In comments likely to enhance his progressive reputation, Pope Francis has written a long, open letter to the founder of La Repubblica newspaper, Eugenio Scalfari, stating that non-believers would be forgiven by God if they followed their consciences.
Responding to a list of questions published in the paper by Mr
Scalfari, who is not a Roman Catholic, Francis wrote: “You ask me if the
God of the Christians forgives those who don’t believe and who don’t
seek the faith. I start by saying – and this is the fundamental thing –
that God’s mercy has no limits if you go to him with a sincere and
contrite heart. The issue for those who do not believe in God is to obey
their conscience.
“Sin, even for those who have no faith, exists when people disobey their conscience.”
Robert Mickens, the Vatican correspondent for the Catholic journal The Tablet, said the pontiff’s comments were further evidence of his attempts to shake off the Catholic Church’s fusty image, reinforced by his extremely conservative predecessor Benedict XVI. “Francis is a still a conservative,” said Mr Mickens. “But what this is all about is him seeking to have a more meaningful dialogue with the world.”
In a welcoming response to the letter, Mr Scalfari said the Pope’s comments were “further evidence of his ability and desire to overcome barriers in dialogue with all”.
In July, Francis signalled a more progressive attitude on sexuality, asking: “If someone is gay and is looking for the Lord, who am I to judge him?”
Independent.co.uk
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday“Sin, even for those who have no faith, exists when people disobey their conscience.”
Robert Mickens, the Vatican correspondent for the Catholic journal The Tablet, said the pontiff’s comments were further evidence of his attempts to shake off the Catholic Church’s fusty image, reinforced by his extremely conservative predecessor Benedict XVI. “Francis is a still a conservative,” said Mr Mickens. “But what this is all about is him seeking to have a more meaningful dialogue with the world.”
In a welcoming response to the letter, Mr Scalfari said the Pope’s comments were “further evidence of his ability and desire to overcome barriers in dialogue with all”.
In July, Francis signalled a more progressive attitude on sexuality, asking: “If someone is gay and is looking for the Lord, who am I to judge him?”
Independent.co.uk
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The deception of the devil!
ReplyDeleteOnce again,I think NE culled this story and as usual and true to their lazy journalism,didn't publish the entire thread,and see how they captioned it ! I didn't see 'heaven' in the pope's statement,why deduce when u intentionally refused to quote the entire thread?sometimes,I'm left heavily disappointed by NE's brand of mentally lazy journalism
ReplyDeleteDid the pope study his Bible well before voicing out? Cos the holy writ says Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and no man cometh unto the father except through him. If what the pope said is correct, is it possible for one to dwell in the house of the man whom he does not regard? How can u obey your concience when u don't believe the creator of the concience exists? Mind you the concience always speaks the mind of its creator. Pope, are u sure you r not the prophesied antichrist?
ReplyDeleteThe papacy is the antichrist!
DeleteDid u ever read d article?,pope says Gods'mercy has no limit,if u come wit a sincere heart,u ll be forgiven,so wat is his offence here dat made u to say he didn't read his bible well,try to check before u talk,watch ur tongue my bro.
DeleteI may not know the exact word used by the Pope and he is entitled to his own opinion whether right or wrong. one fact however remains, we cannot dictate to God what he will eventually do with his creatures both just and unjust. But one fact remains, the word of God never fails and his word says: The only way to salvation is Jesus Christ and whosoever believe in him will have everlasting life. No man can come to the father except through Christ. Since atheist don't believe in God not to talk of Christ, it implies there is no eternity for them. If God however decide to weigh their conscience and pardon them, then he knows beter cos his mercy knows no bound.
ReplyDeletemy brother if u dont believe in jesus christ i can tel u , u wil surely go to hell fire there is no doubt abt that
DeleteSo if I worship n believe in aiyelala, n I'm a gd person,ill go to heaven. Abi?
ReplyDeleteSatan is trully in control of this empty world.
ReplyDeleteSatan is truly in control of this empty world.
ReplyDeleteWhat do u mean by following ur concience? Do u knw dat some conciences r givn to reprobate minds,some seared wt hot iron while some r dead? Except one givs his/her heart to God tru jesus christ,his/her heart is darkend wt sin,desperately wicked with continual evil thoughts n imaginations. Let us watch out against d deception of satan nomater who is being used as an instrument..beware no siner can enter into heaven.
