Archbishop Chaput leaves. I remember he kicked me out of church after seeing my face on a brochure for family values. He thought I couldn't have any as a trans woman. sigh. I still pray for him. And I pray that with our new Archbishop we will be welcomed into the Archdiocese of Philadelphia with open arms.
20
I had to laugh at the term "dictator pope" used as an insult by objectors. Of course he is a dictator just like every other pope who has preceded him. The papacy is a dictatorship, always was always will be. The conservatives don't mind being dictated to when it suits their purposes.
14
“Popular”?? With whom? The Times should qualify this assertion, since on its face it is manifestly incorrect.
11
Does the cliche rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic resonate? A few days ago we had a requiem Mass for one of my parents and I felt like an idiot as I responded to the antiphons with the words I learned as a kid 50 years ago. Because it's all changed. Everyone was shooting surreptitious looks at the non-believers. No matter what changes are made to the bureaucracy, the church has suffered permanent damage to its prestige and finances through harboring innumerable pedophiles within the clergy and we have long since left its folds for spiritual fulfilment elsewhere.
11
“Chaput is popular,” says the Rev. William Grogan.
Yes, he's popular with the FTTMs (Faithful To The Magisterium).
Not so sure he's popular with the other 98.5% of Catholics.
25
A lot of problems by the Catholic Church they are biased against gays. But there were other problems.
60,000 babies were born in Ireland. 800 dead babies were found in a Catholic home. 10 more to be investigated. Where are the fathers. 15,000 babies are born in Pennsylvania. Where are the fathers. 150 million babies born starving and searching for food around the world. To cover this up pro life was born to cover up the fact of these poor desperate babies and adults need food. Planned Parenthood gives out free condoms. Use a condom from Planned Parenthood and we won’t have these people starving to death looking for food here and around the world. Planned Parenthood: responsible life.
13
How very much I'd love to see the Pope refuse communion to or even excommunicate politicians like Andrew Cuomo, Joseph Biden, all the Kennedys, and Nancy Pelosi, who brag about their Catholic piety while not just quietly, but vigorously defending abortion. It would be shot across the bow to other hypocrites who call themselves "good Catholics", but this Pope, like all the rest in recent memory, looks the other way while his church is being undermined by these prominent leaders in the world. The Pope, as Archbishop Chaput tried to remind him, is a leader, too.
5
As a former Catholic, I say get rid of these old, misogynistic dinosaurs. Time to reform the church: let priests marry, and include women in the priesthood. Otherwise, more and more churches will be turned into restaurants and destination bars.
23
I have rarely read a NYT article so one-sided. Quote after quote praising Chaput, virtually nothing from the point of view of those who opposed his theological conservatism. Nothing from the majority of Americans who support gay marriage, for example.
23
Here's the problem for conservatives: the "tyranny" they are accusing Francis of is EXACTLY what they believe is the strength of the Papacy- it must be listened to as the unquestionable authority. Hard, isn't it when your beliefs are in direct opposition to your beliefs? If you are a true Catholic you must endorse what the Pope has just done that is antithetical to what you thought was Catholicism. Oops
8
I once bought a book written by Archbishop Chaput. I couldn't finish reading it. I do not understand the thinking of this man. If Chaput's Catholicism is the future of the Catholic Church - then count me out! The Church had a pretty good run for 2000 years but with thinking like Chaput's it has obviously run its course.
11
Thanks for changing the headline from last evening. This was no coup by Francis. Apparently the Almighty gave Francis an opportunity for which he could advantage both Philadelphia and the USA Catholic Church! The appointment of Bishop Perez to a major diocese is a singular choice which hopefully bespeaks what may happen in others.
5
Having watched fewer and fewer people attend mass, and the age of the attendee getting older and older, I am very Happy Pope Francis is replacing these old men who have not kept up with the times. The core MESSAGE of Jesus Christ is the same. The Nicean Creed is still valid today. It was formulated in about 325 AD. Pope Francis has invited people back into the church, with few judgments. That is exactly what Jesus would do also.
16
I was a devout Catholic, attending mass weekly for years...till I moved to Philadelphia for grad school. Growing up in NJ and having then lived in Massachusetts and Los Angeles, all of which have rather liberal dioceses, I was taken aback to sit in a pew and hear the priest preaching very conservative, political talking points. Then, one week, they played a pre-recorded message about the evils of abortion, and that was a wrap for me. I haven’t been back to a Catholic Church since. Glad to hear Pope Francis is doing something to shake things up.
18
Is it time to split the Catholic church into the conservative and progressive? I live in an area where Pope Francis is only mentioned disparagingly. The Pope is actively packing the cardinal ranks with progressives sort of like Trump packing the courts with conservative judges. I came from an area where I had a choice with some very successful progressive Catholic churches. Going to mass here is like a step back in time. As and Episcopal friend told me they have all of the pleasures with none of the guilt. The division within the ranks of the cardinals is incredibly obvious and highlighted. Let's split and move on!
2
Either way the Church goes, the short term prospect is for continued decline, i.e. loss of formal membership. However, as elder members are replaced by younger more forward thinking members, who reflect more "inclusive" attitudes toward everybody and everything the conservative Church rejects, Change will prevail. The Pope is trying to appoint a group of cardinals who may be able to relate to the younger generation, who represent the Hope of the future Church. Conservatives will never concede, but the process of Change, by definition, will indeed move the Church where IT has not been before. Either that, or, the Church will be no more.
