If You Could Tell the Pope Anything, What Would You Say?
Pope Benedict XVI is making his first trip to the United States in the next few weeks. During this trip, Pope Benedict will meet with many dignitaries. But do you think he will be talking about the issues that affect US Catholics the most - or that affect you the most?
We wanted to know - if you had five minutes with Pope Benedict during his trip, what would you tell him?
Send in your comments and we'll add them to this website.
Below are some of your responses:
Thanks for asking! I would try to impress upon the pope all the issues you mention, but, if there were only 5 minutes, I think I would spend it telling him that "the faithful" are not sheep in growing danger of being led astray from the One True Faith and Church of Christ, as Abp. Burke stated in his excommunication edict (against the women ordained in St. Louis in October.) And that adult Catholics don't need SHEPHERDS to protect us from ideas they disapprove of. If "the faithful" are so unnerved by new thoughts, one wonders about the effectiveness of Catholic education.
M.C., Colorado
Remind the pope ....that there are health aspects to reproductive choices that many women must take into account, and that's between the woman and her doctor/health professional. For example, some women use birth control for health reasons unrelated to pregnancy (i.e., oral contraceptives to help control bad menses). And some women really need to prevent pregnancy to protect their health.
T.R., North Carolina
Five minutes would not be enough time for all of your list, which I support. For me, the most pressing would be to end the ban on condoms, to sincerely address the sex abuse scandal of the clergy and meet with survivors, and to support equality for women in the church. Most of the other reforms would eventually follow.
I was one of the early ones running for office who supported a woman's right to choose and whose bishop denied me Communion. Some of the other issues are of greater significance and need immediate attention. Am I daydreaming?
L.K., California
I would ask all the questions you list and maybe add when will you retire/resign?
C.S., Texas
Dear Joseph,
Being six months older than you I hope you will respect what I have to say. After serving in the U.S. Navy in 1944, '45 & '46 I graduated from St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA with credentials to teach. I married in 1949 and this year my wife and I will celebrate 59 years. We have the five sons, two daughters, thirteen grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
I spent the school year, 1963 - 1964, obtaining a Master's degree in theology and spent the next ten years teaching adults in parishes in the states of Washington and Colorado about Vatican II. I left the work when a newly assigned pastor told me in 1974 that lay people had no business having a degree in theology. Some years later this pastor was sent to a facility to cure his alcoholism. A former pastor with whom I worked had gotten into a marriage which was less than happy. He committed suicide.
You have experienced Catholicism in your world. I have experienced it in mine.
You immerse yourself in ancient royal regalia and make pronouncements which most of us ignore.
I am an Eucharistic Minister, Lector, religious education instructor for 7th grade children who go to a public school. I do my best to never participate at a Mass with a Bishop as celebrant. Just seeing the robes and mitre gets so much in the way of my thoughts about Jesus I get up and leave. The Catholicism I live in is very involved with people helping people and now into my eighties the helping is becoming more frequent due to health and financial problems.
We live in two different worlds. I have great confidence the world I live in is also the one Jesus lives in.
L.C., Ohio
I agree with all of your points. Go for it.
C.S., Virginia
The Church you claim Jesus Christ founded must be a great disappointment to Him. So many of its views and actions are anything but Christian. One of the words that best describes Jesus is "inclusive." The Church is anything but inclusive.
Yes, there are a number of forces that have resulted in decreased attendance at Mass. But who in the hierarchy of the Church has ever asked himself (of course, there is no need for "herself" here) whether the Church may be doing something wrong to cause decreased attendance. The honest answer would be a resounding, "Yes!"
Not one of the American bishops has ever been held accountable for allowing sexual abuse by priests to continue by failing to take effective action. The wound in the Church caused by sexual abuse will never be completely healed until those bishops have been held accountable. Yet members of the hierarchy are praising American bishops for their handling of the crisis. Only you as Pope can hold individual bishops accountable. God will certainly hold you accountable for failing to do so.
P.K., Ohio
I would discuss 'Condoms 4 Life' and ask why he's not doing more to save people, knowing what we know about HIV/AIDS. I would also say that I think when it's all said and done, the Pope is partially responsible for many people being at-risk for HIV, being infected and for many AIDS-related deaths.