ReplyDeleteWhat do u mean by following ur concience? Do u knw dat some conciences r givn to reprobate minds,some seared wt hot iron while some r dead? Except one givs his/her heart to God tru jesus christ,his/her heart is darkend wt sin,desperately wicked with continual evil thoughts n imaginations. Let us watch out against d deception of satan nomater who is being used as an instrument..beware no siner can enter into heaven.
ReplyDeleteWhat do u mean by following ur concience? Do u knw dat some conciences r givn to reprobate minds,some seared wt hot iron while some r dead? Except one givs his/her heart to God tru jesus christ,his/her heart is darkend wt sin,desperately wicked with continual evil thoughts n imaginations. Let us watch out against d deception of satan nomater who is being used as an instrument..beware no siner can enter into heaven.
ReplyDeleteDear commenters, dont be too sure christianity is the right way or the only way to salvation cos other religions see you as non-believers too. Pope is only being sincere n not follow empty faith like most nigerians who claim to be religious but harbour evil in their breasts. I am a christian anywayz
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure you are a Christian
DeleteThere are over 500 religious groups in the world with more still coming and each has in its holy book that the only way to salvation is through the founder. I think we should let the almighty God do the judgement using whatever criteria he wishes.
DeleteU are not a christian and u dont no god at all , d only dat god giva us is jesus , no jesus no salvation
DeletePOPE NEED DELIVERANCE
DeleteReprobates have a conscience seared with a hot iron. If they follow such conscience, they will surely head to hell.see Romans 1:28 and 1st Timothy 4:2. The era of papal infallibility is gone. Everyone like the Berean Christians should have access to the Bible for verification.The Holy See should check the Bible before make some far reaching faith destroying statements that are likely to destroy baby christians. Remember that faith cometh by hearing the word of God and not the word of man.
ReplyDeleteEh?
ReplyDeleteReally strange
ReplyDeleteI strongly believe in the words of the Pope,u don't need tu be a christian or muslim tu make heaven,the law of the God iz written in every mans heart either u ar jew or gentles,christian or muslim,your conscience iz were the word of God iz written,even after christ came and die for humanity,a lot of people especially africans didn't know Him and yet the consciously obverse their faith before the law of God,gud or bad,sin or righteoness in written in everymans heart.
ReplyDeleteNo matter what you people say. Even the atheist knws the difference between right and wrong, good and bad. S̶̲̥̅Ơ̴̴̴̴̴̴͡ whether he believes in God or not, or whether he is ignorant of the existence of God. God is still there speaking and showing him or her HIS limitless mercy.
ReplyDeleteTherefore his conscience will judge him when he does what is bad, and he will be at peace when he does what is good. It is that simple.
THE POPE IS RIGHT.
Even some atheist are better off than some of those who claims T̶̲̥̅Ơ̴͡ be christians. FACT!!!
S̶̲̥̅Ơ̴̴̴̴̴̴͡ please apply wisdom.
The pope's statement can be better put this way: 'Jesusdied in vain'
ReplyDeleteCongrats Pope. You just wrote a new bible and created a new god. My own bible says ' how can they escape if they neglect such a great salvation.
Beware of this new religion. - AJ
Nigerians should stop being ignorant and trying to see God in the image of man. Its supposed to be the other way round. If God has unconditional love for all and it is because if this love that we exist on this earth, who are we to judge who is a believer and who is a non-believer. Since when did you people become God to judge who goes to heaven or who has a claim to salvation. Or are you saying Christians, Muslims, Buddhists etc don't have the freedom to do good or bad just as atheists??? This pope is only operating from the highest point of consciousness which we should all emulate and this is love and tolerance for all. I'm sure the world will be a better place if start seeing each other differently.
ReplyDeleteThe Pope is a mortal man like us all,learned and understands the full meaning of the word conscience and forgiveness. So,why are we struggling to make heaven by force?
ReplyDeleteGod have mercy on him(pope)my bible tells me that Jesus is d way truth and light no one cometh to the father except thru him(jesus)keep. Decievin the people,u will give account of dis ur statement one day.
ReplyDeleteThe God of the heaven the Pope is talking about is also the God of the bible. If you must make it to heaven, then you must believe and obey what the bible says about Jesus Christ who is the ONLY WAY to heaven. I wonder which bible the Pope is reading. I hope he is not being misquoted or taken out of context here!!