4
Like all people, we are all both Conservative and liberal depending on our concerns and desires. Take for example a marriage; We always want our mate to be monogomous and faithful to us, but you know, we all want the Honeymoon to continue. Even on social topics, the mere fact that we consider our point of view indicates an inclination both ways, but, unfortunately, sometimes our beliefs are guided by others that disagree. So what are we to do? The Evangelicals would ask; What would Jesus do?" He ministered to both the fishers of men and the tax collector. I've often thought of Jesus as Liberal having cared for all people while challenging the status quo, but he also directed followers in many ways, a conservative deed. The lesson is that the faith is universal while the administration of the faith is complex. It's like taking a thousand footsteps of the Church to get to the one place. It is a place of faith, and a labor to get there.
2
So the US fascist Catholic block wants to bring their drooling hero Benedict back from retirement. Didn’t he oversee the worldwide rape of thousands of children? How “refreshing”.
13
Although it likes to appear otherwise, America is a very conservative country in many areas including religion. As a nation, it rarely looks to the future as evidenced by the constant talks of the good old days which include coal and manufacturing jobs.
The US is behind other top developing countries in education, technology, alternative energy and climate so the fact that the Catholic clergy is just as conservative and backwards thinking should come as no surprise to anyone. As much as many in the US try to stop it, immigrants continue to shape all aspects of life and it's time to accept this.
The Catholic church is in crisis mode as people continue to leave due to repeated scandals and their clergy is shrinking. Either it makes serious changes or it will destroy itself.
13
@CM
Religions (all religions) tend to be conservative by nature. Rather than then leading the way to a higher plane of thinking and behaving they often reflect (and protect) the most conservative elements in the societies they serve. Every once in awhile a rebel of some sort, like Gautama, Jesus, Mohamed (and Pope Francis?) comes along to make "life more interesting" by challenging the established veracities and offering new perspectives . It may be true that truth itself is unchanging but our perception of what is true must change as we mature, and grow in our understanding of that truth. The Catholic Church is the oldest surviving institution in western civilization that has survived the golden age of the Greeks and Romans. The Catholic Church has survived because it has managed to change over and over again as time went along. If the Catholic Church expects to last another 2000 years it must continue to change. I don't think that people like Archbishop Chaput understand this but all the young folk leaving the Church today understand this quite well.
3
The more Pope Francis speaks out on behalf of the poor. The more he extends a thoughtful gesture to the dispossessed of our society. The more he acts and sounds like a true Christian and behaves like a spokesperson for the ideals of Christ, the more the old guard traditionalists speak out against the him. Traditionalists, for the most part, worship only the manmade dogma and copied ancient Roman ritual. When it comes to actually following the words of Jesus, however, the conservative Catholics turn a blind eye and look toward Trump and the Republican Party for guidance.
30
I am still amazed at people's ability to collude with the Roman Church's continued existence in this country. But, guess we still have the Mafia and other organized crime, robber barons anew in finance and industry and regressive politicians in charge who do not represent the majority of Americans. So, sure, Pope Francis is a bit better. End the "celibate clergy" NOW.
4
As a practicing Catholic, when it comes to countervailing theological beliefs I tend to subscribe to "Let he without sin caste the first stone" and "Judge not lest ye be judged." God, is after all the final judge of us all.
8
Misleading headline. Current Archbishop is retiring at prescribed age. While it is true he is conservative on social issues, a retirement is not a forced dismissal.
6
@Joan Assuming he is in good health (for a 75 year old), his prescribed resignation would not have been accepted
I must have read a different headline.
1
Without Francis, the church would soon be irrelevant in the US. The conservatives are too linked to the abuse scandals and the self-defeating ban on contraception.
18
Refreshing news. Pope Francis is a modern breath of fresh air who is not only burdened to resolve the priest abuse situation, and the Vatican banking corruption, he must deal with a Church challenged by a decline in youthful parishioner involvement. Bless the Pope.
19
It was ideologues like Chaput who drove me from the Catholic Church a bit over a decade ago. I'll take no gods over theirs.
Francis is dragging the Catholic Church kicking and screaming into the 20th Century.
Notice I didn't say the 21st.
40
It's time for Christian-Catholics to go on the offensive and take on the so-called-conservatives in the Catholic church and elsewhere. Their conservatism conveniently only goes back to a time they believe fits their harsh and discriminatory proclamations. None of these 'conservatives' actually believes or practices what they say. It's a way to control the lives of others. In a nutshell, they're simply con-men and con-women. And they're not in the least bit Christian.
21
I know he’s a flawed human, I know the church is centuries behind other traditions, I know I’ll never be accepted in my lifetime as a gay married lapse catholic but without sarcasm I say: God bless Francis.
He uniquely has and can further orient the direction of a very large ship which, though it still might sink, yet might make right. Please God!
24
Thank you, Jesus!
9
If the pope is infallible, how can priests who are at least theoretically his subordinates challenge him?
If he's not infallible, well, who decides who gets to challenge him--and on what grounds? Is the Catholic Church a democracy---at least, when the dissenters want it to be?
If the pope is to choose cardinals on grounds other than personal relationships, what are those grounds? And who gets to decide them?
Should the Pope rely unquestioningly on the judgment of the Curia as to who should be made cardinals? How can that be, if the Curia were appointed by preceding popes? Weren't they as fallible (or infallible) as he is?
