New Pope

[Lydia]

It is quite common in OCAand MP churches to see clergy of other religions( RC and Anglican). They are frequently given a place on the Ambo. What is doubly distressing is that they do not depart after the Liturgy of the Catachumens. I was taught that only the faithful were to witness the Holy Mysteries.
About the pope: Does it really matter if he is a traditional or progressive pontiff? Unless he were to renounce the heresies of the Roman Catholic church, he's still just another pope.

[Matthew]

About the pope: Does it really matter if he is a traditional or progressive pontiff? Unless he were to renounce the heresies of the Roman Catholic church, he's still just another pope.

Does it matter? Probably not. The diff is between tweedle dee and tweedle dum.

....ho hum...

[StephenS]

It is quite common in OCAand MP churches to see clergy of other religions( RC and Anglican). They are frequently given a place on the Ambo. What is doubly distressing is that they do not depart after the Liturgy of the Catachumens. I was taught that only the faithful were to witness the Holy Mysteries.
About the pope: Does it really matter if he is a traditional or progressive pontiff? Unless he were to renounce the heresies of the Roman Catholic church, he's still just another pope.

The issue is not so much of whether he is progressive or not, but the building groundswell of a misleading modernist agenda and propaganda designed to (1) numb the mind of the many, and (2) win over people's of many backgrounds leading them further away from any prospect of being inclined or equipped to search for the truth. Against this backdrop the ecumenists and multi-faith adherents gain ground taking some even from the Orthodox faithful betrayed again by the Phanariots and Muscovite cliches.

Indeed there appears to be some indicators that this Pope may be unique and more dangerous than usually is the case.

[Matthew]

That is not surprising if he turns out to be more dangerous in getting many denominations to join him in some kind of unia where nobody is required to give up their pet doctrines as long as they "swear to the divinity of caesar" as was the test for Christians under the ancient pagan Roman empire. (i.e. acknowledge the supremacy/primacy of the pope). Good comments, Stephen.

[Barbara]

REALLY GOOD comment, StephenS, YES !

I think we have to keep an eye on him, much as I would prefer not to, as he makes me feel a sense of foreboding and
serious worry about what he is going to do or allow.

It was a BAD omen that blaring headlines today announce that he KISSED the female Argentine 'president'.
She is a horrible ANTI-Church RADICAL leftist !

But why would a Pope kiss any woman, anywhere, anytime ?
I think he is an attention-hound, and is PLAYING at being Mr "Oh so humble".

To me that one thing spelled really serious problems to show up in the years ahead.

As well as being tasteless from my point of view.

With the problems we all know existed for Pope Benedict XVI, at least he had a sense of decorum. He would NEVER have
done such a stupid gesture.

[Lydia]

Of course, anything may happen in the future, but I just feel that there is so much anti-Roman Catholic hostility in the world (with good reason) that any pope's ability to influence large numbers of people is moot.
Perhaps I'm somewhat older than other posters here, but I have watched so many doom and gloom predictions come to naught, that I take them all with a grain of salt.
I like Symeon's comment: It's tweedle-dee or tweedle-dum.
BTW, I have seen Orthodox Bishops kiss women( as a father kisses his daughter) Is this forbidden?

[jgress]

Of course, anything may happen in the future, but I just feel that there is so much anti-Roman Catholic hostility in the world (with good reason) that any pope's ability to influence large numbers of people is moot.
Perhaps I'm somewhat older than other posters here, but I have watched so many doom and gloom predictions come to naught, that I take them all with a grain of salt.
I like Symeon's comment: It's tweedle-dee or tweedle-dum.
BTW, I have seen Orthodox Bishops kiss women( as a father kisses his daughter) Is this forbidden?

I think that's just hysteria. Of course a bishop can kiss a woman on the cheek. And I agree that all this stuff about the Pope being part of some secret conspiracy is similarly hysterical. I feel like there's a certain type who just latches on to anything that sounds like a conspiracy, even if the source is non-Orthodox (e.g. all the "prophecies" about the "last Popes").

What I predict is that the current Pope will want to emphasize the RC Church's "social mission" more, i.e. more leftist political pronouncements, probably involving solidarity with "southern" progressive or anti-capitalist governmens. "Anglo-Saxon" capitalism, corporations and banks will be the big concern of his papacy. There will probably also be a lot more ecumenism, and some softening of Pope Benedict's more conservative doctrinal position (although he certainly didn't shy away from ecumenical activity). There will probably be a closer relationship with the ecumenist Orthodox churches, both Moscow and the Phanar.