The pope is officially on Twitter now, under the handle @pontifex, and his tweets are officially “part of the church’s magisterium.” Which means that anything he tweets is the teaching authority of the Catholic Church. The Twitter account will launch Dec. 12 and will start by answering questions posed to #askpontifex. While the 85-year-old will post the first tweet, according to the AP, "Subsequent tweets will be sent by someone in the Vatican's secretariat of state. They will, however, all be approved by the pope, officials said."

 

A lot of what the pope says falls into the category of the magesterium, according to the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church of Christ, which says:

…that the Roman Pontiff, when he speaks ex cathedra, that is, when carrying out the duty of the pastor and teacher of all Christians by his supreme apostolic authority he defines a doctrine of faith or morals to be held by the universal Church, through the divine assistance promised him in blessed Peter, operates with that infallibility with which the divine Redeemer wished that His church be instructed in defining doctrine on faith and morals; and so such definitions of the Roman Pontiff from himself, but not from the consensus of the Church, are unalterable.

The pope will also be tweeting in at least six other languages: German, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Portugese, and Arabic.

The Pope’s Tweets Are Official Church Doctrine | Smart News

The pope is officially on Twitter now, under the handle @pontifex, and his tweets are officially “part of the church’s magisterium.” Which means that anything he tweets is the teaching authority of the Catholic Church.

 

This is the second article I've seen today that really hammers home this point. Very strange.

 

He's the pope, the earthly leader of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Every time he opens his mouth he speaks with the teaching authority of the Catholic Church. Why is interesting that he do so in a tweet rather than in a sermon?

The Pope has a twitter account and UK basketball players don't. What's the world coming to?

The pope is officially on Twitter now, under the handle @pontifex, and his tweets are officially “part of the church’s magisterium.” Which means that anything he tweets is the teaching authority of the Catholic Church. The Twitter account will launch Dec. 12 and will start by answering questions posed to #askpontifex. While the 85-year-old will post the first tweet, according to the AP, "Subsequent tweets will be sent by someone in the Vatican's secretariat of state. They will, however, all be approved by the pope, officials said."

 

A lot of what the pope says falls into the category of the magesterium, according to the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church of Christ, which says:

…that the Roman Pontiff, when he speaks ex cathedra, that is, when carrying out the duty of the pastor and teacher of all Christians by his supreme apostolic authority he defines a doctrine of faith or morals to be held by the universal Church, through the divine assistance promised him in blessed Peter, operates with that infallibility with which the divine Redeemer wished that His church be instructed in defining doctrine on faith and morals; and so such definitions of the Roman Pontiff from himself, but not from the consensus of the Church, are unalterable.

The pope will also be tweeting in at least six other languages: German, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Portugese, and Arabic.

The Pope’s Tweets Are Official Church Doctrine | Smart News

 

Keep in mind, popes have only spoke in ex cathedra twice in the entire history of the church, once in the 1870's and once in the 1950's. It is used very rarely and in those two instances it was with topics so widely accepted by Catholic theologians that neither shocked anyone. Even John Paul II who was known to speak pretty authoritatively I believe never considered speaking Ex Cathedra when he further defined the church's teaching on why the church cannot ordain women. He met with the bishops and cardinals and they all spoke in unison.

Until the pope shows he can recommend a good restaurant in Rome, explain to me why Northern Illinois is in the Orange Bowl, or make a snarky comment about a television show then I'm not following him.

Keep in mind, popes have only spoke in ex cathedra twice in the entire history of the church, once in the 1870's and once in the 1950's. It is used very rarely and in those two instances it was with topics so widely accepted by Catholic theologians that neither shocked anyone. Even John Paul II who was known to speak pretty authoritatively I believe never considered speaking Ex Cathedra when he further defined the church's teaching on why the church cannot ordain women. He met with the bishops and cardinals and they all spoke in unison.

Do you sense a troubling shift in Papal leadership style?

The Pope has a twitter account and UK basketball players don't. What's the world coming to?

 

If the Twitter world can't handle a couple of crazed UK fans, the pope will get hammered with more vulgar and hate filled tweets than one can imagine. Sadly, I predict a lot of them from self proclaimed Christians. Whoever is managing this for the Catholic Church should keep their delete finger handy.