ReplyDeleteEbi
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWe re not God. Paul, formerly known as saul, was a persecutor of the early church but when it was time God arrested him and used him as a vessel of honour.Paul himself acknowldged God's mercy and wrote to Timothy "because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant,
along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus"(1 Timothy 1: 12-14).
It is not God's plan for his creation to be destroyed. He surely has a way of speaking to us all; jew or gentile.
why not you visit this site and read the exact words of the Pontiff before opening your buccal cavities unnecessarily: www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-francis-letter-to-the-founder-of-la-repubblica-italian-newspaper
ReplyDeleteWe are not God. Paul, formerly known as Saul, was a persecutor of the early church. When it was time God arrested him and used him as a vessel of honour. Paul himself acknowledged this when he wrote to Timothy "because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant,
along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus(1 Timothy 1:12-14). It is not God's plan for his creation to perish. He sure has a way of speaking to us all; Jew or Gentile.
By there fruits' we shall know them.
ReplyDeleteIt is only the WORD OF GOD that matters and not the word of any pope or man of God.
ReplyDeleteWell, it is a free world. Every body has the right to air his or her mind. My Islamic faith tells me that those who hear about God but refused to believe in Him will go to hell. It went further to warn: 'Do not die except in a state of Islam (peace and total submission to the will of God)', the true message to humanity. Do not be deceived my brother, God will fill hell fire with unbelievers.
ReplyDeletePeople who are misinterpreting the Catholic Pontiff's statement are intellectual dwarfs cos Pope has not said anything that contradicts the scriptures and the teachings of the Church.It is left for God to Judge all.Simple! No man has a right to say who is going to Hell cos the Judgement is GOD's own. This is also the Position of Christ in the Bible.So all those fanatics, Scriptural and theological dwarfs should leave the Pope alone.By the way, Pope remains the only one that can speak on matter of Christian faith and the whole world would pay attention cos he cannot misled the over one billion Catholic faithfuls in all the continents of the world when it comes to matter of the faith. For those who do not know, it was the Pope chairing other Bishops during one of the Council that defined the concept and dogma of Trinity? You have a right to question this, but most Christians today subscribe to this article of faith-- Believe in God the Father, God The Son and God the Holy Spirit.
ReplyDeletedeception ,pple should becareful.rapture wl soon take place.
ReplyDeleteThe Bible says: No one can serve two masters, Either he will hate the one and love the other, Or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. Your conscience must agreed with whom you serve.
ReplyDeleteThe Bible also says: at the last day, there will be false prophets. Beware and be watchfull.
ReplyDeleteThe Pope that will usher in the Anti Christ Officially is here. First it was the gays now it about not believing in God to make heaven
ReplyDeleteNo comment. Gods knows d best. He read pple conscience. Be a christain dosnt mean u will make heaven. Be of gud behaviour and be Gud to pple nd flee frm evil.
ReplyDeleteIMAGINE THE KIND OF CONFUSION THESE HUNGRY NIGERIAN EYE JOURNALISTS HAVE CAUSED.
ReplyDeleteTHERE IS NO SINGLE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TITLE OF THIS ARTICLE AND THE BODY.
THERE IS NEED FOR US NIGERIANS TO ALWAYS THINK THINGS OUT BEFORE WE AIR OUT OUR VIEWS.
How come a lot of people / Christians are so blinded at the central message here: Turn to the God of the Christians with a sincere and contrite heart and He will forgive you. Please read the full story at 'Catholic News Agency' (CNA)...go to News, then Vatican to get it.
ReplyDeleteNow the question is: How do you go to a God you don't believe in if you want Mercy? The Pope says: Believe in Him first and come to His Church.
In CNA's report the Pope preaches further and says his own faith is born from the “encounter with Jesus” that “has touched my heart and given direction and new meaning to my existence.” This was made possible by “the community of faith in which I have lived,” the Church.
I am amazed at the way some Christians behave. Going by most of the comments so far, as a Christian, I am disappointed. We are indeed a nation of religion and not righteousness.
Scalfari, the 89-year-old journalist and founder of the Italian newspaper “La Repubblica,” had posed several questions to the Pope in response to his July encyclical “Lumen Fidei.”
ReplyDeletePlease read the full story here: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/dialogue-essential-to-christianity-pope-tells-non-believing-journalist/
Please read the rich encyclical "Lumen Fidei" here: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20130629_enciclica-lumen-fidei_en.html
Understand fully before you castigate or pass judgment.
