The papal bull: Misericordiae Vultus | National Catholic Reporter

The papal bull: Misericordiae Vultus | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: Interesting piece (or peace).  You could see Francis' strong scriptural knowledge in weaving this together - what is essentially an invitation to pilgimage and confession (and as yet t be named indulgences).  The start date is interesting as the anniversary of Vatican II's closing.  I am sure there are those who still want the Council to be treated as just another part of the Church of St. Piux X, rather than a bit more of a break from the past.  This will disappoint them.  The continuity he especially wants, however, is with the Lord - who showed mercy and was mercy.



He also cites St. John Paul II's encyclical on mercy - which should have George Weigal's head spinning.  Still, we must forgive George if we wish to be forgiven.  There is no mercy without forgiveness of others.  The sending out of Missionaries of Mercy is interesting - both as a spiritual activity and as doing an end run around the local ordinaries.  The reference to the criminals and the corrupt to not just go to Confession but to get out of the life is interesting - and likely as much directed to his home as to Rome.  This dovetails nicely into the long paragraphs on justice and mercy - and justice being not whatt we  usually think.  There is no comfort here for George Weigel either.  Or for Cardinal Burke.  He does reach out the Marian movement, however - although I suspect his vision of Mary is more like mine than it is Weigel's.



MSW calls this a counter-cultural teaching - which it is - but rejecting the culture of cruelty and embracing one of mercy.  He makes comments about paragraph 15 counter-acting Libertarianism - which is funny because I did not see any mention of Ayn Rand, Freidrich Hayek or von Mises.  It looked to me like Francis was talking about Capitalism.  Of course, attacking Libertarianism is a lot easier than saying that the Pope has capitalism in his sights.



Francis is not only the world's parish priest (although I hope most parish priests are following the scriptures in their homilies like he does), he is its Sunday School teacher.  I don't think he had staff do all those scripture quotes.  He teaches the Bible like he wrote it himself, especially the beautiful psalm references.



As MSW points out, Francis is saying a lot about Confession and Confessors.  It will be interesting if he can find some way to talk us all out of the nagging guilt that precedes most of us who approach the Confessional or Reconciliation Room.  It probably comes from making innocent children start so early.



MSW also gets a little excited at the end, calling the Bull and Mercy un-modern.  I disagree.  This was not written for pre-industrial Catholicism.  It is squarely on point - and sociologists of religion do talk about Mercy in the context of the Church and churches, as do 12 step programs - yet this is the most important thing we have seen lately - and the Jubilee is timed to occur after the Second Synod on the Family.  Now that is interesting.