Or should we expect that God will whisper the names of prospective cardinals in the Pope's ear? If we do, how can we be sure that the Pope heard Him (or Her) right? Most men his age have considerable hearing loss.
2
@Just Ben, I would recommend you read up on papal infallibility. I don’t believe in it any more than you do, but it only applies when the pope speaks ex cathedra. The last time that happened was in about 1850.
8
@A Good Lawyer In fact, the idea of infallibility was not even formalized until 1870 (perhaps as the Pope's temporal power went down the tubes) and the only time an official infallible statement has been made was in 1950. Historians have gone back and said that maybe a half dozen other statements between 33 and 1870 might have been considered infallible if infallibility had been formalized at the beginning (of course the reason it was not formalized earlier is that the early and medieval Christians overall disagreed with it)
1
Interesting -- a Native American who is a conservative. Guess it takes all kinds of prelates to make a church. But it is also interesting that the Catholic Church in the U.S. is conservative by comparison with the rest of Catholicism. Hope Pope Francis can help us catch up with the rest of the world.
11
If the Catholic Church would take the step of allowing married men to be parish priests, it would be a gigantic first step in allowing the church to move beyond its terrible sexual abuse scandals. Priestly celibacy is not a matter of doctrine but practice. Tradition suggests, for example, that there was a Mrs. Peter. It is long past time for the church to enter the 21st century.
12
I can think of no ideology more antithetical to the teachings of Jesus Christ than the modern conservative movement.
Derision, arrogance, exclusivity, condescension, selfishness, self-righteousness, avarice, pontification, greed, unjustifiable piety, narrow mindedness, lack of empathy, etc, etc, etc - Christ neither represented nor condoned any of this.
Love, caring, forgiveness, selflessness, etc, these are what He represents. And, I'm sorry, but modern conservatives do not reflect or embrace any of these things.
In fact, conservatives today strike me as particularly embittered, derisive, and polarizing. Not to mention their full on embrace of "victimhood".
32
From Chaput to Kaput - one only wishes it had happened sooner. Bravo Pope Francis!
14
The schism in the church has more to do with Republicans weaponizing divisive issues like Abortion; most Catholics used to vote for things like feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, giving health care to the needy, taking care of the earth....
26
Chaput doesn't like change! Maybe Chaput would like millions more Catholics to leave the church? Maybe he would like a church made up solely of rigid, subservient, unthinking immigrants who kowtow to bishops as those bishops turn a blind eye to the flaws in their church? Good riddance Chaput. Your church's congregations are better than your church's leaders.
15
Benedict almost makes me believe there is a god.
7
Good riddance to Chaput. His dialogue with anyone was that of the cranky old man yelling “ get off my lawn”. Didn’t deserve the rank of Bishop much less anything of higher rank. He should go to Rome to be the pseudo-pope Benedict’s errand boy. The pope whose elevation he saw as akin to an amusement park ride he could get off and leave when the joy of the ride ended. These people are cowards.
13
I'm no fan of Archbishop Chaput, but for your headline to say he was ousted when he in fact offered his resignation at retirement age is misleading to say the least.
12
Why does the Times routinely carry water for american right wing Roman Catholics? It gives them the same status as it does right wing republicans. Framing issues as they are told.
It is very odd.
And certainly has little to do with the Roman Catholic Church.
11
Archbishop Chabot was hardly ousted. At 75 years of age, he had to submit resignation papers. The pope accepted them. Being a controversial figure doesn't change the facts. Clickbait sensationalism harms the Times' reputation. Do better next time.
11
This headline is dishonest. A lie. Archbishop Chaput RESIGNED. He's 75. That isn't 'ousted.' And you ask "gee, why doesn't anyone trust the media." Please do better.
13
Re Photo_Op: "Pope Francis and Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia during a mass in Philadelphia in 2015."
I sincerely hope that, someday, (possibly), within my remaining life expectancy, aka, about 25-35 years, if actuarial / demographic data is reasonably, accurate...
My former, (ancestral) faith will act in such a way as to begin to suggest that being a pedophile, and/or, protecting a pedophile from secular law enforcement...has become an ecclesial 'career_impediment'!
Under ALL the popes of my lifetime...John-23rd. to Francis-1st...'pedophile, by proxy' is the label I apply to the Vicars, 'O, Christ!
2
Viva, Pope Francis! You are moving the Church in the right direction. May you have many more years to do it.
Please take a look at our hierarchy in New York City, Manhattan specifically. We are among the most liberal cities in the USA yet that hierarchy is timid, at best, to reflect our views on social justice. We need a shepherd to lead and encourage us rather than remain behind curtains on Madison Avenue. The current one fails us. We are an activist city with no serious Catholic moral leader. Our archbishop should be one.
22
in The Living Word of God the rule of law is upheld...people under the government are to follow the laws ...especially Christians...Pope Francis derides The United States when we have been the most giving Nation in the history of the world...His Latin America origins are the most corrupt in present time...and many call themselves Catholics in Latin America...I would suggest to the Roman Catholic Church and it's parishioners to straighten out there own house and Latin American countries and taking "the plank out of there eye"
2
One of America's biggest exports is its right-wing political dogma. Americans don't know about it but those of us out here are quite aware of it and see it as a threat to national sovereignty and social cohesion. But Bannon, Giuliani, the NRA, and the right wing NGOs are out in force. It's no surprise that they are intent on taking over the Catholic Church. Even that's not conservative enough for them.