THIS STUPID POPE OLD SHOULD BE REMOVE URGENTLY. CATHOLIC IS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO CHRIST!
ReplyDeletePope Francis' Letter to the Founder of "La Repubblica" Italian Newspaper
ReplyDeleteSend Vatican City, September 11, 2013 (Zenit.org) | 20022 hits
Here is the translation of the letter sent by Pope Francis to the founder of “La Repubblica” Italian newspaper Eugenio Scalfari in response to several questions made by him in various articles. The Holy Father addresses both Mr. Scalfari and non-believers.
Dear Doctor Scalfari,
It is with great cordiality, although only in broad lines, that with this letter I would like to respond to your letter, addressed to me on July 7 in the pages of La Reppublica, with a series of your personal reflections , which you then enriched on the pages of the same daily on August 7.
I thank you, first of all, for the attention with which you read the encyclical Lumen fidei. The intention of my beloved Predecessor, Benedict XVI, who conceived it and to a great extent wrote it, and which I inherited with gratitude, is directed not only to confirm in the faith in Jesus Christ those who recognize themselves in it, but also to arouse a sincere and rigorous dialogue with those whom, like you, describe themselves “a non-believer for many years interested and fascinated by the preaching of Jesus of Nazareth.”
Therefore, it seems to me that it is nothing other than positive, not only for us individually but also for the society in which we live, to pause to dialogue on a reality as important as the faith is, which calls to preaching and to the figure of Jesus. I think there are, in particular, two circumstances that today render this dialogue right and proper and precious. Moreover, as noted, it constitutes one of the principal objectives of Vatican Council II, desired by John XXIII and the ministry of Popes that, each one with his sensibility and contribution, from then to today has followed in the track traced by the Council.
The first circumstance – as recalled in the initial pages of the encyclical – stems from the fact that, in the course of the centuries of modernity, we have witnessed a paradox: the Christian faith, whose novelty and incidence on the life of man since the beginning were expressed in fact through the symbol of light, was often referred to as the darkness of superstition that is opposed to the light of reason. Thus between the Church and the culture of Christian inspiration, on one hand, and the modern culture of Enlightenment stamp, on the other, there has been incommunicability. Moreover the time has come, and the Vatican in fact inaugurated the season, of an open dialogue without preconceptions, which opens the doors for a serious and fecund meeting.
The second circumstance, for one who seeks to be faithful to the gift of following Jesus in the light of faith, stems from the fact that this dialogue is not a secondary accessory of the existence of the believer: it is, instead, a profound and indispensable expression. In this connection, allow me to quote an affirmation of the encyclical, which in my opinion is very important: because the truth witnessed by faith is that of love – it is underlined -- “it is clear that the faith is not intransigent, but grows in coexistence that respects the other. The believer isn’t arrogant; on the contrary, truth makes him humble, knowing that, more than our possessing it, it is truth that embraces and possesses us. Far from stiffening us, the certainty of the faith puts us on the way, and makes possible witness and dialogue with everyone” (n. 34). This is the spirit that animates the words that I write to you.
For me, faith is born from the encounter with Jesus. A personal encounter, which has touched my heart and given direction and new meaning to my existence. But at the same time an encounter that was made possible by the community of faith in which I have lived and thanks to which I found access to the intelligence of Sacred Scripture, to new life that, as gushing water, flows from Jesus through the Sacraments, to fraternity with everyone and at the service of the poor, true image of the Lord. Believe me, without the Church I would not have been able to encounter Christ, also in the awareness that the immense gift that faith is is kept in the fragile earthen vessels of our humanity.
ReplyDeleteNow, it is precisely beginning from here, from this personal experience of faith lived in the Church, that I feel at ease in listening to your questions and in seeking, together with you, the ways through which we might, perhaps, begin a segment of the way together.
Forgive me if I do not follow step by step the arguments you propose in the editorial of July 7. It seems to me more fruitful, if not more congenial, to go in a certain sense to the heart of your considerations. I won’t even enter into the explanatory way followed by the encyclical, in which you perceive the lack of a section dedicated specifically to the historical experience of Jesus of Nazareth.
To begin, I observe only that an analysis of this kind isn’t secondary. It is, in fact, by following the logic that guides the unfolding of the encyclical, pausing our attention on the meaning of what Jesus said and did and thus, in a word, on what Jesus was and is for us. The Letters of Paul and the Gospel of John, of which particular reference is made in the encyclical, are constructed, in fact, on the solid foundation of the messianic ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, which reached its decisive culmination in the Pasch of Death and Resurrection.
