What would you do if you were the Head of the Catholic Church on Earth

In the name of the Holy Spirit

Did you know that Catholic canon law states that any adult male baptised Catholic can be elected Pope.

I have been trying to follow Jesus my whole life, sometimes shoulder to shoulder but to my shame mostly some way behind him trying desperately to keep up and not lose sight of which way he wanted me to go. Sometimes I have failed spectacularly. Sometimes I have almost touched the hem of his garment.

I am a Catholic by birth but over the past few years my faith in the Catholic Church has become increasingly fragile. I am not alone in this. Christians are leaving the Catholic Church like locusts fleeing a barren field. The scale of clerical abuse against minors,  the corruption of wealth and power within the Church, the systemic misogyny within the Church which denies women their right to proclaim Christ’s unconditional Love from the Altar, the denial of the LGBTQ+ community to be allowed to fully participate in Christ’s sacred Communion and the refusal to accept our married Brothers into the priesthood has motivated me to put myself forward as a successor to Saint Peter.

I already know that much of what I have to write will be challenging and controversial for you … mainly because I find it so myself. At times I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to write about issues that I would prefer not to engage with such as the scale of clerical abuse of minors , about pornography, hate, addiction , mysogyny and I find the research process at times painful, heartbreaking and disturbing. Then, thank God, there are times when I am guided to write about Truth, Simplicity ,Beauty, Grace, Compassion, Wisdom, Humility , Joy and most wonderful of all , Love.

No doubt I will be accused of attacking the Catholic Church. I am not. I Love our Church and I seek to defend it but I have been inspired by the Holy Spirit to question why we so often fall short of what Jesus wants His Church to be.

I hope that what I write inspires you , challenges you, refuses to allow you to be indifferent, empowers you to withstand any assault on your Faith but most of all I Pray that what I write renews your Love for humanity , for God, and for the teachings of His Blessed Son, Our Saviour Jesus Christ so that your life may be an active and living witness to His Love for humanity.

Please share with family and friends. God Bless you and yours. Peace and Love!

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“I may speak in tongues of men or of angels but if I am without Love I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal. I may have the gift of prophesy and know every hidden truth; I may have Faith strong enough to move mountains but if I have no Love I am nothing. I may dole out all I possess or even give my body to be burnt but if I have no Love I am none the better. Love is patient; Love is kind and envies no one. Love is never boastful nor conceited nor rude; never selfish, not quick to take offence. Love takes no score of wrongs; does not gloat over others men’s sins but delights in the Truth. There is nothing Love cannot face; there is no limit to its Faith, its Hope and its Endurance.”
1 Corinthians 13: 1-7

thelaypope@yahoo.com