28
As a liberal Catholic, I hope Francis keeps clearing out the old white male conservatives while dragging the Catholicism into the 21st century. Of course he gets resistance from arch neoconservatives but that is expected. Defeating them is a victory for the rest of us. But the ultimate change that would transform Catholicism forever would be female priests which would stop the institutional prejudice against women and guarantee sainthood to Francis. I hope I live to see that day.
44
@c-c-g Aside from the racism of your statement, you might want to become aware of the fact that the "progressive" wing of the church is virtually entirely white. African and Asian Christians are far and away more conservative.
6
Archbishop Chaput is an amazing man, follower of Christ, steadfast in Orthodoxy. He singlehandedly saved the Archdiocese from bankruptcy and church attendance has stabilized. The attempted to label him anything but obedient follower of Christ and Pope Francis is, quite frankly, slanderous. He is facing mandatory retirement and probably wants to retire and live the rest of his days in peace and personal reflection. He was also quite vocal in persuading Catholics to follow their faith in Politics and the ballot box. Oh, that’s why he gets negative reviews. I personal wish him well. May your retirement be filled with peace and joy, soldier of Christ.
4
So Catholic Conservatives threaten schism if they don’t get their way? How Protestant of them.
41
@John F McBride Catholic Liberals threaten the same thing
2
@John F McBride People like Mel Gibson already do it. Band together and have your private mass in Latin.
@Blair Why would someone have to have a private Mass in Latin? There are hundreds of public Masses in Latin all over the country every Sunday. Some years ago, the Church bureaucracy decided it would be better to pray in a language the people understood, the vernacular. If you understand Latin, Latin can be your vernacular.
2
Back in the 60s after Goldwater was shellacked the hard right restrategized along the lines of Leo Strauss' political philosophy which says the rabble are decadent & shouldn't be allowed to govern themselves. Instead "uber men" should run society & (per Strauss) use religion in a utilitarian manner to control the masses.
So they created non-profit foundations to seed money down to religions, pastors & religious entrepreneurs w/ the quid pro quo that they yank their flocks to the right. They created several nonprofits entities as middlemen to do this.
1 is the Institution for Democracy & Religion. Their mandate was to infiltrate/yank mainline protestants to the right. There's a group for each religion.
For Catholics it's the Catholic League. Tho it has no formal association w/ the church you can see their fingerprints on stuff. Back in the 60s Catholicism still pushed Catholic Social Teaching which essentially promoted a middle class lifestyle for working people (like FDR, Bernie Sanders & George Bailey) making Catholics Democrats.
Then in 72 they latched onto Roe v Wade as a pretext to push Catholics to the right. But the middle class are less likely to have abortion than working class. So in the name of antiabortion they pushed right wing policies that impoverished millions & made abortion more likely not less.
But Catholicism is a 2000+ year global institution w/ no desire to be a tool for the American right. That's where Francis came in & the Catholic League went out
15
Alleluia! Poor Philadelphia has been in the hands of conservatives for forever! Thank you Pope Francis!
20
This headline is pure clickbait and should be beneath NYT since the truth is Archbishop Chaput was not "ousted" by the Pope; Chaput offered his resignation last Fall upon his 75th birthday- standard practice in the Church.
Chaput's tenure was marked by a fiscally tight managerial style (he closed 49 schools) and he mostly ignored Pope Francis' edicts and pleas, especially he most basic -more involvement of laity, priests who spent more of their time away from their computer screens/offices among their parishioners and those in need.
It must have been quite deflating to those who hoped that as a man of color, the Archbishop would further the cause of minorities, however he closed and sold the historic landmarked African American church St Peter Claver, former parishioners remain bitter over its sale, the Archdiocese never staffed the church and the African American community recouped only one third of the proceeds of the sale of the church built and supported by a formerly vibrant parish since the 19th century
And a member of the race relations committee at St Vincent's, which claims a healthy mix of minorities said there were no members of color.
Chaput also pushed for the term LGBT to be removed from Chruch and parish literature in direct defiance of Francis.
If one cannot get with a program of inclusivity for an enriched faith, then get off the road, and if that's politics so be it.
6
Pope Francis rules with a iron hand.
Those who oppose or questions his actions and statements
are quickly disciplined.
While I agree with about 85 % of what Francis has done
to change the Church and to make the teachings of Jesus
more evident in the Church, I do wonder if he squashes
dissent too quickly, for those who dare to disagree with
him are in need of salvation as much as he is, and if he
is willing to bend over backwards to please those secularists
who denounce the Church at every opportunity, why can't he
exercise his shepherd's care toward those who do not understand or just disagree with what he is doing ?
After all they have stayed with the Church through thick and thin, and even if they are mistaken in their views, there is no need to
drive them from the fold of Jesus.
5
@John Brown
"I do wonder if he squashes dissent too quickly,"
Don't wonder. There is enormous evidence of it.
Excellent post.
3
@John Brown
Good to have a Pope who doesn't dilly-dally. Time to rid the Catholic clergy of the un-Christian conservatives. Just like Jesus rid the temple of money-changers. Quick discipline there.
10
@Cynical
One can be a conservative or traditional Catholic
and be a devoted follower of Christ.
