Is the Pope Catholic? Does a bear........?

The New Papa

First off I am not a catholic and no one in my family tree is or was a catholic.  So I have no vested interest in the religion or the folks running it.  What I have been watching and listening to is the process to pick a person to run the church of 1.5 billion humans.  It has to do with voting and PR! Now, I understand voting a bit since I had to try and secure a few in my day.  In the Pope's instance, a bunch of Cardinals from around the globe come together in Vatican City to lobby for their favorite pick in the hope they will be victorious.  Well, maybe it is similar to my election as a Supervisor, but maybe not.  I did not preach any religious tenets.  After all the secrecy, the Cardinals picked a fellow from Argentina as the new Pope.  Another old guy.  He is Francis the First and is 76 years old.  I listened a bit to the radio the day he was picked and heard the masses in the Square applauding and yelling their happiness.


My my my.  The secular press, the homosexual community and the pro-death, errr,  abortion people, were bedsides themselves.  How could the Church pick a man like Francis?  Hell, he is opposed to homosexual marriage, pro-life for the unborn, and thinks contraception is anti church.  Wow!  A religious leader with steadfast principles!  I heard the numbskull's of the "journalist" class.  Those smarter than the rest of us bears.  They crack me up.  Apparently these talking heads and scribes of nonsense have no guiding principles in their own lives.  Anything goes anytime.

The Pope is an orthodox believer and has apparently led a life practicing what he preaches.  This is unknown territory for the secular heathens who chat it up on TV and write columns in our papers.  A person of conviction?  A person who lives the life of his Bible?  No way these mouthpieces say.  No one can live that way!  Well, I may not agree on some of the teachings the Church espouses, I don't consider myself that much of a thumper, but I do respect the institution.  Overall, when you get past the stories of abuse, we can see that the overarching activities of the Church are good.  Good messages, good schools, good charitable activities and a leader in helping those that cannot help themselves.

Of course the media types will never be happy with a Pope who lives the Bible.  They would probably be unhappy if the Pope tossed out the suit and drove a BMW Boxster.  But then again maybe not.  The only gripe (if I can call it that) about the Church is I believe God doesn't care if a priest marries and that women should have an equal position in running the place. 

Good luck to Francis, may the earth's people deserve you.