Herb wanted to share his calumny with us:
What would Jesus’ or Peter’s reaction be today to bishops, cardinals and the popes parading around in excessive jewel-bedecked outfits?
Father Joe has this response to make:
What jewels are these? Do you know anything about the simplicity of Pope Francis? The take home pay for most priests and bishops is around 12 to 15 thousand dollars a year. Those in religious orders do not even own the clothes on their back. The marks of faith are passed on from one shepherd to the next. The cross a bishop wears signifies Christ and his redemptive work. The ring a bishop puts on is a sign of his apostolic authority. He wears it just as married couples wear a ring. At a time when certain millionaire Protestant clergy proclaim a prosperity gospel, you attack poor men who do more for charity and human dignity than you ever will.
Look to your plank before trying to reach for the splinters in the eyes of your brothers!
Filed under: Anti-Catholicism, Apologetics, Catholic, Pope Francis, Questions |
Why don’t they sell the wealth of the Vatican? Christ didn’t live like that? Why does the Pope need to, especially when people are starving in the world? Even with Pope Francis’s so-called simplicity he still lives better than the suffering Catholics in Iraq.
Dear Blogger Priest, you wear your heart on your sleeve and perhaps a mea culpa may be in order for not turning the other cheek. Whatever is going on in your life that produces this defensiveness and anger will need some work. I will pray for you. God bless.
What jewels, indeed? I have to say though, Fr. Joe, it would be nice to hear and see the Bishops at the diocesan level. I think people are really, really confused today and get lost in the politics and popular social standards. Sometimes I wish the USCCB would disband.
I know a priest from the diocese who works in the annulment office. He lives with the retired priests, gets up at 2/3am every morning takes care of his prayers and Mass, cooks for the retired priests, then goes off to work. Not many people know.