2
Bravo Pope Francis! As a faith-filled Catholic, I hope he continues to make changes and appointments that makes Catholicism more open.
Conservatives in the church, much like the Pharisees who denounced Jesus, only want to focus on preserving outdated rules and thwart Pope Francis from being guided by the Holy Spirit to breath new life into the Church!
17
Good. Hooray. As a catholic but, more importantly, as a believer in Christ, these conservative religious exhibit fear, not the all-embracing love of Jesus. Their views then seep into the body politic and corrode a loving response to humanity.
19
It's not surprising that criticism of this pope emanates chiefly from the U.S. I hear older Catholic relatives in Pennsylvania complain about abuse investigations, some calling the whole scandal "fake news." The only Christians on the Supreme Court are now Roman Catholics, Catholicism is the largest Christian sect in the U.S., and the power of the Church to influence secular affairs has almost grown to the point that the 19th-century Know Nothings warned of. Yet to hear elderly Catholics in my birth state of Pennsylvania, THEY are the victims of the gays and women's rights groups.
22
Chaput was never at odds with the Pontiff. Political leanings does not have any weight in Catholic theology. It’s a matter of orthodoxy and heterodoxy. This is not to prefer one over the other, but connecting Chaput with the political right is a miss-characterization of how he operates. I’ve known liberals who support orthodox believes and conservatives who support heterodox/more modernist beliefs.
Almost all of the clergy who are classified as being at odds with Pope Francis love him very much. They certainly do not see themselves as being opposed to him. Chaput is not an exception.
4
@Joseph Is acknowledging the full extent of the sexual abuse orthodoxy or heterodoxy?
2
@Joseph
Correct. "Liberal" (or "progressive," a loaded term if ever there was one) and "conservative" are secular political terms which do not match Church dynamics. It's orthodoxy and heterodoxy.
@Joseph
Written as if the right wing Roman Catholic American press did not exist.
It does. Google. It not only exists it overflows the gutters.
2
I saw the slope on which the Curia had placed the church when I was in fourth grade at a catholic grade school, now 55 years ago—and said enough of this. The ensuing decades have done nothing to persuade me that I was wrong. Francis came close to making me rethink the matter but no, his foes will win. That’s just how it is inside corrupt organizations.
25
As my conservative Catholic friends and colleagues were fond of saying when the pendulum swung their way: Roma Locuta Est, Causa Finita Est.
4
A thoroughly modern day church will let the poor women of the world know that there is an option to being pregnant most of their adult lives, and bearing children they have no hope of caring for properly(clothes, food, medicine). The Catholic church is greatly responsible for the on going diaspora from the poor countries in Africa and Central America. Even before climate change, these people could barely scratch out enough food for all their offspring, and now crops are faltering on a yearly basis, so they have no hope but to go somewhere else. The worlds population is going to have to go down, one way or another...pope or no pope, church or no church.
23
@Fred Rodgers: and they were all impregnated by a man.
1
In this context, the terms 'liberal' and 'conservative' are useless. More meaningful would be "originalist", "traditionalist" and "reform.". But it seems that we have all become intellectual blunt instruments, able to grasp only a stick or a stone.
6
@Charles Becker The "modern conservative movement" is no longer a movement towards conservative values. It is a movement toward dishonesty, immorality and to be clear a movement against Christianity. This article talks about Archbishop Chaput's stances on abortion, homosexuality - conservative stances which I disagree with, but respect the right of others to argue. But that in no way shape or form defines the conservatives particularly in America whose outrageous lies, immorality and the most basic integrity now define them - including the "Catholic conservatives".
13
@Charles Becker
Originalist?!!!!!
Intellectual bankruptcy sign.
@John,
Your post is an obvious, blatant, and transparent strawman. It strikes me, and please correct me if I have misread your intent, that you just want to have a blunt instrument argument about politics. For example, where did "modern conservative movement" come from? I'm pretty sure that you were quoting yourself there because you sure weren't quoting anything I wrote.
1
I applaud this move. Look around the churches and count the number of millennials and younger church goers. Pope Francis's inclusive nature and teaching is likely to appeal to these catholics who have questioned the authenticity of their faith.
How many US bishops have questioned the unchristian actions of our government? The church can not continue to stand against Roe V Wade and ignore actions that mock the words of Christ.
22
Pope Francis is leading the unity church across the globe toward his holy mission, while Bishop Chaput were in an odd tone. He was working on a divisible church defying the lead of a Pope. It is not surprised that Pope Francis remove him because the Catholic church is the Pope and no the Bishop.
3
@Gabriel
Actually, it is PF who is defying trends in the Church and denying them. The fasting growing and most electrified movement of the moment is Restoration: the return to Tradition. The more hardline Francis becomes, the more traditionalists grow in numbers. The growth segment is most definitely not within the lukewarm modernistic and secularized branch but within Tradition. PF is not bringing the Church into unity but toward schism.
3
@calleefornia , "Restoration" may well be the biggest trend in the Catholic church but that just shows what real trouble the church is in. How many people can really be for going back to saying the Mass in Latin? I would think not many. The five RC Churches in my town are empty as it is. Go back to saying the Mass Latin and the places will be empty.
4
@Jack
Answering your question...
