New in PJ Media:
The Bishop of Rome and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, has passed away. He was 88 and has died after a lengthy, lingering illness.
He was the first Jesuit pope and the first pope to have been born in South America (he was born into an Italian family in Argentina). As the Jesuit order and the Roman Catholic Church in South America both tend to lean to the left, so also did the twelve years of his papacy.
Pope Francis’ papacy often sparked controversy, much of which he himself sparked. He received much criticism over one particular comment, which the Vatican later explained was his own personal opinion and not the Church’s position. The Catholic Herald reported in September 2024 that Pope Francis had declared that “all religions are a path to God.” He explained: “They are like different languages in order to arrive at God, but God is God for all. Since God is God for all, then we are all children of God. If you start to fight, ‘my religion is more important than yours, mine is true and yours isn’t’, where will that lead us? There’s only one God, and each of us has a language to arrive at God. Some are [Sikh], Muslim, Hindu, Christian, and they are different paths [to God].”
Francis was apparently contradicting both Jesus’ statement: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6), as well the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church’s Second Vatican Council, which emphasized that it was “the burden of the Church’s preaching to proclaim the cross of Christ as the sign of God’s all-embracing love and as the fountain from which every grace flows.” (Nostra Aetate 2, 4) The Catholic Herald noted that in making these remarks, the pope had set aside his prepared remarks and was speaking extemporaneously.
Even his official papal statements, however, also included a great deal of material that led people to wonder if the age-old question that was supposed to imply that the answer was obvious—“Is the Pope Catholic?”—actually now admitted of a negative response.
Argentine President Javier Milei derided him as a “Communist” and even as “the representative of the evil one on earth.” In 2023, Pope Francis responded to a series of dubia (“doubts”) that Cardinals Walter Brandmüller and Raymond Leo Burke, along with the support of three other Cardinals, Juan Sandoval Íñiguez, Robert Sarah, and Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, had sent him the previous year, asking him to clarify his position on five issues where he had appeared to depart from the actual teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. Vatican News identified these as “the interpretation of Divine Revelation, the blessing of same-sex unions, synodality as a constitutive dimension of the Church, the priestly ordination of women, and repentance as a necessary condition for sacramental absolution.”
There is more. Read the rest here.
mgoldberg says
What a disaster for Christians,esp those tormented by Islam’s Jihadists, this pope has been. It is one thing to declare all religions leading to G-d. It is quite another to deny all those actions by other religions to destroy those who are different and even to slaughter those by fiat, as is the theologic imperative of normative Islam. As a Jew, I quite admire the ‘religious’ scope of R Spencer’s words and actions esp. in these trying times for Israel and Jews. By identifying standards and ethics’ the responsibilities of people to judge themselves and their actions, we can assume what the poet might call a ‘firmer divinity’. And as such I assume anyone can obtain that understanding. The Pope failed in that regard, in public and allowing Jihadi to erase the lives of hundreds of thousands of Christians. I don’t know much about the church hieracrchy but I imagine they’ve gotten rid of all the ‘conservative’ prelates who might elect someone but disposed.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I’d say what a disaster for Catholics this pope has been. Protestants and Orthodox Christians don’t follow any pope, so should normally be fine. It’s another thing, of course, that both King Charles III for the Church of England and Patriarch Sergei Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church are pretty islamophilic themselves, but their followers need not be embarrassed by the pope
I’d say religions that don’t have a religious figurehead, be it Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism,…. are far better off, since they don’t have such figureheads embarrassing them
mgoldberg says
Other religions do have religious leaders; figureheads, is someone that would be considered infallible if I understand you correctly. Buddhists do, Judaism has it’s spiritual and religious leaders, but the flaws of leadership are far better understood in say, Judaism as there was G-d almighty, great great men and women, Navi (Prophets) but they were not G-d. It is more difficult for Catholicism for several reasons. I personally wish all the non Jihadist faiths and peoples who don’t practice slicing others necks for religious joy, a safe and prosperous life. As for the Jihadis’…. a pox on their houses.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
You’d know more about Judaism than I do, but that’s news to me
The Dalai Lama is only the head of Mahayana Buddhism – the sect followed in Tibet, Mongolia, Taiwan, Japan and Korea. Other Buddhist countries that are Theravada – Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Sri Lanka – don’t recognize his religious authority. Neither does the Vajrayana sect – the main sect in Bhutan and Sikkim
I echo your sentiments on the followers of non-jihadist faiths
Brent Horton says
I deeply regret the passing of the Pope, but truth is always first and foremost. Covering up his abomination of the Christian Faith, does not give credence to truth.