Therefore, one must be confronted with Jesus, I would say, in the concreteness and roughness of his event, as is narrated especially by the oldest of the Gospels, that of Mark. One sees then that the “scandal” that the word and practice of Jesus caused around him stem from his extraordinary “authority”: a word, this is, that attests from the Gospel of Mark, but which isn’t easy to render in Italian. The Greek word is “exousia,” which literally refers to that which“comes from being,” which is. It’s not about something exterior or forced, therefore, but of something that emanates from within and that imposes itself. Jesus, in fact, strikes, breaks, innovates beginning with – He himself says so – from his relationship with God, called familiarly Abba, who gives Him this “authority” so that he will exercise it in favor of men.
So Jesus preaches “as one who has authority,” heals, calls the disciples to follow him, forgives … all things that, in the Old Testament, are of God and only of God. The question that return most in Mark’s Gospel is: “Who is he who …?” and which refers to Jesus’ identity, is born from witnessing an authority that is different from that of the world, an authority that is not aimed at exercising power over others, but of serving them, of giving them liberty and the fullness of life. And this to the point of putting at stake one’s own life, to the point of experiencing incomprehension, betrayal, rejection, to the point of being condemned to death, of sealing the state of abandonment on the cross. But Jesus remains faithful to God, to the end.
And it is precisely then – as the Roman centurion exclaimed at the foot of the cross in Mark’s Gospel – that Jesus shows himself paradoxically as the Son of God! Son of a God that is love and that wishes with all His being that man, every man, discover himself and also live as His true son. This is, for the Christian faith, the certificate of the fact that Jesus is risen: not to triumph over those who rejected him, but to attest that the love of God is stronger than death, the forgiveness of God is stronger than any sin, and that it is worthwhile to spend one’s life, to the end, witnessing this immense gift.
ReplyDeleteThe Christian faith believes this: that Jesus is the Son of God who came to give his life to open to all the way of love. Because of this you are right, egregious Doctor Scalfari, when you see in the Incarnation of the Son of God the foundation of the Christian faith. Tertullian already wrote “caro cardo salutis,” the flesh (of Christ) is the foundation of salvation. Because the Incarnation, namely, the fact that the Son of God came in our flesh and shared our joys and sorrows, the victories and defeats of our existence, to the cry of the cross, living everything in love and fidelity to Abba, attests to the incredible love that God has for every man, the inestimable value that he gives him. Because of this, each one of us is called to make his own the look and the choice of love of Jesus, to enter into his way of being, of thinking and acting. This is the faith, with all the expressions that are described unfailingly in the encyclical.
Always in the editorial of July 7, you ask me in addition how to understand the originality of the Christian faith in as much as it is founded on the Incarnation of the Son of God, in regard to other faiths that gravitate instead around the absolute transcendence of God.
The originality, I would say, lies precisely in the fact that the faith makes us participate , in Jesus, in the relationship that He has with God who is Abba and, in this light, the relationship that He has with all other men, including enemies, in the sign of love. In other words, Jesus’ offspring, as presented by the Christian faith, is not revealed to mark an insurmountable separation between Jesus and all others: but to tell us that, in Him, we are all called to be children of the one Father and brothers among ourselves. The singularity of Jesus is for communication, not for exclusion.
Of course from this also follows – and it isn’t something small – the distinction between the religious sphere and the political sphere which is sanctioned in “giving to God what is God’s and to Caesar what is Caesar’s,” affirmed clearly by Jesus and on which, laboriously, the history of the West was built. In fact, the Church is called to sow the leaven and the salt of the Gospel, and this is the love and mercy of God that reaches all men, pointing out the celestial and definitive goal of our destiny, whereas civil and political society has the arduous task of articulating and embodying in justice and solidarity, in law and in peace, an ever more human life. For one who lives the Christian faith, this does not mean fleeing the world or seeking hegemony, but service to man, to the whole of man and to all men, beginning from the fringes of history and keeping awake the sense of hope that drives one to do good despite everything and always looking to the beyond.