There is currently far more demand for priests from traditionalist apostolates (who say only the Latin Mass) then there are priests from those several apostolates to fill the demand. Again, the fervor is not in the lukewarm, secularist, pablum interpretation of the faith but in the personally challenging living of that faith in the home, in the heart, and in society. Catholics are tried of the appeal to Sloth, which has been the theme since the second Vatican council.
1
Yay Pope!
6
Hmm...
I wonder what Ross thinks?
5
This is the best thing I've read in a while. Maybe the church is trying to atone for it's sins.
4
Gloria papa...
1
What is up with the title on the front page? Strong and unwarranted editorializing imo.
5
I hope that Pope Francis lives a long time and is able to appoint more open minded people to important posts in the church. That is one of the areas of church government that is crucial; appointing good people.
Maybe he will appoint most of the cardinals who will elect the next Pope. The longer Francis lives, the more old timer's will have passed from the scene.
256
The Pope is smart to let Chaput go quickly and replace him with a relatively young Hispanic. Hispanic's are the future off the church. Old conservatives like Chaput are one reason the pews are empty. The world has changed and these old timers just don't get that. If the pews are empty, these church leaders who want to go back to living like it's 1936 will be unable to live the charmed lives they lead.
240
@Jack,
Research conducted by Pew indicates that Catholicism among Hispanic-Americans is falling rapidly, with a majority now non-Catholic.
12
@Charles Becker
Yep. They're either non-practicing or have become Evangelicals. Definitely a dying breed within the Church in North, Central,and South America.
11
@Jack I would say the exact opposite. People thirst for truth. Pews are empty because hard truths aren't preached anymore. What % of Catholics do you think hear from the pulpit about the evils of contraception and the Pandora's box it has opened? Virtually zero I'd say. No, it's not old conservatives that weakening the faith. It's the dictatorship of relativism. A church that panders to societal whims will fall on it's own sword.
8
In October 1962, Pope John XXIII announced as he opened the historic Second Vatican Council that it was time to “throw open the windows of the church and let the fresh air of the spirit blow through." It was an exhilarating time to be a Catholic.
I think of Francis this way, too, but he faces a declining church in turmoil. His bravery and clear thinking may yet save the day.
May he live long and prosper.
281
@mwalsh5 In global terms, Catholicism is growing.
1
Archbishop Chaput may have removed priests accused of sexual crimes after he arrived in Philadelphia, but judging from evidence uncovered by the Denver Post, it would appear that he did his best to hide them while he was in Colorado. He was also constantly trying to marginalize groups of people whose lifestyles he did not personally approve of. He was politically active, trying always to raise anger in the public square about things such as abortion. He was radical, but not in a Christian way. His church should have had its tax exemptions denied. He is not missed in Colorado.
54
If Bergoglio is still looking for someone to accept his resignation, I'll accept it-- on behalf of Christianity.
6
@Jabin
Those who think they own Christianity, are not listening to Christ.
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@Lee
And those who think that PF is a good representation of the message of Jesus have a poor Scriptural understanding of Jesus' comprehensive message. Reputable scripture scholarship does not reduce Jesus to the Social Justice Warrior so distortedly identified with him by modernists.
2
@calleefornia and Jabin, get a life, grow up and see that every organization grows and changes, admitting Mistakes. That means, “Reputable scripture scholarship does not reduce Jesus to the Social Justice Warrior so distortedly identified with him by modernists” is a mistaken theory not representative of the Christ I know.
"...(the Pope) telling a reporter who handed him a book exploring the well-financed and media-backed American effort to undermine his agenda that it was “an honor that the Americans attack me.” "
Good for him.
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Thank you for keeping us updated about the great decisions of our dear Pope Francis. I am so happy he is keeping politics separate from religion. He is such a great example of mercy for the little person. “Be not afraid!!”
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The Pope is mistaking the College of Cardinals for a President’s cabinet.
Absolute power, etc., as the saying goes.
4
@SA No, he is remembering the least of all and he recognizes that the fire and brimstone uber conservative American Bishops got us into the sex abuse disaster. Time to replace them ALL. Time for the culture wars to end. While American Bishops scream about abortion and gay marriage as signs of cultural changes that should not affect the church, they openly offer annulments to all who pay tons of $$$ following their divorce. My mother was granted an annulment after 25 years of marriage and 4 children, that she gave tons of $$ (that for her was a true sacrifice) was a large part of the annulment. Hypocrisy writ large. I stay in the church due to hope for Francis but argue with my parish Priest every week.
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@SA
I'm trying to recall...
Any other Popes appoint like-minded Archbishops?
Anybody?
Anybody?
Absolute ideologues, etc., as the saying goes.
3
Archbishop Chaput was a disaster for the Church in Denver. Among other things, he hired a PR firm to help lobby against the release of archdiocese files on priests accused of sexual abuse. The Times would do well to report this thoroughly if indeed Chaput plans to continue as a public conservative voice.
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@diogenes Correct me if I'm wrong. Was not it Bishop Chapot who denied Communion to John Kerry because of Kerry's position on abortion?
3
In America, organized religion is nothing short of tax free, big business conglomerate forcing it's hypocrisy into the lives of all Americans while hiding behind (and perverting!) the 1st Amendment. Not to mention, their bought and paid for (R) politicians. Little wonder this Catholic Pope has a hard time reeling them in here in the States.
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Pope Francis famously said "who am I to judge", and with that won many hearts and minds of Catholics who left due to the harsh judgments of hypocrits who emotionally flogged their flocks. Good for Francis as he betters the Church.
