Pope Francis to me symbolised the de-Europeanisation of Catholicism. In sharp contrast to previous popes (especially John Paul II), Francis' lack of 'European consciousness' was obvious in a lot of his expressions. Not all for the worse, although I definitely fault him for his lack of a firm stance on Ukraine (which is home to over four millions deeply rooted Catholics), but this personal change also represents a change in the Church at large. Europe's secularisation has meant that European Catholicism is no longer central to the religion; over half of the Catholic faithful live in the Americas, and Africa (where the Church is still growing) is soon to overtake Europe as well.
This is even visibile in the Church itself; if you visit Rome most of the nuns you'll see walking around are Indian, Indian women currently being the largest single group of new novices. In mayor European cities as well, churches are mostly keeping their attendance high because of immigrants.
I wonder what effects this will have on the Church in general. 'Cultural catholicism' is still a force in Europe, so I doubt European respect for the Papacy will ever completely fade away, even as the average Europea will heed the Church' teachings less and less, although the Church becoming 'immigrant-coded' might change that eventually. I do wonder if this will ultimately result in the Church becoming more conservative in the long term, going by the relative conservatism of its adherents in other continents.
As a side note, the attitudes of some American converts to Catholicism (JD Vance first and foremost) is particularly interesting. Vance seems to detest Europe out of a sincere conviction that Europe has rejected 'based' tradition in favour of the exact same liberalism he hates domestically, which is wrong on many levels (but not all). I wonder which belief came first, the Catholicism or the hatred of the 'libs' at home and abroad, and how they inform eachother.
Forgive me Father, but the "de-Europeanisation of Catholicism" for someone in this position of power seems to me to be an overstatement, attributing this to Pope Francis. Please review the timeline for the growth of Catholicism in the continents below; they preceded Pope Francis by centuries. Perhaps he augmented this, but not by any outstanding numbers. Please show me the info if I am incorrect.
Latin America:
Catholicism is the dominant religion in nearly every country in Latin America, according to Britannica. This is largely due to the impact of Spanish and Portuguese colonization and the Catholic missions that followed.
Asia: The Catholic Church has experienced significant growth in Asia, according to USC Dornsife. The Philippines, for instance, has a large Catholic population.
Africa: Africa, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, has seen substantial growth in the Catholic population.
North America: While the United States and Canada have a significant Catholic population, the proportion of Catholics has generally declined in the Western world, including the United States.
Europe: While still a major religion in Europe, the proportion of the world's Catholics living on the continent has decreased in recent decades, according to Pew Research Center.
I care greatly for the doctrines of most religions with the teachings of Buddhism resonating most highly with my spiritual self. The wonder and oneness of the creation, the hope and goal for humanity to be human-unity, and for the majority of those on this planet to understand the concept of uni-verse or one story.
Insofar as Pope Francis, I do plead ignorance in that I am not Catholic and do not follow his every word. I have an unfavorable view towards what organized religion has contributed in man's history. We humans can't follow Christ's main doctrine of loving thy neighbor. In today's dystopia in the US, the main doctrine evidenced by Trump is "Love thyself and those that bend a knee to thee."
But. to return to topic, unless Goggle's artificial intelligence (AI) is totally biased, this is what it replied to my questions about Pope Francis and the war in Ukraine:
Condemnation of War: He repeatedly condemned the war in Ukraine, describing it as an "unjustified act of aggression" and referring to Ukraine as a "martyred nation".
Calls for Peace: He made numerous appeals for peace and a negotiated settlement to the conflict, urging both sides to cease fighting.
Humanitarian Concerns: He expressed deep concern for the suffering of the Ukrainian people, particularly the victims of the war, refugees, and displaced persons.
Criticism of Russia's Role: While he didn't explicitly condemn Russian leader Vladimir Putin as the aggressor, his statements and actions implied criticism of Russia's actions and role in the war.
I do not wish to present the above as dogma, but suggest that you and others do searches to confirm or refute the above. The truth is out there, we just need to get closer to it.
