Pope Francis

[myway]

Today Pope Francis gave a speech to the U.S. Congress. He is the first Pope to ever do this. I will enjoy reading everyone's response.

During the Pope's speech what did he say that inspired you the most?

 

[RickardoHolmes]

The Transcript is here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...7d7ac8-62bf-11e5-8e9e-dce8a2a2a679_story.html


It was a very insightful speech from a very positive leader. He spoke of many good points, albeit many not so new or unknown to the faithful.

he spoke of violence in the world, which, while nothing new, perhaps due to the Internet and current news media, seems worse. And maybe it is. But his point is well taken:
All of us are quite aware of, and deeply worried by, the disturbing social and political situation of the world today. Our world is increasingly a place of violent conflict, hatred and brutal atrocities, committed even in the name of God and of religion. We know that no religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism. This means that we must be especially attentive to every type of fundamentalism, whether religious or of any other kind. A delicate balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the name of a religion, an ideology or an economic system, while also safeguarding religious freedom, intellectual freedom and individual freedoms. But there is another temptation which we must especially guard against: the simplistic reductionism which sees only good or evil; or, if you will, the righteous and sinners. The contemporary world, with its open wounds which affect so many of our brothers and sisters, demands that we confront every form of polarization which would divide it into these two camps. We know that in the attempt to be freed of the enemy without, we can be tempted to feed the enemy within. To imitate the hatred and violence of tyrants and murderers is the best way to take their place. That is something which you, as a people, reject.

He Continues
Our response must instead be one of hope and healing, of peace and justice. We are asked to summon the courage and the intelligence to resolve today’s many geopolitical and economic crises. Even in the developed world, the effects of unjust structures and actions are all too apparent. Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples. We must move forward together, as one, in a renewed spirit of fraternity and solidarity, cooperating generously for the common good.

I have been saying this, more or less, for years. Fundamentalism is NEVER the answer, but part of the problem. The proof of this is in the actions and results. As the Pope points out, only by overcoming "polarized thinking" can we emerge with a better answer
And that is something I think we as Christians must do, we must become part of the solution, we must become peaceful, loving, leaders, and we must lead by an example which was taught to us by Jesus, living in Christian love and charity, with no regards for our own rewards, but to minister to the needs of individuals as the Spirit guides us.

We as Americans are still part of a great nation. We need lot let fear and negativity of others prevent us from always showing Love and Compassion to those who need it most. Only be being a good example, a positive ray of light in a sometimes dark world, can we show this. We know too, that the greatest example is the one we show. We should be role-models that would please God, those who embrace the Love and Life that comes from Christ. By doing that which is loving and compassionate, others will follow.
Perhaps that is the best demonstration of "Being a good example"

And Pope Francis is a very good example.

 

[HonestTruth]

Kudos to the Pope for praising Dorothy Day:

http://commondreams.org/news/2015/09/24/pope-champions-work-and-message-radical-catholic-dorothy-day



Miss Day was a true American and Christian icon.

 

[mark46]

Today Pope Francis gave a speech to the U.S. Congress. He is the first Pope to ever do this. I will enjoy reading everyone's response.

During the Pope's speech what did he say that inspired you the most?

I guess what inspired me was what for me used to be the very clear Christian social gospel. We are the protect and serve the immigrant, the refugee, the weak and the poor. Creation is to be protected.

I would also note the very high praise for the UN and its continuing work, and point to the continuing meetings on the environment.

I believe that Pope is the 4th pope to speak before the UN.

 

[topcare]

Today Pope Francis gave a speech to the U.S. Congress. He is the first Pope to ever do this. I will enjoy reading everyone's response.

During the Pope's speech what did he say that inspired you the most?

Nothing, it made me wonder how liberal it can all get. It made me quite sad and gave me the knowledge that I can not return to Catholicism anytime soon

 

[Rhamiel]

I thought his praise of Lincoln, Rev King, Thomas Merton, and Dorothy Day as people who signify deeper American virtues was VERY thoughtful
all of them are heroic individuals and distinctly American

 

[LivingWordUnity]

Kudos to the Pope for praising Dorothy Day:

Miss Day was a true American and Christian icon.

"The ability to oppose the ideological enticements of her time in order to choose the search for truth and to open herself to the discovery of faith was witnessed by another woman of our time, the American Dorothy Day. She confessed openly in her autobiography to having succumbed to the temptation to solve everything with politics, adhering to the Marxist proposal: 'I wanted to be with the protesters, go to jail, write, influence others and leave my dreams to the world. How much ambition and how much searching for myself in all this!'. The journey towards faith in such a secularized environment was particularly difficult, but Grace acts nevertheless, as she pointed out: 'It is certain that I felt the need to go to church more often, to kneel, to bow my head in prayer. A blind instinct, one might say, because I was not conscious of praying. But I went, I slipped into the atmosphere of prayer...'. God guided her to a conscious adherence to the Church, in a life dedicated to the underprivileged."

- Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience (13 February 2013)