Pope washes women's feet in break with church law

reply to post by windword


The washing of ones feet by someone with authority, so to speak, such as the Pope is merely a gesture of being humble. He wants everyone to know that he is flawed and human just like all of us. There is nothing special about him. I think that's the point of why Christ washed the feet of the Apostles.

reply to post by adjensen


Pope Francis is not just another human being. He is a public figure that makes a claim to be the highest and holiest person on the planet and the keeper of the souls of this earth. He sets himself above kings, scholars, politicians, CEO's, and any other ordinary person.

Claiming that he gets his feet tended to by professionals isn't smearing, insulting or even a stretch.

His stunt of washing a few feet for a well strategized photo-op is just a public relations ploy of distraction and desperation to keep his "flock of sheep" from straying.

His stunt of washing a few feet for a well strategized photo-op is just a public relations ploy of distraction and desperation to keep his "flock of sheep" from straying.

I truly pity you for whatever has jaded you to the point that you believe that anyone, apart from you, does everything as a "public relations ploy".

Me, I recognize that Francis may just be an honestly good person.

reply to post by adjensen

Me, I recognize that Francis may just be an honestly good person.

Yes, because all people who rise to the top of the world get there by being honestly good people!

He's the head of a very, very bad group of men, who run an organisation that has perpetrated some of worst crimes humanity has seen, except for maybe Yahweh and friends.

I hope he enjoys his Easter lamb feast.

reply to post by windword

Why is it so special that another human being should wash another's feet?

In today's world, it is a wonder.
We have wicked CEOs and politicians who live as royalty...who are only served, but never serve in the true sense of the word. Here we have Pope Francis,the leader of the largest religious organization in the world... washing and kissing the feet of female inmates... out of his own will.Sure, he won't spend his days as Pope washing peoples feet, but his act was symbolic of his mission to serve.

Can you imagine your president doing such a thing? Or at least the mayor?
People who think there was nothing to the Popes gesture... shouldn't be complaining about selfish governments and bankers who only take from them. Perhaps they deserve them...

reply to post by sk0rpi0n


I understand that this is supposed to be symbolic and Biblical and all, but I'm not impressed. The Pope is a symbolic symbol that the Vatican is using to distract it's congregation from leaving due to their disillusionment with it's recent problems.

I know that the Pope is trying to appear to be a humble man, while being surrounded by opulence. I just don't believe him, because of his position, to be sincere.

reply to post by windword

The Pope is a symbolic symbol that the Vatican is using to distract it's congregation from leaving due to their disillusionment with it's recent problems.

The Pope by washing their feet, broke church traditions... so you can't even say it was a staged event by the church.

I know that the Pope is trying to appear to be a humble man, while being surrounded by opulence. I just don't believe him, because of his position, to be sincere.

That the Pope is trying to appear to be a humble man is your opinion, not a fact.
He may be surrounded by opulence, and he was not actually obliged by church tradition to wash the womens feet. He could have just as well sat on the Papal throne and continued where his predecessor left off... and you would still be saying the same thing.

I'd still like to see someone from the secular world, who despite having power and being surrounded by opulence... does something that the Pope has done. I'm pretty sure they would all rather be served and have their feet washed.

reply to post by sk0rpi0n


Wow, a Pope doing something that isn't evil to the core? I have faith in the world again!

Now if he refuses to pardon pedo-priests I'll actually be impressed.

reply to post by sk0rpi0n

Its a great reminder that leaders are meant to serve, not rule over the people like royals.

The Pope washing someone's feet has been traditional for centuries, doing it every year before Easter, where the Pope plays the part of Jesus in a reenactment of what he did at the Last Supper.
The reason it has been noted in the media is that it is unusual for the Pope to wash a woman's feet, since it was an all-male party on the original supper.

Originally posted by jmdewey60
reply to post by sk0rpi0n

 

Its a great reminder that leaders are meant to serve, not rule over the people like royals.

The Pope washing someone's feet has been traditional for centuries, doing it every year before Easter, where the Pope plays the part of Jesus in a reenactment of what he did at the Last Supper.
The reason it has been noted in the media is that it is unusual for the Pope to wash a woman's feet, since it was an all-male party on the original supper.

edit on 30-3-2013 by jmdewey60 because: (no reason given)

Ah. So he didn't even do anything meaningful, he's just not as bigoted towards woman as popes in the past.

I guess some things really never do change.

reply to post by jmdewey60


Ok, I didn't know that.
But have previous Popes washed the feet of inmates before, or do they wash the feet of other members of the church?

reply to post by sk0rpi0n
The inmates thing may be new, too.
It's not as significant as the 'women' thing, though, since the part of women in the Catholic Church has been a bone of contention since the church was created.

One could view this event and wonder if the next thing could be ordaining female priests.
Considering the persons getting their feet washed in this ceremony are playing the parts of the disciples.

reply to post by adjensen


Hello adjensen

May I join with you in acknowledging that this is indeed the Pope people SHOULD have longed for. Also I agree he most likely will not sell of Vatican treasures for the poor etc.

I am confused though why one questions why it wouldn't be a good idea? The artworks, gold, etc. Surley it should never of been allowed!! My Bible-Sense (SpiderMan parody) is tingling off the scale when I consider the Church's riches and vast Earthly power. These things, to me, are greater sins for the Church to of committed; even above the human sins of it's priests.

These criticisms are my own; developed by me in my teens, based on reading the Holy Bible; Jesus' warnings to watch out for those of Earthly wealth and power, those of finery and splendour and also his warnings of false doctrine sneaking into the Church.