” I Am the Way “……………
Statler says
‘A massive left turn indeed’: away from the Catholics, that is. That’s why the mostly conservative Catholics leave the Catholic Church.
Troybeam says
While not a fan of the rules and regulations of the catholic church Pope Francis was a very bad Pope. His actions went against God/Jesus and humanity by inviting Islam into the Vatican. Giving the enemy that wants to kill you an open door to view Vatican City was a huge mistake.
Like I stated he disrespected God, Jesus and the Holy Bible, not the catholic bible because it is vastly different from the NIV bibles and bibles that have God/Christ’s teachings.
SKA says
Proverbs 24:17 tells us never to rejoice over the fall of one whom is regarded as one’s enemy.
In many ways the late Pope showed enmity to traditional Catholics and lately also towards Israel.
somehistory says
The Apostle to the Nations, Paul, wrote that “In later periods of time, some will fall away from the faith; paying attention to inspired utterances and teachings of demons.”
Jesus Christ foretold that there would be “false Christs” who would lead the sheep astray.
I didn’t know the pope personally, but from all I heard from him and about him, the creature fit both of these *prophecies* about some who would be “false Christs” and “fall away from the faith.”
He was wrong…wrong, wrong and wrong again; and probably led many astray.
James Lincoln says
I’m not “celebrating”, but I am having a very hard time “feeling bad” about the fact that Pope Francis is now dead.
somehistory says
James, I’m not “celebrating” either. The Bible says, “The wages sin pays is death.”
I believe it is in Revelation where we are told when the wicked die in Judgment, they will “not be bewailed or mourned.”
The pope had very evil words as a customary thing. I do not mourn him.
James Lincoln says
Fully agree, somehistory.
Tim gallagher says
The late pope probably was a decent, well intentioned person but he was hopelessly gullible on Islam and also his support for opening the borders to anyone seems infantile. Of course anyone with common sense would know that, if you just anyone into a country, you are going let in members of drug cartels, terrorists and other appallingly evil people.
Gray H says
Respectfully disagree that the late Pope was ‘decent and well intentioned’ He hailed from the home of Liberation Theology’ and,to me, his roots were evident in everything he did. He didn’t present an overtly threatening visage, but ‘the Prince of Darkness is a gentleman.’
Tim gallagher says
You are probably right, Gray h. I was watching the tv news coverage here in Australia and it was so positive about him that I was probably swayed a bit by that. To me his sucking up to islam was atrocious and his seeming to want countries to let anyone in was, for any leader, extraordinarily stupid. I know a lot of left wing people and they are good people but just foolish and naive and unrealistic people from my point of view.
gravenimage says
Tim–with the greatest respect, Francis was not just a naif who believd the tripe about Islam being a “religion of peace”–he actually spouted apologia for Jihadists mass murdering cartoonists and journalists for daring to say anything bad about the vicious “Prophet” Muhammed.
somehistory says
“Will the Vatican “Deep State” Pick the Next Pope?”
https://www.glennbeck.com/radio/vatican-deep-state-pick-pope
Edward L. May says
In my opinion, the way somebody leads his life is the way his death should be treated.
. The pope like all leaders, murmured platitudes, and appeared humble.
This does not make him a good person. He was not and he shouldn’t be mourn as one.
His death was a net benefit to the world. For example a lousy present such as Kennedy becomes a saint because he died in prematurely.
Some times death is just a broom , cleaning the filthy dust from the earth.
As far as judging, yes, it is the Lord‘s ultimate judgment, but we were asked to make judgements all the time and cannot live without making them even by imperfect being such as we are.
Charles Valenzuela says
Cause of death SHOULD have been suicide or an Act of God. We should have seen this minion of Satan burst into flame before our very eyes. So, Pope Pedo CCXLI “Protector of Pedophiles”, ”Absolver of Sexual Deviance” and “Promoter of Muslim Invasion & Jihad” has finally put down the child he was molesting and is burning in Hell. Great. I can’t think of anyone more deserving.
He built a house of deceit. He has put a prostitute on the throne of Solomon. The Church has invited all who can pay to enter and do as they please. Those who do God’s will are thrown out. O prostitute Church, you spread your lewdness everywhere from land to the sea. Don’t bother with invoking God’s Name, either. The God that this filth worshipped is nothing but the name given to the cold, dead, silence that answers the prayer of the child being molested by a priest. Burn in Hell, Satan’s henchman.
Edward L. May says
Your mourning the death of the Pope, not this man an imposter of a Pope at best.
gravenimage says
The Late Pope Francis Made the Roman Catholic Church Take a Massive Left Turn
………………………..
He was also the first to spout apologia for mass murdering anyone who dared criticize Islam–and to threaten to pop anyone in the nose who said anything bad about his momma…