Pope Francis to me symbolised the de-Europeanisation of Catholicism. In sharp contrast to previous popes (especially John Paul II), Francis' lack of 'European consciousness' was obvious in a lot of his expressions. Not all for the worse, although I definitely fault him for his lack of a firm stance on Ukraine (which is home to over four millions deeply rooted Catholics), but this personal change also represents a change in the Church at large. Europe's secularisation has meant that European Catholicism is no longer central to the religion; over half of the Catholic faithful live in the Americas, and Africa (where the Church is still growing) is soon to overtake Europe as well.
This is even visibile in the Church itself; if you visit Rome most of the nuns you'll see walking around are Indian, Indian women currently being the largest single group of new novices. In mayor European cities as well, churches are mostly keeping their attendance high because of immigrants.
I wonder what effects this will have on the Church in general. 'Cultural catholicism' is still a force in Europe, so I doubt European respect for the Papacy will ever completely fade away, even as the average Europea will heed the Church' teachings less and less, although the Church becoming 'immigrant-coded' might change that eventually. I do wonder if this will ultimately result in the Church becoming more conservative in the long term, going by the relative conservatism of its adherents in other continents.
As a side note, the attitudes of some American converts to Catholicism (JD Vance first and foremost) is particularly interesting. Vance seems to detest Europe out of a sincere conviction that Europe has rejected 'based' tradition in favour of the exact same liberalism he hates domestically, which is wrong on many levels (but not all). I wonder which belief came first, the Catholicism or the hatred of the 'libs' at home and abroad, and how they inform eachother.
Forgive me Father, but the "de-Europeanisation of Catholicism" for someone in this position of power seems to me to be an overstatement, attributing this to Pope Francis. Please review the timeline for the growth of Catholicism in the continents below; they preceded Pope Francis by centuries. Perhaps he augmented this, but not by any outstanding numbers. Please show me the info if I am incorrect.
Latin America:
Catholicism is the dominant religion in nearly every country in Latin America, according to Britannica. This is largely due to the impact of Spanish and Portuguese colonization and the Catholic missions that followed.
Asia: The Catholic Church has experienced significant growth in Asia, according to USC Dornsife. The Philippines, for instance, has a large Catholic population.
Africa: Africa, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, has seen substantial growth in the Catholic population.
North America: While the United States and Canada have a significant Catholic population, the proportion of Catholics has generally declined in the Western world, including the United States.
Europe: While still a major religion in Europe, the proportion of the world's Catholics living on the continent has decreased in recent decades, according to Pew Research Center.
I care greatly for the doctrines of most religions with the teachings of Buddhism resonating most highly with my spiritual self. The wonder and oneness of the creation, the hope and goal for humanity to be human-unity, and for the majority of those on this planet to understand the concept of uni-verse or one story.
Insofar as Pope Francis, I do plead ignorance in that I am not Catholic and do not follow his every word. I have an unfavorable view towards what organized religion has contributed in man's history. We humans can't follow Christ's main doctrine of loving thy neighbor. In today's dystopia in the US, the main doctrine evidenced by Trump is "Love thyself and those that bend a knee to thee."
But. to return to topic, unless Goggle's artificial intelligence (AI) is totally biased, this is what it replied to my questions about Pope Francis and the war in Ukraine:
Condemnation of War: He repeatedly condemned the war in Ukraine, describing it as an "unjustified act of aggression" and referring to Ukraine as a "martyred nation".
Calls for Peace: He made numerous appeals for peace and a negotiated settlement to the conflict, urging both sides to cease fighting.
Humanitarian Concerns: He expressed deep concern for the suffering of the Ukrainian people, particularly the victims of the war, refugees, and displaced persons.
Criticism of Russia's Role: While he didn't explicitly condemn Russian leader Vladimir Putin as the aggressor, his statements and actions implied criticism of Russia's actions and role in the war.
I do not wish to present the above as dogma, but suggest that you and others do searches to confirm or refute the above. The truth is out there, we just need to get closer to it.