And that's how I feel.
S.S., Ohio
I would tell him that I am holding on to remaining Catholic by my fingernails, that all my friends have left the church and I am alone wondering why their pride and selfishness by not allowing the church to change and grow has left many of us feeling abandoned. I would also tell him that like most monarchies, history has shown that they are toppled eventually. While this Pope has a chance to do something historic with the church, I doubt he will. Allow priests to marry, allow women to become priests, allow change! The Pope stated that he did not care if half of the members leave the Church in order to have a pure church. Did Jesus think in such terms?
C.G., Florida
Ask him to rescind the farce that is "Humanae Vitae".
A.G., Wisconsin
As a lapsed Catholic, who went to Catholic school for 8 years, I have thought a great deal about why I am no longer a practicing Catholic.
The Catholic Church has been a source of strength, comfort and inspiration for millions around the world, but it has also been a source of enormous pain. No organization is perfect, but the extent of the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church makes me personally unable to support it as an institution. Pope John Paul II preached to keep the clergy out of politics, but the Catholic Church threatens to excommunicate those who politically disagree with the Church. The EU is political, not religious, so why should the Pope want to keep Turkey out of the EU for being Muslim country. The Catholic Church can shout from their pulpits their opposition to abortion, and I support their right to do that, it is when they try to legislate their disagreement that I disagree.
If donating money to the poor builds a greater Cathedral in heaven then one could be built on Earth, why did Cardinal Mahoney spends billions building LA’s new Cathedral on the doorsteps of the homeless? If children are to be protected and the Church is suppose to be a safe and loving environment, why is the Church protecting those who sexually abused them? If the Church wants to reduce the number of abortions, why not support birth control?
On a more personal level, why would I support an organization that considers me a second class citizen? For all the reverence and respect for Mary, women are not allowed to be leaders in their own community. We are given no voice; we are not given the opportunity to disagree.
I hope the Church changes and it begins to live up to its potential. A lack of support for an institution does not equate to a lack of faith.
L.M.
I would include all statements in the e-mail but the main statement would be “treat us like adults and dialogue and take time to listen and respect our cultures.”
R.O., Connecticut
- To end the Vatican's ban on condoms?
- To support reproductive justice and greater access to contraception as a truer means to reducing the need for abortion?
- To sincerely address the clergy sex abuse scandal here in the US and to meet with survivors?
- To admonish the bishops in the United States who would deny communion to Catholics in public life who are prochoice, pro-contraception, pro-stem cell research or pro-marriage equality?
- To support equality for women within the church?
- To support equality for LGBT Catholics?
- To support a clergy that includes women, married men and all Catholics who are called to ordination?
ALL OF THE ABOVE.
J.A., Texas
I agree with ALL of the items on your check list to talk to the Pope about.
J.M., New York
I would quote Dr. Phil and ask, "How's it working for you so far?"
M.R., Florida
If I had a chance to speak to the Pope, I'd remind him that in one of his messages, he spoke of the "defect" of other Christian denominations as the fact that they do not recognize the authority of
the Pope.
I would say that the Roman Catholic Church has a glaring defect of having no recognition of the Voice of the Laity (who make up 99.9 % of the Church)----no meaningful, effective voice! The laity can only respond with their feet or the purse. This is neither Christian or nor even human decency.
T.P., New Jersey
The planet is dying from too many humans, greed and a disregard for other species and nature. We cannot continue with old ways or ideas. We must face the scientific facts if the planet is to survive.
Also, there should be better treatment of suicides: this is a person's sadness, not ours to judge them or their families.
Euthanasia for the ill and suffering should be ok. Making people suffer isn't christian.
