Current:Home > BackPope Francis warns against ideological splits in the Church, says focus on the poor, not ‘theory’-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Pope Francis warns against ideological splits in the Church, says focus on the poor, not ‘theory’
View Date:2024-12-23 23:56:48
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Amid resistance to some Vatican policy by more conservative factions of the Catholic church, Pope Francis on Saturday cautioned the faithful against fracturing into groups “based on our own ideas.”
He issued the call to abandon “ecclesiastical ideologies” in his homily in St. Peter’s Basilica during Epiphany Day Mass, the last major Christmas season holiday.
Francis also warned against “basking in some elegant religious theory” instead of finding God in the faces of the poor.
Last month, Francis gave permission for priests to bless couples outside of marriage, including same-sex relationships, as long as the blessing was pastoral and not liturgical or part of some religious rite.
Some bishops who view Francis as a dangerous progressive immediately rejected such blessings. That prompted the Vatican earlier this week to issue a statement stressing that the blessings don’t constitute heresy and there were no doctrinal grounds to reject the practice.
Francis in his Epiphany homily didn’t cite the pushback against his same-sex blessings policy. But he deviated from the written text of the homily to cite the “need to abandon ecclesiastical ideologies.”
Francis said the Church needed to ensure that “our faith will not be reduced to an assemblage of religious devotions or mere outward appearance.”
“We find the God who comes down to visit us, not by basking in some elegant religious theory, but by setting out on a journey, seeking the signs of his presence in everyday life,” especially in the faces of the poor, the pontiff said.
The pontiff, who turned 87 last month and who battled health problems last year, held up well during the Epiphany ceremony, which included singing of Christmas hymns. At the end of the 90-minute service, an aide wheeled Francis down the basilica’s center aisle. The pope has a chronic knee problem and uses a wheelchair to navigate longer distances.
He has dedicated much of his nearly 11-year-old papacy to encouraging attention to marginalized people, including the poor. While the Church teaches that homosexual acts are sinful, Francis has made efforts to make LGBTQ+ Catholics feel welcome.
veryGood! (35863)
Related
- Cavaliers' Darius Garland rediscovers joy for basketball under new coach
- Get $173 Worth of Peter Thomas Roth Top-Selling Skincare Products for Just $53
- Get a $20 Deal on $98 Worth of Skincare From Peter Thomas Roth, Sunday Riley, Benefit, Elemis, and More
- Bachelor Nation's Raven Gates and Adam Gottschalk Welcome Baby No. 2
- LSU leads college football Week 11 Misery Index after College Football Playoff hopes go bust
- Human remains found in 3 separate suitcases in Florida, police say
- Karlie Kloss Reveals Name of Baby No. 2 With Joshua Kushner
- K-9 officer put on leave after police dog attacks surrendering suspect
- Sam LaPorta injury update: Lions TE injures shoulder, 'might miss' Week 11
- Tiffany Haddish Shares She Had 8 Miscarriages
Ranking
- Residents urged to shelter in place after apparent explosion at Louisville business
- Tom Brady Is Racing Into a New Career After NFL Retirement
- Hailey Bieber Will Influence You to Try TikTok's Viral Latte Makeup Trend
- Amy Schumer Reacts to Barbie Movie After Dropping Out of Earlier Version
- Judge sets date for 9/11 defendants to enter pleas, deepening battle over court’s independence
- Tour de Lust Influencer Christine Tran Ferguson Shares Her 15-Month-Old Son Asher Has Died
- More than 80 million Americans remain under heat alerts
- Taylor Swift Lets Out the Ultimate LOL While Performing Song About Kanye West Feud
Recommendation
-
Conviction and 7-year sentence for Alex Murdaugh’s banker overturned in appeal of juror’s dismissal
-
Why John Stamos Once Tried to Quit Full House
-
Sink Your Teeth Into These Juicy Secrets About The Vampire Diaries
-
The Voice Debuts First Coaches Photo With Reba McEntire After Blake Shelton's Exit
-
Oil Industry Asks Trump to Repeal Major Climate Policies
-
Miranda Lambert Says She Raised a Little Hell After Concert Selfie Incident
-
Salma Hayek’s Secret to Maintaining Her Appearance Will Surprise You
-
RHONY's Luann de Lesseps Has the Best Reaction to Bethenny Frankel and Jill Zarin's Reunion