popes mentioned, but I'd like to mention another one. Pope Pius XII. There is some controversy surrounding him, but he actually did a lot of good. In particular, he sheltered many many Jews in Church property throughout Rome during the years of WWII when the Nazis were on their genocidal rampage. He ordered Bishops to likewise shelter the Jewish people, and is responsible for a great many Jewish lives saved. He also scathingly denounced Fascist ideology before the war kicked off into full swing. A very wise and conscientious man during a horrifically turbulent time.