Tuesday 11 March 2014

The Pope Suffered Sciatica in the First Months of His Pontificate



Is one explanation why His Holiness does not bow or genuflect before the Tabernacle, but does at those times when, in dealing with the public, it is necessary. I duly therefore apologise to His Holiness and to readers if, following medical advice, His Holiness does not genuflect or bow towards the Blessed Sacrament housed in the Tabernacle, but puts up with pain and discomfort for ordinary folk.

10 comments:

Our Lady of Good Success-pray for us. said...

I think a wee bow of the head would be possible for someone who can step down off a bus without any help.
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but, who can say?
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we keep searching for the evidence of supernatural faith.

Patricius said...

As I suspected- rusty joints!

Martina said...

So it was necessary to break the protocol and bow for a Muslim queen?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/the-pope/10276319/Pope-breaks-with-protocol-by-bowing-to-Queen-Rania-of-Jordan.html

And it was necessary to bow to Mugabe?
http://www.zengardner.com/jesuit-pope-bows-to-bloodthirsty-mugabe-gives-masonic-handshake-to-wife/

BJC said...

Bones

Totally off-topic, but I thought you might like to see this comment by Tina on the Tablet blog. It's in response to Edmund Adamus's summary of the findings of the recent questionnaire on marriage and family life. If she's a Catholic, I'm a banana.

http://www.thetablet.co.uk/blogs/1/298/lessons-in-obedience-for-survey-respondents


Comment by: Tina Beattie
Posted: 03/03/2014 16:13:24

Those of us who tried to answer the questionnaire honestly and in a way that might be helpful to the synod on the family are misrepresented by Edmund Adamus’s ‘reflection’.

Like most other Catholics I know, I respect the Church’s teaching on marriage and parenthood. I also know from experience that marriage and family life can induce agonies of guilt over our inevitable failures and shortcomings. However, I do not experience guilt over deciding in good conscience to use contraception to limit the number of children we had. I do not feel ashamed of my adult children for cohabiting with partners who have enriched our lives by their friendship. I do not feel compelled to pass negative judgement on the loving relationships of my gay friends. I am glad that some of my divorced Catholic friends have found joy in second marriages, and I want to share the sacraments with them. In other words, I’m like the vast majority of Catholics whose answers to the questionnaire have been made public.

I seek from the Church the formation I know I need most – formation that has to do with love and generosity of spirit, with faithfulness and integrity, with wisdom and discretion, with prayer and discernment. The list is long, but it does not include learning to regard contraception, premarital sex and homosexuality as intrinsically evil, nor does it include regarding divorced and remarried Catholics as people uniquely barred from the forgiveness offered by Christ in the sacraments.

Православный физик said...

poor Jesus,

Nicolas Bellord said...

Rest assured BJC that you are not a banana. Tina has been dissenting for years from the teaching of the Church.

Our Lady of Good Success-pray for us. said...

@bjc

TB has a lot of 'I do nots' re the laws of God. There's a common need to believe that sin has no consequences because God is love.
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what is love without truth, responsibility, justice, self-sacrfice..? Groovy, I guess.
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imagine if Madame Cholet had decided to toss the responsibilities of the womblets and shack up with some Uncle Hollande? or if Orinoco had decided he needed to become Orinoca?

Vincent said...

I don't know if anyone around here serves, but in my experience genuflecting is a young man's game. It's not surprising in these days of TV and internet streaming that we know everything the Pope does. It would not surprise me if this has long been the case amongst Popes. They are old men. I should be glad to be as healthy as Pope Benedict aged 80-odd, but it isn't normally the case.

Medically speaking Pope Francis only has 1 and a half lungs, he has quite obviously had lower back pain and judging from the way he walks, arthritis. It's hardly surprising that on the whole he feels unable to genuflect (unsupported) on a daily basis. Many priests who are much younger than him struggle to go down and get back up again (ever wondered why the MC stands next to the priest!?).

Maybe he should be showing more reverence, but it has never been the case to expect those who are old or infirm to do things that they would find difficult or painful. No king would expect an old and loyal servant to maintain the same standards as his newer and younger arrivals. Just give him a bit of breathing space and talk about something other than the faults of the Pope, please!

Our Lady of Good Success-pray for us. said...

@Vincent - I see what you are saying; but however infirm a Pope who can still stand and 'romanita' may be, how is it that he finds the strength to pooh pooh the Church Who lives and CBL those who haven't a clue?
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if someone can contradict, please do so.

JEFF KLUMP said...

If Francis can get down on all fours, breaking the rules of course, for Holy Thursday, then a bow or genuflecting before the Blessed Sacrament, should not be a problem. Apparently, man is more important than Christ?

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