You also ask me, in conclusion of your first article, what we should say to our Jewish brothers about the promise made to them by God: has it all come to nothing? Believe me, this is a question that challenges us radically as Christians, because, with the help of God, especially since Vatican Council II, we have rediscovered that the Jewish people are still for us the holy root from which Jesus germinated. In the friendship I cultivated in the course of all these years with Jewish brothers in Argentina, often in prayer I also questioned God, especially when my mind went to the memory of the terrible experience of the Shoa. What I can say to you, with the Apostle Paul, is that God’s fidelity to the close covenant with Israel never failed and that, through the terrible trials of these centuries, the Jews have kept their faith in God. And for this, we shall never be sufficiently grateful to them as Church, but also as humanity. They, then, precisely by persevering in the faith of the God of the Covenant, called all, also us Christians, to the fact that we are always waiting, as pilgrims, for the Lord’s return and, therefore, that we must always be open to Him and never take refuge in what we have already attained.
ReplyDeleteSo I come to the three questions you put to me in the article of August 7. It seems to me that, in the first two, what is in your heart is to understand the attitude of the Church to those who don’t share faith in Jesus. First of all, you ask me if the God of Christians forgives one who doesn’t believe and doesn’t seek the faith. Premise that – and it’s the fundamental thing – the mercy of God has no limits if one turns to him with a sincere and contrite heart; the question for one who doesn’t believe in God lies in obeying one’s conscience. Sin, also for those who don’t have faith, exists when one goes against one’s conscience. To listen to and to obey it means, in fact, to decide in face of what is perceived as good or evil. And on this decision pivots the goodness or malice of our action.
In the second place, you ask me if the thought, according to which no absolute exists and therefore not even an absolute truth but only a series of relative or subjective truths, is an error or a sin. To begin with, I will not speak, not even to one who believes, of “absolute” truth, in the sense that absolute is what is inconsistent, what is deprived of any relationship. Now truth, according to the Christian faith, is the love of God for us in Jesus Christ. Therefore, truth is a relationship! So true is it that each one of us also takes up the truth and expresses it from him/herself: from his/her history and culture, from the situation in which he/she lives, etc. This doesn’t mean that truth is variable or subjective, quite the opposite. But is means that it is given to us always and only as a way and a life. Did not Jesus himself say: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life”? In other words, truth being altogether one with love, requires humility and openness to be sought, received and expressed. Therefore, it’s necessary to understand one another well on the terms and, perhaps, to come out of the tight spots of opposition … absolute, to pose the question again in depth. I think that this is today absolutely necessary to initiate that serene and constructive dialogue that I hoped for at the beginning of this my response. In the last question you ask me if, with the disappearance of man on earth, the thought will also disappear that is able to think of God. Certainly, man’s greatness lies in his being able to think of God. And that is in being able to live a conscious and responsible relationship with Him. However, the relationship is between two realities. God – this is my thought and this is my experience, but how many, yesterday and today, share it! – is not an idea, even though very lofty, fruit of man’s thought. God is reality with a capital “R.” Jesus reveals it – and lives the relationship with him – as a Father of goodness and infinite mercy. Hence, God doesn’t depend on our thought. Moreover, even when the life of man on earth should finish – and for the Christian faith, in any case, this world as we know it is destined to fail --, man won’t stop existing and, in a way that we don’t know, also the universe created with him. Scripture speaks of “new heavens and a new earth” and affirms that, in the end, in the where and when that is beyond us, but towards which, in faith, we tend with desire and expectation, God will be “all in all.” Egregious Doctor Scalfari, I thus conclude my reflections, aroused by what you wished to communicate to me and ask me. Receive it as the tentative and provisional but sincere and confident answer to the invitation to escort you in a segment of the road together. Believe me, the Church despite all the slowness, the infidelities, the errors and sins she could have committed and can still commit in those that accompany her, has no other sense or end but that of living and witnessing Jesus: He who was sent by Abba “to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19).
ReplyDeleteWith fraternal closeness,
Francis
[Translation by ZENIT]
(September 11, 2013) © Innovative Media Inc.
please NE stop this bias reporting, i am losing interest in you guys.
hey, y'all should be open-minded about this. what does been a christian mean? it is a way of life, we all know just the knowledge of God and knowing Jesus died for us won't get us into heaven, it is our actions and heart that will determine that. if we, the ones who believe don't live our lives in a way that should encourage the unbelievers to emulate us and want to know our God, how can we blame them for not believing? when we are the ones that practice all that we preach against? leave them to God, the God who arrested Paul will arrest them too, so mind your own way of life and stop condemning others, pullezzee
ReplyDeleteI do not know what the Pope a man is talking about when Jesus already said no man can come to God but through HIM. Does the Pope still read his bible?
ReplyDeleteJesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
◄ John 14:6 ►
New International Version
I am an Atheist and I make over 20mil naira monthly, I spent 18mil naira monthly on salaries and go home wit 2mil naira. My workers enta my house and feed on d same table as I do, my workers say I'm better than all the billionaire pastors that are buying jets in Nigeria, but they say I don't know Jesus and I wil not make heaven, I asked Mathew d one that is a Redeem fanatic, that if he is God and I die and come to him will he allow me to enta Heaven, and he said that Why Not? That I don't deserve to burn in Hell. I then told him abt d story of d Centurion in d Bible, Jesus told his desciples that the Centurion Must make heaven, meanwhile the Centurion is an atheist. Nigerians are finally lost in religious Euphoria. The Pope is on Point.Use your brain Nigerians
ReplyDeleteGod is responsible for everything in this world. He said He knew us ever before we are conceive in our mother's womb. those that will come to do evil HE knew, those that will come to be righteous HE knew. All is product of KARMA. whatever you sow you will reap.
ReplyDeleteNigerians are fanatics not religious.One should understand the difference. So,"Men of God" who rape children will go to heaven simply because they profess Christ? The problem of most Nigerian Christians is ignorance and they want to be more Catholic than the Pope.Most fanatics are ignorant, misinformed or misguided about their faith.Examples abounds here in Nigeria
ReplyDeletenice one. I'm happy we still have enlightened Christians around
DeleteFrom all these comments above it is obvious that most nigerians believe that being a church goer is a passport to heaven. On the last day there will be surprises because many church goers and those that brainwash the average nigerians telling them that the reason for their poverty is bcos they are paying tithe in the wrong church will be in hell, only to find out that those they once referred to as non believers are NOT there with them.
ReplyDeletepls my fellow brethrens in christ let remember dat ''thi shall not judge'' and leave every tin to our father, rather than commiting sins by our speech.
ReplyDeletePastors Are Women.. Abi? love him or hate Him,Pope remains the spiritual head, authority and image of Christianity. He is the Head of Church.. Shi kena
ReplyDeleteNo Jesus Christ no salvation period!!
ReplyDeleteWHY IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SO BLESSED WITH MANY ENEMIES? WHENEVER THERE IS AN ISSUE IN THE NEWS THAT PERTAINS TO THE CHURCH SO MANY PEOPLE'S EYES ITCH TO READ SUCH NEWS.
ReplyDeleteMANY OF THESE MEDIA HOUSES HAVE NOW REALISED THAT THE BEST WAY TO GAIN THE ATTENTION OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS TO PUBLISH ANYTHING THAT CONCERNS THE CHURCH AND SOME OF THEM EVEN GO TO THE EXTENT OF MISAPPROPRIATING STORIES IN ORDER TO SUIT WHAT THE EARS OF THE ENEMIES OF THE CHURCH ARE LOOKING AND I BELIEVE THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT NIGERIAN EYE HAS DONE.
WHY IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SO BLESSED WITH MANY ENEMIES? WHENEVER THERE IS AN ISSUE IN THE NEWS THAT PERTAINS TO THE CHURCH SO MANY PEOPLE'S EYES ITCH TO READ SUCH NEWS.
ReplyDeleteMANY OF THESE MEDIA HOUSES HAVE NOW REALISED THAT THE BEST WAY TO GAIN THE ATTENTION OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS TO PUBLISH ANYTHING THAT CONCERNS THE CHURCH AND SOME OF THEM EVEN GO TO THE EXTENT OF MISAPPROPRIATING STORIES IN ORDER TO SUIT WHAT THE EARS OF THE ENEMIES OF THE CHURCH ARE LOOKING AND I BELIEVE THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT NIGERIAN EYE HAS DONE.
The Bible says: No one can serve two masters, Either he will hate the one and love the other, Or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. Your conscience must agreed with whom you serve.
ReplyDeleteI am happy there are still few sane xtians left in nigeria from the comments av read. Some of them believe more in adeboye and orisajafo more than they believe in pope. If ur so called confusion is generated by ur bible full of contradictions. Try islam and know God. know peace. salam
ReplyDeleteanti christ ni, anti christ ko..............christians continue killing ur self over God.........God knows the best and u can't tell Him wat to do.......I always say nigerians needs to be doing philosophy from nursery....it will save some things for us...why do we take God case on our head with our mere little minds
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