Pope: Some would like me to be dead – PRAVDA.sk

The periodical La Civilt Cattolica published the content of an interview between Pope Francis and representatives of the Slovak Jesuit province, which took place on September 12 at the Apostolic Nunciature in Bratislava. It was one of the points of the pope’s visit to Slovakia.

Pope Francis at an ecumenical meeting at the Apostolic Nunciature in Bratislava.

During a private meeting with his confreres, the pope admitted that he knew of his increasingly vocal conservative critics, saying that their “malicious remarks” were the work of the devil.

“I personally deserve these attacks and blows because I am a sinner. But the church does not deserve this. It’s the devil’s robot. I also told some of them, “said the pope.

He admitted that sometimes he “runs out of patience. Especially when they pass the courts without having a real dialogue. I can’t do anything there. I’m going for my own, I can’t get drawn into their world of ideas and fantasies. I don’t want to go in there and I prefer preaching, I preach. “

He joked, showing black humor

Some critics accuse him of not talking about holiness. “They say that I am still talking about the social issue and that I am a communist – even though I wrote the whole apostolic exhortation about the holiness of Gaudete et exultate,” the pope said.

The article in the periodical states that František joked throughout the meeting and his sense of black humor and self-irony was manifested – especially when one of those present was interested in how he felt after 33 centimeters of his colon were removed during an operation in July.

Francis replied, “I am still alive, even though many wished the exact opposite and prepared conclaves,” which traditionally elects a new pope. “Patience! Thank God, I’m fine, “said the pope.

He is not considering resigning

According to the AP, this comment is a reflection of the Pope’s intense interest in the health of the pope, as well as speculation, which always accompanies pontiffs, but in the case of Francis, who arouses loud opposition from part of the church, may be even more urgent.

VIDEO: The Pope’s arrival in Šaštín

The AP recalled that after his recent ten-day stay in the hospital, the Italian media began to speculate that Francis might resign from the pope, pointing to the need to establish standards governing the situation when the second pope is retired. However, the Pope had previously said that his resignation “did not even come to mind.”

During a meeting at the Apostolic Nunciature in Bratislava, the present members of the Society of Jesus Pope asked how they reacted to internal tensions in the church and to conservatives who have long criticized his attitude to capitalism and his interest in the environment and migrants. The AP reminded that their criticism turned to outrage when František in July intervened against the celebration of traditional Latin Mass. In an interview with the Jesuits, the pope explained that “from now on, anyone who wants to celebrate the vetus ordo must seek permission from Rome, as is done in biritualism” (a liturgical symbiosis of Western and Eastern rites under Latin Catholic jurisdiction).

A return to the past

Pope Francis explained that this step was necessary because the Latin Mass became a source of division of the church and was used for ideological reasons. He pointed, for example, to the cases of “young men” who “a month after the ordination of the priesthood, go to the bishop and ask him permission to serve the vetus ordo.” “This is a phenomenon that shows that they want to go back in time,” the pope explained.

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In an interview with Jesuits working in Slovakia, the pope commented on the vision of the Catholic Church or pastoral work. He also talked about migration and fear of refugees and the so-called gender ideology.

The Jesuit magazine La Civilt Cattolica often reports on Francis’ meetings with the Jesuits, whom he encounters, if possible, in every country he visits as part of his apostolic journeys.

The Vatican News website stated that Pope Francis’ conversation with Slovak Jesuits is also available on the jezuiti.sk portal.