There've only been two ex cathedra Papal pronouncements in the last century-plus.

Both of which have been about Mary, which I find interesting.

JZ, if when I get around to moving to SF, your parish sounds like a church that I could actually be a part of. And trust me when I say that for *me* to ever consider being part of a church ever ever EVER again is a HUGE thing, and I don't say it lightly.

It sounds like Jacqueline feels about the Catholic church the way I do about being American right now. Damn it, it's MY country, too. It's where I grew up, it's where I got my beliefs about what is right and wrong, and it's my job to fix it as much as I can.

As usual, JZ says what I try to, but with more eloquence. Thank you, my dear, for putting what I feel into words.

Thanks for that link. It's a really interesting read.

You're welcome. Here's another link from that site: [link]
Scroll to question 17: Abortion and Catholicism.

Are Catholics still supposed to believe in the infallibility of the Pope?

In certain matters. When the Pope is speaking ex cathedra on matters of faith and morals, he is infallible. Because others explain it better than I ever could, here's yet another link. [link]

edit: I knew this was going to be a x-post.

It sounds like Jacqueline feels about the Catholic church the way I do about being American right now. Damn it, it's MY country, too. It's where I grew up, it's where I got my beliefs about what is right and wrong, and it's my job to fix it as much as I can.

One of the lefty Christian bloggers I read says her attitude toward both church and country these days is, in contrast to "love it or leave it," "love it and never shut up."

her attitude toward both church and country these days is, in contrast to "love it or leave it," "love it and never shut up."

YES YES YES. Link, please, please?

JZ, it's here: [link] And now that I look more closely, she's actually quoting Barbara Kingsolver.

Maria, that link -- about disagreeing with the Church yet remaining in it -- reminds me of a nun I met years ago. I was just out of college and trying to get a job, so I took every freelance writing gig that I could get. One of those gigs was for the local Catholic newspaper.

In that capacity, I wrote an article about an Ursuline nun who, at the time (1994) was so active in international human rights --specifically women's and children's rights -- that she had speaking privileges on the floor of the UN in their humans rights committee.

One of the things she had been involved with was creating a women's/children's shelter in Turkey. After our "official" interview was over, I asked her about reproductive issues at that shelter, because she had alluded to them. I promised her that the interview was definitely over, and nothing more that she said would ever see print.

She told me that they strongly advocated condom use at this shelter, and I asked "But how do you do that when the Church's position is against it?"

She just smiled -- this 70-ish white-haired nun -- and said "Well, we just set the boxes of condoms out on the tables, and if the women take them....we don't stop them."

And I thought, FUCK yeah.

And also, a big wet kiss to Teppy. I know what a shitty emotional meatgrinder the FAC put you through, and I would never push anything on you.

Except possibly the adorability of Alan Cumming.

Except possibly the adorability of Alan Cumming.

Get thee behind me, Zmayhem.

Steph, that is my version of Catholicism. If human life is sacrosanct, yet God gave each and every one of us a free will, how on earth can I take away another's right to exercise that free will, even if it is contradictory to my personal beliefs?

The Church provides a guide on how to live one's life. Ultimately, it is up to the individual on how to practice one's faith. At the end, the pope will not be the arbiter of justice; it is God who determines whether one lived a Christian life.