Over the years a popular riposte to questions with painfully obvious answers invoked the Holy Father, the Successor of Peter and the leader of the Catholic Church on earth.
For centuries the answer to the question has also been assumed to be obvious, and affirmative. And yet, a lot of folks these days are scratching their heads and wondering if they should reconsider.
It’s natural for non-Catholics to get the impression that, for believers, the pope is our supreme authority in everything. Likewise the bishops. Their word is the last word, period.
However, this impression is profoundly wrong. And, unfortunately, Pope Francis and his bishops have done little to dispel it. By all appearances, they welcome the misunderstanding that prevails on this fundamental question of authority, rather than correcting it; In fact, they are making the most of it, pretending that Global Warming and amnesty for illegal aliens are right up there with the Trinity as Gospel truths.
In a brief essay, one can only limn some telling indicators, hardly exhaustive. With an eye on the past, I will address here the bishops of the United States, who serve at the pope’s pleasure.
How the Catholic Churc…
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First: Most of those bishops are about my age, and, like me, most grew up in Democrat households. When they entered the seminary at high-school or college age, their studies concentrated on a mastery of philosophy, theology, biblical studies, Church history, and apologetics (which is the defense and explanation of the teachings, beliefs, and practices of the Catholic Church – for both Catholics and non-Catholics).
What little they knew about politics they brought with them from home.
Second: When our bishops and I were young, Pope…