Do you sense a troubling shift in Papal leadership style?

 

Not really. What do you see?

 

I see the past two popes being more conservative than the handful before them but as far as a troubling shift in leadership style, I am not noticing any. Curious of your thoughts though.

How do we know he's not already on BGP under a different name?

Not really. What do you see?

 

I see the past two popes being more conservative than the handful before them but as far as a troubling shift in leadership style, I am not noticing any. Curious of your thoughts though.

It just seems he's being very proactive in re-establishing the absolute authority of his office. Also, Cardinal Dolin's recent remarks and the adoption of the new Missal seem to signal a turning back of the clock. I wonder if a crackdown is coming...and more big changes.

It just seems he's being very proactive in re-establishing the absolute authority of his office. Also, Cardinal Dolin's recent remarks and the adoption of the new Missal seem to signal a turning back of the clock. I wonder if a crackdown is coming...and more big changes.

 

I don't know how much of a turning back of the clock is coming, but the consolidation of authority seems spot on. I think the recent breakdown in the negotiations between the Holy See and the Society of St. Pius X are almost directly attributable to that movement.

It just seems he's being very proactive in re-establishing the absolute authority of his office. Also, Cardinal Dolin's recent remarks and the adoption of the new Missal seem to signal a turning back of the clock. I wonder if a crackdown is coming...and more big changes.

 

 

Not sure what Cardinal Dolan's recent remarks you are referring to. Could you reply?

 

As far as the new missal, it is my understanding the US Conference of Catholic Bishops had a larger role in this than the Vatican. The missal itself stayed the same (keep in mind its original language is Latin), what changed was the English translation. I have read the old translation was not the best translation and this was a change that has been coming for a while. The new translation is supposedly a more "exact" translation which is why it doesn't flow quite like the previous but delivers the message more accurately. Again, this is what I have read.

If the Twitter world can't handle a couple of crazed UK fans, the pope will get hammered with more vulgar and hate filled tweets than one can imagine. Sadly, I predict a lot of them from self proclaimed Christians. Whoever is managing this for the Catholic Church should keep their delete finger handy.

 

True story.

Not sure what Cardinal Dolan's recent remarks you are referring to. Could you reply?

 

As far as the new missal, it is my understanding the US Conference of Catholic Bishops had a larger role in this than the Vatican. The missal itself stayed the same (keep in mind its original language is Latin), what changed was the English translation. I have read the old translation was not the best translation and this was a change that has been coming for a while. The new translation is supposedly a more "exact" translation which is why it doesn't flow quite like the previous but delivers the message more accurately. Again, this is what I have read.

 

I'm assuming Birdsfan is referring to Cardinal Dolan's remarks concerning the USCCB's possible re-institution of abstinence from meat on all Fridays.

 

USCCB General Assembly - 2012 November - Presidential Address

 

...

 

The work of our Conference during the coming year includes reflections on re-embracing Friday as a particular day of penance, including the possible re-institution of abstinence on all Fridays of the year, not just during Lent. Our pastoral plan offers numerous resources for catechesis on the Sacrament of Penance, and the manifold graces that come to us from the frequent use of confession. Next June we will gather in a special assembly as brother bishops to pray and reflect on the mission entrusted to us by the Church, including our witness to personal conversion in Jesus Christ, and so to the New Evangelization.

 

...

 

 

Also, from all that I've seen, heard, and read, your understanding about the new missal is the same as mine.

Not sure what Cardinal Dolan's recent remarks you are referring to. Could you reply?

 

As far as the new missal, it is my understanding the US Conference of Catholic Bishops had a larger role in this than the Vatican. The missal itself stayed the same (keep in mind its original language is Latin), what changed was the English translation. I have read the old translation was not the best translation and this was a change that has been coming for a while. The new translation is supposedly a more "exact" translation which is why it doesn't flow quite like the previous but delivers the message more accurately. Again, this is what I have read.

Yes, I knew it was a more accurate translation, but all of these things, taken together, seem to go along with a turn toward more traditional thinking.

 

And CWB - You were correct as to what I was referring. :thumb: