Pope Benedict XVI will visit the United States next week in a highly anticipated event that many predict will shape, if not define, Benedict in the eyes of Americans.
Benedict’s visit begins next Tuesday and will offer an opportunity for him to re-shape his image from a stern, conservative, non-compromising theologian to a softer, more charming figure. The visit marks the first close-up Americans will have of the successor of the late John Paul II.
Although the majority of Americans (52 percent) have a favorable view of Pope Benedict, a relatively large number of Americans – three out of 10 – say they do not know enough about him to offer an opinion, according to a recent Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life report.
Moreover, the current pontiff continues to be less favored than his predecessor, Pope John Paul II. Benedict XVI has a favorability rating of 52 percent as of March 2008, compared to John Paul II’s 76 percent favorability in May 1987, nearly a decade after he became pope.
"I do think that to some extent there is a disconnect between the public impression of this man and the private personality,” said John Allen, a prominent U.S. Catholic author and journalist, according to Reuters. “You will never meet a more gracious figure."
The pope’s visit to America coincides with several important events, including the three year anniversary of his election as pope; the 200th anniversary of Baltimore become an archdiocese and the creation of the dioceses of New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Bardstown, Ky.; and his 81st birthday.
During his six-day visit to the United States, the Pope will stop only in the cities of New York and Washington, DC. He plans to meet with President Bush at the White House, pray at the World Trade Center site and celebrate Mass with tens of thousands of people at Washington’s new National’s Park and New York’s Yankee Stadium.
"The pope I have seen for the past three years is the Joseph Ratzinger I have known for 20 – a holy and brilliant priest who knows who he is, a master teacher with remarkable skill in explaining complex Christian doctrines and a quite winsome public personality," said George Weigel, a theologian and author on Catholic issues, according to USA Today.
There are 67 million Catholics in the United States and they compose the second largest religious group behind Protestant Christianity.
Comments
HyperionOverseer,
Thank you for your words of encouragement.
Godspeed!!!!
Online4Him
looks like youre cutting deep...well done!
drive them into a corner if you must, let the truth be known!
BOUT TIME some truth about the pope comes out!
i commend you!
YES or NO?
Pope Boniface VIII (1235-1303 CE) promulgated a Papal Bull in 1302 CE titled Unam Sanctam (One Holy). He wrote, in part:
“Furthermore, we declare, we proclaim, we define that it is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff."
DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?
Come on now, do you seriously believe this statement - “it is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff”?
This one many fallacies that Rome teaches!
If you think that God wanted 50,000 Christian denominations with hundreds more being founded every week being founded on sola scriptura then that is your opinion. However, I'll stick with the 1 Roman Catholic with the Pope as the head of the Church. There are so many different interpretations of scripture and yours is just one of thousands...who is right? Is someone who posts anonymously on a comment board more right than a Church that has been founded for 2,000 years...maybe in your opinion but not mine.
Taj,
Come on now, do you seriously believe this statement - “it is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff”?
The scriptural passages that you give were referring to all of the apostles; furthermore, we have discussed this at length already: Rome looks back in hindsight with claims of an unbroken chain of popes. Peter was never pope nor has there ever been an unbroken line of bishops as they claim.
You said, “. . . has developed and been more clearly understood over time.”
Well said, because this was surely not taught in the first century church nor does scripture ever speak of a universal - visible head in the Church. Jesus Christ said that the Holy Spirit would be sent in his place to lead, teach, and guide (See John 14:16-18 & John 16:13).
He was referring to Papal infallibility with regards to Church teachings...how long were you a Catholic? We have this from Jesus himself, who promised the apostles and their successors the bishops, the magisterium of the Church: "He who hears you hears me" (Luke 10:16), and "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven" (Matt. 18:18).
Infallibility belongs in a special way to the pope as head of the bishops (Matt. 16:17–19; John 21:15–17). As Vatican II remarked, it is a charism the pope "enjoys in virtue of his office, when, as the supreme shepherd and teacher of all the faithful, who confirms his brethren in their faith (Luke 22:32), he proclaims by a definitive act some doctrine of faith or morals. Therefore his definitions, of themselves, and not from the consent of the Church, are justly held irreformable, for they are pronounced with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, an assistance promised to him in blessed Peter."
The infallibility of the pope is not a doctrine that suddenly appeared in Church teaching; rather, it is a doctrine which was implicit in the early Church. It is only our understanding of infallibility which has developed and been more clearly understood over time. In fact, the doctrine of infallibility is implicit in these Petrine texts: John 21:15–17 ("Feed my sheep . . . "), Luke 22:32 ("I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail"), and Matthew 16:18 ("You are Peter . . . ").
Taj,
This quote does seem to elevate your pope as savior; not only is this fallacy but it is another gospel!
Pope Boniface VIII (1235-1303 CE) promulgated a Papal Bull in 1302 CE titled Unam Sanctam (One Holy). He wrote, in part:
“Furthermore, we declare, we proclaim, we define that it is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff."
Correction: “But I see that the divine essence is so pure--purer than the imagination can conceive--that the soul…”
St. Catharine of Genoa on Purgatory
“But I see that the divine essence is so pure purer than the imagination can conceive that the soul, finding in itself the slightest imperfection, would rather cast itself into a thousand hells than appear, so stained, in the presence of the divine majesty. Knowing, then, that Purgatory was intended for her cleansing, she throws herself therein, and finds there that great mercy, the removal of her stains.” (Purgatory: Doctrinal, Historical and Poetical, by Mrs. J. Sadlier. Imprimatur: Michael Augustine, Archbishop of New York. Copyright, 1886. K. A. Sadlier.)
Examine the belief of purgatory torment used as cleansing with the following verses:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to CLEANSE us from all unrighteousness…And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:” (1Jn 1:9, 2:1).
As one can see, a belief in purgatory diminishes the cross of Christ, His precious blood, and His power as our advocate! Read the verses again, prayerfully. One’s cleansing does not take place in a place called “purgatory.”
I love my Christian brothers and sisters, but from time to time we will have differences in opinions. As the Bible says, I am already saved (Rom. 8:24, Eph. 2:5–8), but I’m also being saved (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Cor. 2:15, Phil. 2:12), and I have the hope that I will be saved (Rom. 5:9–10, 1 Cor. 3:12–15). Like the apostle Paul I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ (Rom. 5:2, 2 Tim. 2:11–13).
APXH,
I don't know that site, but Catholics believe that Jesus Saves...period, but we also believe that we can ask Mary, the saints, and others to pray for us. The CP clearly has had articles that state Catholicism is Christian, so having Christ at the center is not an issue. My problem with Online is that he doesn't believe that Catholicism is Christian, so we have major differences.
Enough with the nonsense. Only Jesus Saves. PERIOD. No pope, no priest, no Mary worship, or any other idolatry, will change the truth that only by Y'Shua, Jesus the Messiah, can you be forgiven your Law violations. YAHWEH is God the Father and Y'Shua is the Son and Messiah. No Jew, no Muslim, no Catholic, no Baptist, no Buddhist, and no Secularist can be saved by any other means but reliance in, repentance and surrender to Jesus as LORD, Messiah and God. Jesus came to save but only those who will submit to Yahweh in penitence. Repenting is not a work any more than begging forgiveness when you sin against anyone else. WAKE UP and receive the Mercy of Yahweh while you still can.
Patrick J Burwell / OnlyJesusSaves.com
As for the Pope, I'm talking about politically not as is in him taking the place of our Lord and Savior, the fact that you would even think I was doing that makes me realize how anti-Catholic you are.