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The most frustrating thing to me, as a Jesuit trained Catholic, is how deeply the official Church in the US has been a party to and participant in conservative politics.
Pope Francis has taught us to be non-judgmental in all things, and yet, he has not been quiet about the dangers of the politics of Donald Trump and Steve Bannon. This has been consistent and unambiguous. But, the Bishops have made their beds; they would more likely shout heresy from the Cathedra than transfer the Pope's warning to the Church.
As a member of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, I love, love, love the work of our former Archbishop and now Cardinal of Newark Joseph Tobin. May he soon be the face of Catholicism in America.
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@R Ho
If I am not mistaken,Barr and Kavanaugh went to Jusuit schools. And trump's first college, Fordham ,is a Jesuit school. There is no rhyme or reason. I know quite a few neocons who attended Jesuit schools. They obviously didn't get the message. Tis a real pity.
10
Ultimately the traditions and dogma of the Catholic Church have nothing to do with religion and God and everything to do with the humans at the highest levels of the church. The church is a reflection of what good humans do and as well their faults.
To his credit, I think that is what Francis realizes- ultimately I think that they church will do more good with him in charge than with the conservatives. The mission of the church should be pretty simple- to make the human condition better for everyone.
1
Francis has longed to modernize the church, but he has been faced with opposition from the conservative and out-of-touch old guard. I think he is trying his best even though we wish there would be more progress.
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I think this article overdramatizes Pope Francis' relationship with Bishop Chaput. When Bishop Hubbard of Albany-thought of as one of the more progressive bishops- retired a few years back, his retirement was accepted just as quickly. And Pope Francis is actually known for appointing bishops, not for their politics, but for how pastoral they are; a refreshing change from past practice. Finally, there is an argument to be made that Philly does not have a cardinal anymore because its Catholic population is shrinking and this Pope is trying to appoint more cardinals in places other than Europe and North America. Sure, the Pope and Chaput seem to be very different ideologically, but that's no reason to assume some inappropriate machinations are taking place.
15
We live in the 21st Century, not the 15th. Thank you Pope Francis for moving the church in the right direction, left.
17
A 75 year old is taking mandatory retirement. Why is this a big deal?
15
It seems to me that ALL Papal appointments are based on personal relationships.
7
Pope Francis has been opposed at every turn by the cabal of so-called conservatives in the US and Rome. He's been more than patient. Those who refuse to bend are being cut away.
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As a Dorothy Day Catholic, I can only rejoice.
Amid the culture wars, many of my fellow parishioners are overcome by politics. Those who can still share the ground of the Unknowable God (phrase used but not invented by my dear friend David Burrell, chair emeritus of Notre Dame's theology dept.) across the political divide are gifts.
Ironically, you secularists who cannot trust believers, the space of grace is so very powerful.
I first felt it as a political force doing voter registration in the projects in Norfolk, VA, in 1964. God's love suffuses all.
6
Pope Francis also appointed the first woman to a senior role in the Church. She will serve as undersecretary for multilateral affairs in the Secretariat of State at the Vatican. Not enough for me, but it is a start. Until the sexual abuses at the hands of priests and the cover-up by the Church are ended and modern reform is made to include women and the LGBTQ community, young people will continue to shun Catholicism.
16
The article states that Pope Francis didn't have to accept the resignation, but doesn't offer any numbers to suggest how often or under what circumstances that happens. Pretty sure that most are accepted unless there really is nobody to do the job right away. Also, the Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia, Justin Rigali, is a cardinal. I think I read somewhere that a new cardinal isn't elevated in a diocese until the living cardinal there, retired or not, dies. The Archbishop of Los Angeles, Archbishop Gomez, has also not been elevated and probably won't be until Cardinal Mahony dies. Don't let the secular media be your only source of information about the Catholic Church. There are 1.2 billion of us and 400,000 members of clergy. It's a huge tent with a lot of room for lively theological debate. Pope Francis and Archbishop Chaput are both holy men of God working for the salvation of souls. It's not either/or. It's both/and.
12
If there were to be a legitimate schism in the Church it should be over the tragedy of the handling of the abuse scandal, with those outraged leaving a hopelessly out-of-touch Church bureaucracy. No, Pope Frances is not leading the Church: he is doing everything possible to heal the fractures that have been left to fester.
6
Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller was “disappointed” that the archbishop of Philadelphia had not been elevated to cardinal, “because the appointment of the cardinals should not be a personal relation with the pope to these bishops.” Asked why Francis had declined to make the appointment, he said “politics.”
With respect former Cardinal Müller, but did it ever occur to you that you were once selected as a Cardinal because the Pope who selected you did so due to a personal relationship with you? that he liked you?
All human organizations are political to some degree. Why shouldn't a sitting Pope choose those who agree with him as Cardinals? After all, Benedict stacked the Curia more than Trump has stacked the courts. As long as Pope Francis listens to opposing views and moderates where he feels it's appropriate based on those views, is all good.
At the end of the day, it's past time that the Church get back to the example set by Jesus who embraced all nature of sinners and miscreants of his day. or Francis is doing wonders getting is back to the teachings of Jesus.
