Dakota Beacon

I am not a Roman Catholic and I say this dispassionately. I am Protestant and I say this intentionally.

A few weeks ago the Roman Catholic College of Cardinals selected one of their own as the newest Vicar of Christ. After two days in conclave and five rounds of voting, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected the 266th Pope, first Jesuit ever, to succeed Pope Benedict.

Some in the world beyond the Vatican appreciate the selection. Many do not. To say that Pope Francis is a humble man who takes public transportation, retrieves his own belongings from his hotel room and mingles with crowds is a trite observation and misses the point. He may be popular with the people, but he is not our buddy or our pal.

It turns out that Pope Francis is not what liberal theologians, the liberal media and liberals in general want to see in a leader of 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide. For liberals he is bad news.

Pope Francis is not just a Jesuit; he is a conservative Jesuit. There is no inkling of moral relevance about him. He is unequivocally opposed to abortion and euthanasia referring to the “pro-choice“ movement as the culture of death. He is opposed to legalizing same-sex marriage. This he refers to as demonic. As for adoption by same-sex couples, this he sees as discrimination against the child.

Far too many Jesuits are liberal, not conservative, in their thinking. Father Bergoglio ran afoul of the liberal Argentine Jesuits, supporters of President Christina Kirchner and her predecessor-husband. This earned Father Bergoglio a form of exile to the outlying northern regions of Argentina. There he taught math and science in high schools of small villages until he was rescued by Pope John Paul. Father Bergoglio was elevated to Archbishop of Buenos Aires and then to Cardinal by Pope John Paul.

For two thousand years the Church stood firm without becoming “culturally relevant.” We as Christians comprising the Church are to be the salt of the earth, not the other way around. The Church salts the culture, not the culture the Church. This constant has held for two thousand years across continents and cultures. In doing so, the Church has not become irrelevant. Rather, it experienced rebirth time and again speaking to the inherent spirit of many.

The Church is not called to bend and conform itself to an increasingly depraved world. Instead, it is to be a beacon away from depravity. As a priest, Father Bergoglio did not accede to the Kirchner government‘s cultural modernization.

I can like this Pope. In addition to his opposition to abortion, gay marriage and child adoption by homosexuals, he has the best interests of the elderly at heart. He regards senior citizens, of which I am one, as the most valuable resource we have for our young people. In our contemporary throw-away culture, old folks are pushed aside as an inconvenience to be shelved and warehoused. Too often the young laugh at the elderly as old fuddy-duddies who don’t know what they are talking about. Old folks are regarded by the young as afflicted with dementia. “Youth culture” is emphasized at the expense of wisdom acquired by the elderly through years of experience.

Liberals, leftists and assorted Democrats generally look askance at Pope Francis. For these people their real faith is in the State. They maintain faith in the State just like religious people maintain faith in their church and their God. Liberals have inverted their affections. One should hold faith in their religion and question and doubt their politics toward the State. Instead, liberals doubt religion and hold faith in the State. Rather than solve problems, the State perpetuates them. No wonder our culture is crumbling.

Every socialist, communist, leftist and fascist has opposed religion. They will permit only one object of faith and that object is the State. Religion is a competitor, and therefore a threat, for which statists have no tolerance. They will go to great lengths to convince people there is no God worthy of their faith except the State.

As I said above, I am not a Roman Catholic.

But, I can like this Pope.

Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at P. O. Box 337, Stanley, ND 58784 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).