The Catholic Church and God's Will

[DNCAttackDog]

Calling all Catholics: I have an honest, frank question.

I know that according to Catholic teachings, His Holiness the Pope is understood to have a direct line of communication to God.

That being the case, does everything the Pope says accurately reflect God's wishes? Or is it only what he says about the Church's positions and practices? Or am I completely off base?

Help me out, here....

[2ruballa]

Calling all Catholics: I have an honest, frank question.

I know that according to Catholic teachings, His Holiness the Pope is understood to have a direct line of communication to God.

That being the case, does everything the Pope says accurately reflect God's wishes? Or is it only what he says about the Church's positions and practices? Or am I completely off base?

Help me out, here....

I'm not roman catholic, but I think I can help.

Direct line of communication = PRAYER

thats it! you me and everyone, thats our line of communication with God

Not every Pope was good. Some were quite evil and many bad things happened because of them. That is a testimony that God's word is right and that we should live our lives with compassion and understanding toward one another. Obeying God by loving your neighbor = PEACE. Then if you ask, why did God allow evil Popes? Because he gave us the gift of free will. Popes are just men like you and me. And some had evil in their hearts. God's purpose for creating the church was to spread the word. Even with hypocritical evil Popes the Word still spread. God Almighty cannot be stopped and he is humble.

[cpwill]

it's only when he speaks on certain matters of dogma, when he's speaking Ex Cathedra, i think...

[ranger]

Calling all Catholics: I have an honest, frank question.

I know that according to Catholic teachings, His Holiness the Pope is understood to have a direct line of communication to God. Jesus promised the Apostles that He would send the Holy Spirit, whom He identified as the Spirit of Truth, who would instruct them in everything and remind them of all that He had revealed (cf. Jn 14:17, 26)

That being the case, does everything the Pope says accurately reflect God's wishes? Or is it only what he says about the Church's positions and practices? Or am I completely off base?

Help me out, here....An excerpt from a letter by Father William Saunders should help you.

"When the pope renders an infallible teaching, he clearly states that he is teaching as the successor of St. Peter on an issue of faith and morals and that this teaching is binding for the universal Church, irreformable (meaning it will not change) and infallible (meaning it is without error). Actually, only twice in the history of our Church has the Holy Father by himself exercised the charism of infallibility: when Pope Pius IX pronounced the dogma of the Immaculate Conception (1854) and when Pius XII pronounced the dogma of the Assumption (1950). Interestingly, in both cases, these beliefs were long held by the Church, but after seeing the crisis of faith in the world and after polling the bishops, the Holy Father in both instances decided to put forth a truth to bolster the faith of the people."

[cpwill]

why would they need to poll the bishops if they're speaking in the voice of God?

[ranger]

why would they need to poll the bishops if they're speaking in the voice of God?To determine if a problem exists that needs correction or explanation.

[cpwill]

but if he's speaking directly from God, then why would he worry what the bishops thought, wouldn't God be the higher authority:confused:

or is it not that he's speaking from God, but rather clarifying and institutionalizing church tradition?

[ranger]

Heresy but if he's speaking directly from God, then why would he worry what the bishops thought, wouldn't God be the higher authority:confused:

or is it not that he's speaking from God, but rather clarifying and institutionalizing church tradition?
My understanding is that a Bishop will contact the Vatican because of a heresy or a dispute between a group of church members and the Church teachings. The Pope then polls the Bishops of the world to determine the extent of the heresy. If it just a local thing then he will handle it locally. If it turns out to be a national or global problem then he will approach it as such with a committee of Bishops and Priests trying to settle the problem.

When all other alternatives fail to resolve the issue then the Pope, after much prayer and contemplation, and with the help of God (the Holy Spirit) settles the dispute with a declaration using the formula mentioned in the letter I quoted. This has nothing to do with the individual man but with the office instituted by Christ.

Since this has only been done twice in 2000 years it is obviously taken very seriously by the Church. All other statements made by the Pope are fallible and subject to error.

[Distant]

IMO, though I'm no longer a christian, as others have said, the Pope is merely an average person, actually voted in by the Cardinals and he is given the ability to perform and carry out an wish that he basically sees fit to everyone around him. His position is held to highly and unfavorably among many men and thus his reputation goes down a few points.

But I find it perplexing that the only actual word spoken from God through the Pope has only been given out twice. That in itself shows you something that you might have missed. The fact that they may be unsure in their own response to a problem or question granted to them. If they want to know something, whom do they ask for the answer. People use reasoning (and faith) to determine if an answer is correct or incorrect and act upon it. If you have a problem with what the Pope says, do you think he should be given the title "Voice of God?" Thus I believe that the Pope is merely the person seen as best fit, or most religously devoted and understood, than other canidates that were given that chance to ascend the throne.

[ranger]

But I find it perplexing that the only actual word spoken from God through the Pope has only been given out twice. All that was required of us for salvation was revealed by Jesus Christ. God has spoken. There is no new revelation beyond the death of Christ.

What the Pope does is settles a dispute on a traditional meaning of God's word that some have come to disagree with. When the Pope speaks on such issues he is proclaiming what God said and meant. He proclaims this for today and for all time. It has only happened twice because it has been necessary only twice.