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@Tom - I left the Church because it not only embraces "all nature of sinners and miscreants" but installs so many of these ghastly men to positions of great power. I was wrong to stay in a parish after the revelations in Boston but finally grasped what a humanitarian disaster was occurring as described in the grand jury report by Pennsylvania's State Attorney General Shapiro. The laypeople are the true Church; among them I never felt I was in the presence of a great sinner or miscreant. Among the clergy? We will never, ever know the depth of the sinning and crimes. Pope Francis has an overwhelming task, a double task if he has to skillfully weed out active clergy who could be part of cover-ups dating back decades.
9
@Jenny Any catholic or church condemns those who have been raped assaulted & abused by perverted priests & or nuns arent connected in anyway w what Christ stood for .
I went to a St. Joes church in Toms river where all they cared about was how they could hoodwink stupid boobs & get them to keep donating to a perverted clergy.They pushed a totally bankrupt view of what was a "moral way to live"They deserve what they are getting.I hope they shrivel & die. Howard Stern is a better Christian than anyone I met there.
4
What has been largely missing with many conservatives in the Catholic priesthood, its hierarchy, and some in the pews are compassion, understanding. humility, and tolerance — the exact values that Christ demostrated to His followers through his examples and teachings, especially as it concerned those who were seen as unworthy societal outcasts, often by those very followers who claimed such devotion to Him.
I see those like Chaput as the new Pharisees — living by the book and by the dogma, without the requisite heart to put both into context and to apply them compassionately. It really must be nice to live a life in black and white (literally and figuratively), with no gray areas anywhere. Most of us are not as blessed, and we are just as worthy and deserving of God’s grace as they are. This Pope recognizes that. Finally.
Some fear Francis is leading the Church toward schism; from where this former Catholic sits, that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. I’d say it’s long overdue.
51
Though Bishop Perez has been in Cleveland for a short time he was a breath of fresh air compared to Lennon. Lennon created havoc in Boston and attempted to do the same thing in Cleveland by closing multiple parishes. Fortunately he lost several of those battles. I hope Bishop Perez's replacement is as welcoming. He brought inspiration and pride to the Hispanic community in Cleveland; his predecessor should follow in his footsteps.
35
I don't know about "ouster" but the media does love to stoke the fire burning as between those who adhere to the letter, rather than to the spirit, of the law. This fire has been burning at least since Peter and Paul, and will continue burning for as long as there is a church. We just haven't had a pope in recent memory who was mostly "spirit" with a dash of "letter." And, the spirit of the law is uniquely singular: it is love. That is actually the substantive definition of God in the Gospel: love; it is identified as the greatest virtue, without which we humans are "nothing" accordingly to even the legalistic Paul. So, it may feel weird to have a pope who rules from a place of love and mercy, but it's really not a schism thing. It's a gospel thing. All that said, Francis is wind-mill tilting with this appointment. The life has already long-ago left the American Church. It's like switching seats on the deck of the Titanic.
27
I was with you until the end.
To me, with the ascension of Francis to Pope, hope springs eternal that the Catholic church will thrive again by focusing love and inclusion rather than condemnation and exclusion, you know, the way of Jesus.
To me, Francis becoming Pope was the only example of a miracle I have experienced in my life. Only God could have intervened in a group of conservative Cardinals picked by JP II and Benedict to ultimately choose Francis. My hope for the Church is founded on this miracle.
88
“He plans to take three months to read, cook, and pray...”? Is this the Catholic equivalent of EAT, PRAY, LOVE?
31
Yesterday I went to a funeral in a diverse community. Immigrants, minorities. It was a mass and a revelation of the love of God though an ethnic priest, a bit old fashioned but full of love. I find this missing in most services. It was a blessing. To be conservative with love of people is wrong. Good for Pope Francis. Watch the two popes movie. Be sure to see a cameo of both Francis and Benedict at the end. It’s quick. But the substance of the movie is a good explanation the difference between perhaps conservative and a more open liberal view.
45
Americans calling themselves conservatives today, do great damage to a once great political ldeal. See Edmund Burke.
34
Yeah unless you’re black, or gay, or poor, or a woman, or an immigrant, etc. etc.
12
@SpoiledChildOfVictory You are right most people have never read Edmund Burke. The Catholic church is on its last legs. I advise all women to quit emasse. Let them do an orderly liquidation of RC church and give money to poor and sisters who took vows of poverty..
44
@SpoiledChildOfVictory
Edmund or Raymond Burke ??
1
If Francis really wants to remake the church for the future, he would open all seminaries to women. Swapping out one old guy for a younger guy is just moving deck chairs.
117
Having been on a 10-plus years sabbatical from the Catholic Church, I am greatly interested in its progress nonetheless.
Pope Francis gives me hope for the church. I am very pleased that he is making changes that may ultimately return the church to fulfilling its original mission of helping the poor, healing the sick, and offering comfort to all who need it in today's unsettled world. It has the breadth, resources, and power to be a force for good.
133
Well, come back to help make Francis vision of a Christlike church a reality. I did.
14
As a practical matter, Francis is packing the court with his selection of cardinals. But so did his John Paul II and Benedict.
27
I met Archbishop Chaput when he was Archbishop of Denver. He was quite the ideologue who had little time for parishioners with nuanced approaches to Catholic theology. I was happy to see him leave Denver and now not sad to hear he is being replaced in Philly.
152
Thumbs up to Pope Francis! Hopefully more John Paul and Benedict appointments will be removed.
96
All Pope Francis has to do is clear out and prosecute the pedophile priests and he'll be a rock star in the U.S.
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