I too struggle with Mariology. For the most I am a “Marianist”??, but in an old school sense. Tradition NOT doctrine!!! AND NEVER above Jesus. I adore the representation of Mother Mary and have no desire to offend Jesus nor Heaven. I do not claim to be a theologion. I was happier when Mariology was left to a Catholic's personal beliefs. Now certain things have been elevated through Their Holiness', invoking Papal Infallibility, to matters of Absolute: no longer personal choice.

God bless,
Seeker 7

Originally posted by sk0rpi0n
reply to post by jmdewey60

 

Ok, I didn't know that.
But have previous Popes washed the feet of inmates before, or do they wash the feet of other members of the church?

WWJD?

I guess that's what the Pope should be doing, since other Christians are supposed to be held to that standard.

Originally posted by NewAgeMan
I would like to see him start a real conversation about Jesus and encourage Catholics and everyone to read the Gospels.

Dude ... Catholics read the gospels. 2 scripture eadings each day at daily mass and 3 scripture readings every sunday. 1/2 an hour of daily bible reading is encouraged by the catholic church for all catholics.

YOU disagree with their interpretation of scripture ... but they DO have scripture as a basis for their faith. Scripture and sacred tradition. (and yes, sacred tradition is upheld by scripture).

Originally posted by Seeker7
reply to post by adjensen

 

Hello adjensen

May I join with you in acknowledging that this is indeed the Pope people SHOULD have longed for. Also I agree he most likely will not sell of Vatican treasures for the poor etc.

I am confused though why one questions why it wouldn't be a good idea? The artworks, gold, etc. Surley it should never of been allowed!! My Bible-Sense (SpiderMan parody) is tingling off the scale when I consider the Church's riches and vast Earthly power. These things, to me, are greater sins for the Church to of committed; even above the human sins of it's priests.

These criticisms are my own; developed by me in my teens, based on reading the Holy Bible; Jesus' warnings to watch out for those of Earthly wealth and power, those of finery and splendour and also his warnings of false doctrine sneaking into the Church.

I too struggle with Mariology. For the most I am a “Marianist”??, but in an old school sense. Tradition NOT doctrine!!! AND NEVER above Jesus. I adore the representation of Mother Mary and have no desire to offend Jesus nor Heaven. I do not claim to be a theologion. I was happier when Mariology was left to a Catholic's personal beliefs. Now certain things have been elevated through Their Holiness', invoking Papal Infallibility, to matters of Absolute: no longer personal choice.

God bless,
Seeker 7

Really?
You think golden thrones are worse than child-molesters?

The Church is blatantly corrupt. Always has been, always will be. They're a business, and their product is blind belief. The only reason they're selling things is because they're starting to go broke. In my opinion, that's why the throne went first - looks GREAT for PR.

Originally posted by bastet11
You know, I'm kind of worried for the safety of this pope.

With good reason - but I have a feeling he's made peace with his fate - no matter how it comes

He knows what he's doing

I look at the gesture in a different way. The washing of the feet was highly symbolic. He was sending a message to the traditionalists in the Church that he is above liturgical tradition. He was trying to state that "Man is above God". Let me explain what I mean below:

The prior Pope, Pope Benedict, embraced the liturgical traditionalists by reinstating the usage of the old Latin Rite Mass that was in place before the disastrous Vatican II. The Latin Rite is the old Mass, said entirely in Latin, highly structured, with no room for liturgical innovation by the priest.

Pope Francis is basically giving an example to the priests that they can do as they deem fit liturgically-speaking, which has had disastrous consequences in the past.

The old Latin Rite Mass, for example, severely restricts the priest's ability to innovate. Each action taken by the priest is choreographed and measured. The priest cannot deviate.

After Vatican II in the 60's, the Mass was radically altered. The new Mass implemented after Vatican II allowed for much deviation and innovation, which resulted in all kinds of terrible liturgical abuses, such as Teen Masses, Clown Masses, and the like. The Mass become man-centered around the personality of the priest, whereas the old Latin Rite Mass was focused entirely on service to G-d alone with no room for innovation and interpretation.

My personal opinion is that this Pope's actions and example here are very dangerous and sets a bad example for the priesthood, promoting the priesthood to innovate and self-interpret the Mass from a liturgical point of view. It could result in the further deterioration of the Mass to even lower degraded levels -- spiraling into each priest's personal interpretation of the liturgy.

His actions are symbolically telling the priesthood that his papacy will be centered around the Pope's personality, and not around the service of G-d. It's highly irregular and will have disastrous consequences if Pope Francis stays in power for an extended period of time.

Originally posted by Hefficide

Honestly not being crass... but people who truly do act as Christ did tend to end up martyred. For some reason true kindness and selflessness scares the Hell out of some people and they react homicidally towards it.

I'm not Catholic but the more I learn about this man, the more I respect him as a human being and as an example of what we are all supposed to aspire to.

Indeed, I am only looking in from the outside, as I am not part of this religion; rather one who appreciates the subtle methodologies of control. Part of the message of control is the public beheading, whether it be in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in the US politically, or in the Social Skeptics' version of science - the public beheading is pivotal to the Empire's survival. Those who break the control model need to be rather visibly eviscerated in some fashion.

Applaud this Pope breaking norms, wherein one gender in our society was considered less than human. Well done.

Originally posted by Hefficide

Honestly not being crass... but people who truly do act as Christ did tend to end up martyred. For some reason true kindness and selflessness scares the Hell out of some people and they react homicidally towards it.

I'm not Catholic but the more I learn about this man, the more I respect him as a human being and as an example of what we are all supposed to aspire to.

I agree with you completely. I am increasingly impressed with this popes actions. However, since I love being contrary, I am sure this means that his peers at the Vatican are wholly unimpressed with the steps that he has been taking ( notice that he still is not wearing papal red shoes?). I hate to say it, but I believe that you are correct in that this pope has put a giant bullseye on his back. I am predicting that Benedict and Francis will both meet untimely ends in a not-so-distant future.