D.E., California
I feel betrayed by the Church's response to the abuse of so many of our children over the years. It is apparent that the Catholic Church, from Pope John Paul II down to the American Bishops were complicit in the crimes of so many of our priests. Not enough has been done to correct the problems and what has been accomplished has been through the lay members with reaction from the clergy. Declaring bankruptcy to avoid restitution to the victims adds insult to injury. I used to be a devout and a fervent Catholic. I cannot, however, turn a blind eye to the atrocities. I cannot attend Mass without wondering if the celebrant is a pedophile. I cannot hold the same faith since everything I was taught since childhood was by hypocrites who were either victimizing the most vulnerable or covering for those who were. Indeed, this includes you when you covered for the Founder of the "Legionnaires for Christ" Marcial Maciel since the 1960's. I cannot condone an institution that allows nationwide and I am certain, worldwide, rape and abuse of children.
S.M., Arizona
My comments would be for the Catholic Church to come into today's world, we need to promote birth control (as part of careful stewardship of nature and our available resources), conservation (ditto), women and married clergy, acceptance of homosexuality, and rejection of all people and practices that abuse power (pedophile priests, e.g., politicking from the pulpit, backwards thinking).
E.S., New Mexico
Why does the Pope feel that he has to impose his narrow views on the role and status of women and access to family planning on the rest of the world?
What right does he have to infuence legislation that imposes his narrow views on even those who are not Catholics?
C.A., Ohio
Allow married clergy and women to be ordained; Let Bishops be chosen by their dioceses; Hold serious world-wide discussions on sexuality with a view to reform of current teaching.
JPS, Texas
If I had five minutes with the Pope I would ask him, "Why not support birth control and the use of condoms?" Maybe if the Pope, the bishops and the priests were responsible for children they would see things clearer. That responsibility is making sure they are well fed, nurtured and loved. See that they have health care and clothes. See that their homework is done. See that they get to their activities. Be up with them in the middle of the night when they are ill. This along with doing their daily activities. Making sure they can take care of them physically, financially, emotionally and spiritually.
DJP, Virginia
I am a retired psychiatrist, non-Catholic, concerned with ethical life choices, individual freedom and responsibility, and religious tolerance.
Thank you for your outspoken opposition to the war in Iraq. Could you urge observant Catholics and sympathizers to refuse to fight in unjust wars such as this?
You could make Catholic teaching and practice more appealing here in the U.S. by setting an example of penance for the sexual sins of churchmen too long tolerated by their supervisors. Payment of damages was necessary but not sufficient either to compensate the victims or offset the hypocrisy that allowed the crimes to occur. Asking people to pray for the victims is a nice gesture. However, for you to abstain, to recuse the Church, from pronouncements on sexual matters for a period of time would be significant and appropriate. I don't mean within the Church but in the public forum: lobbying for legislation that limits health care and other life choices of citizens living in a pluralistic society.
I suggest a decade of abstinence from such political activity by the Church. About matters relating to sex, including birth control (contraception and abortion), sex education, abstinence, masturbation, homosexuality and same-sex marriage the Church should be silent in the public arena for, say, a decade--not a long time in historical perspective.
Stem cell research and end-of-life choice are other areas in which Catholic political opposition has brought opposition and resentment in this country and will continue to do so--even among Catholics. Many citizens are voicing opposition to hospital mergers that impose Catholic doctrine in healthcare. Will a woman coming to the emergency room after being raped be given emergency contraception? Will a terminally ill patient be kept comfortable even if that requires complete sedation? Will a patient be allowed not only to refuse treatment at the end of life but also to abstain from nutrition and hydration in order to hasten death when life has been reduced to nothing, or to torture?
Abstinence, Your Holiness, is my request, recommendation, and prescription.
E.L., District of Columbia
As an open and proud gay man and lifelong practicing Catholic who has suffered at the hands of closeted gay clergy, I would beg his holiness to stop his hate speech pronouncements against gay people and remind him that God made us and loves us, both him and me, just the way we are. I would implore him to show gay people the same degree of love and inclusion that Jesus does: total and unconditional. And ask him to become the first openly gay Pope, for his own good and the good of all God's people.
J.D., New York
I came to the website precisely for this! Thank you CFC, your points are mine, but I'll add that marriage be allowed for priests and all clergy. This, I individually pray for as my personal intention ALWAYS during our regular "Prayers of the Faithful."
Human beigns are human beings, and our church's hypocrisy cannot change that natural fact.
R.A., Maryland