Pregledni rad
https://doi.org/10.31192/np.19.2.3
Is Pope Francis a Catholic?
Tonči Matulić
orcid.org/0000-0003-3419-9938
; Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Katolički bogoslovni fakultet, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Sažetak
The article was expanded and equipped with sources and literature, a lecture entitled »is Pope Francis a Catholic«, held on April 21, 2021 on social networks of the Croatian Aboveground, the official project of the Youth Office of the Split-Makarska Archdiocese. In the article, the author shows and proves that the question »is Pope Francis a Catholic« on the one hand suffers from media sensationalism and on the other suffers from the unfounded and excessive zeal for the defence of ecclesiastical doctrine and discipline from, however, the ethically justified, theologically unquestionable and ecclesiologically acceptable different Catholic style and mentality of Pope Francis. In this sense, the author presents some historical examples, refers to church teaching sources, especially the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, presents critical theological analyzes and appropriate theological arguments to understand the true nature and motives of the concerns of church critics of Pope Francis. The will to »conquer the space of the Church« and preserve the status quo, the insistence on the shallow conviction »that so has always been done«, the petrified mentality that rejects the call to conversion and missionary transformation of church structures and pastoral action are revealed as major obstacles to embracing a different style, new gestures and some unexpected – critical – statements of Pope Francis which unequivocally confirm him as a ripe fruit of the conciliar renewal of the Church and a true gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church for the 21st century. In this sense the statement of the Second Vatican Council should be borne in mind: »While Christ, holy, innocent and undefiled (Heb. 7:26), knew nothing of sin (2 Cor. 5:21), but came to expiate only the sins of the people (Cf. Heb. 2:17), the Church, embracing in its bosom sinners, at the same time holy and always in need of being purified, always follows the way of penance and renewal« (Lumen gentium, 8).
Ključne riječi
Pope Francis; Jesus Christ; Holy Spirit; Gospel; Faith; Love; Mercy; Poverty; Church; Second Vatican Council; Youth
Hrčak ID:
260513
URI
Datum izdavanja:
16.7.2021.
Posjeta: 4.143 *