Anyone have a lot more interest in the Pope this time around?

[goldent]

I know I do. I'm don't know if it is a difference between Pope Francis and Benedict, or I am just more interested about things Catholic this time. For sure the early actions of Pope Francis has kept the interest level up. Speaking of which, some interesting excepts from the Vatican website...

Advice on pessimism

“Let us never give in to pessimism, to that bitterness that the devil offers us every day. Do not give in to pessimism and discouragement. We have the firm certainty that the Holy Spirit gives the Church with His mighty breath, the courage to persevere and also to seek new methods of evangelization, to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The Christian truth is attractive and persuasive because it responds to the deep needs of human existence, convincingly announcing that Chirst is the only Saviour of the whole person and of all persons. This announcement is as valid today as it was at the beginning of Christianity when there was a great missionary expansion of the Gospel.

Joking on what name to take

Afterwards, people were joking with me. “But you should call yourself Hadrian, because Hadrian VI was the reformer, we need a reform…” And someone else said to me: “No, no: your name should be Clement”. “But why?” “Clement XV: thus you pay back Clement XIV who suppressed the Society of Jesus!”

Politics

Holy Father Francis has expressed the desire that the Heads and members of the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, as well as their Secretaries, and also the President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, continue "donec aliter provideatur", that is, provisionally, in their respective positions. The Holy Father wishes to reserve time for reflection, prayer, and dialogue before any final appointment or confirmation is made.

His personality

But Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila says the new leader of the universal Catholic Church is just being himself.
“The Petrine Ministry really gives you a new identity and a new way of facing things, but the person remains,” said Cardinal Tagle in an interview with Vatican Radio. “I was not surprised at all that he has been projecting this image of simplicity, of being down-to-earth, of meeting people. That’s how he is.”
In the 12-minute interview, the cardinal recalled last Sunday’s mass at Sant’Anna church in Vatican City, when Pope Francis greeted all of his parishioners personally, as well as numerous passers-by.
“As a bishop, you want people to come to greet you,” Cardinal Tagle said, trying to explain the Pope’s decision to step out of protocol. “You’re not concerned about security. That’s the farthest thing (from) your mind.”

[Tumbulu]

1. I am not a practicing Catholic, but have so many family members who are

and I am sharing their excitement. I even have put this statue of St Francis up on my porch.

And I have come to this group to read more about him- hoping that is OK?

I feel this HUGE sense of relief for my extended family who really have been suffering through the disturbing behavior of the previous Pope.

[mykpart]

2. I never cared for Ratzinger,

even when he was a Cardinal. I thought he was more interested in asserting his authority than in pastoring his flock. His election as Pope was disappointing, and nothing he did as Pope has changed my opinion. Since I know so little about Francis, it is easy to be both optimistic and curious about him.

[goldent]

3. I never understood Pope Benedict

but I have to admit I never tried very hard to learn about him or understand him.

I have read several places that he was a great theologian and that is how he was elected. But I work in a technical/scientific field, and it is commonly known that great scientists and engineers often make poor leaders and administrators. Perhaps the same applies here.

[UrbScotty]

4. It was often said that after 26+ years of John Paul II,

the cardinals wanted someone whose papacy wouldn't be as long. There was also the argument that after the outgoing, charismatic JPII, it was the right time for a pope who more of an introvert and - as you mentioned - a theologian. It's also possible that Ratzinger's closeness to JPII was a factor - the former was a close confidante during the papacy of the latter.

[TommyCelt]

5. Sometimes you go with the gut...

I remember when Benedict was elected. I remember not being happy. At all. He creeped me out as a Cardinal, and he creeped me out as Pope.

I have a different feeling with Francis, his brash quotes about same sex marriage notwithstanding. Any Pope who asks the faithul to pray for him before he will distribute his first blessing to them is off to a good start as far as I'm concerned.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

6. I never liked Benedict either.

When he was Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he issued an official commentary on John Paul II's Ad Tuendam Fidem, in which he says that "definitive" papal teachings, although they do not actually meet the definitions of infallible teachings set down in section 25 of the Vatican II Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, are to be treated as infallible. The term for this is "creeping infallibility", and is not acceptable dogmatically -- Ratzinger, as a theologian, should have known this.

In the same paper, Ratzinger gives a specific example of such a "definitive teaching", "the declaration of Pope Leo XIII in the apostolic letter Apostolicae Curae on the invalidity of Anglican ordinations". Which is simply a slap in the face to the Anglicans.

[TommyCelt]

7. Additionally...

I want to see a concrete plan from Francis on what he plans to do about the abuse scandals. The hand-wringing and passive voice apologies ('Terrible mistakes were made' like they dropped a wine glass or something) must give way to action on the second prong of the scandals - the complicit bishops who shuffled these predators around, tried to buy the silelce of victims, and put the organization ahead of the Church.

I've heard nothing from the Vatican on this as of yet - it's only inauguration day, I know. I'm praying to God that Francis' splendidly humble demeanor is not simply a series of empty gestures.