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dolorsofmary
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| Posted: Aug 30 2011 at 9:21pm | IP Logged
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My 6 yr old ds has a very good question. I hope you can help me with it. What do we do if the pope commands us to do something that is naughty? My first thought is to say that the bad popes were so naughty that they were too busy to ask people to do naughty thing like Pope Alexander the 6th? God protects the pope in a way so that he is infallible only when he speak ex-cathedra, so if he speaks about the weather or that he likes cats and not dogs, well that is a matter of opinion. But in my ds' question, what if the pope wanted us to do something super naughty, what would we do? hmmmm... not sure how to answer this. Your take please? Thank you!
Rosemarie
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guitarnan
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| Posted: Aug 30 2011 at 9:43pm | IP Logged
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I think that I would first explain that the Pope can never tell us to do something that is against Church teaching, when it comes to matter of faith and morals, because the Holy Spirit protects him from making a mistake, even a very small one, in these two all-important areas. (For your son, you might want to use another phrase, like "making right and wrong choices" for "morals.") Even the Popes who have allowed worldly power to influence their other decisions have been protected from error by the Holy Spirit in matters of faith and morals, whenever they have spoken ex cathedra (from the Chair of Peter).
I would then go on to say that no one born on Earth (except Jesus, as the Son of God, and Mary, because she is the Immaculate Conception) is free from the tendency to sin. Baptism helps us, Popes and regular folks, to turn away from sin and do what God wants. Some Popes, back in times that were difficult for the Church, fell into temptation, looking for wealth or power or something else, and they chose to break one or more of God's Ten Commandments. Even, so, God protected them from making mistakes when they spoke of matters of faith and morals. This is how God keeps the Church's teachings, the Deposit of Faith, whole and intact.
Sometimes, we know from history, a Pope who has fallen into temptation has asked someone to do something wrong. While most examples of Popes like this come from hundreds of years ago, it could happen again, and we should think seriously about what we would do. (Here is where you say, "I know we are still learning about the Ten Commandments and what Jesus taught us in the Gospels. Every year you will learn more, and the Holy Spirit will always help you make right choices and give right answers if you are asked to do something wrong...no matter who is asking. Even Jesus was asked to do wrong things, when Satan tempted Him in the desert, but He did not give in to temptation.")
This is pretty much what I would say. I might say it in chunks, depending on my child's attention span. It is indeed a good question, and a perceptive one. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit does protect all Popes from erring when speaking ex cathedra on matters of faith and morals, and we have Scripture and Tradition to substantiate this. It's okay to point out that Popes can make mistakes in other areas - business decisions, personal conduct, etc., but that the Holy Spirit is always there as Jesus promised, to guide the Church and keep Her from error.
I hope this helps. It's basically an expansion of what you said in your post, really!
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Aug 30 2011 at 10:52pm | IP Logged
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I wouldn't even bring up "bad popes" unless he already knows about them.. it's confusing and something to learn soon enough when they're older.
So basically what Nancy said..
Also this may be more about the role of authority than personal sin.
I'd first explain that it would be super naughty for the pope.. or anyone in authority (bishop, priest, parent, teacher, police officer etc) to ask us to do something super naughty.
IF it is about authority then understanding that every authority still has someone over them so that everyone has to behave.. it's not just that someone in authority can tell us what to do for anything.. and authority is generally limited.. like a police officer's authority is about laws. There's no law against chewing with your mouth open so the police officer doesn't have authority to tell you not to do that. But mom and dad have that authority. And the pope has the authority to teach about faith and morals.. but not his opinion on cats vs dogs. 
And like Nancy said.. taking it a little piece at a time rather than a big chunk.. just watch for opportunities to talk about it as it comes up.. like you see someone pulled over by the police on the side of the road as you go by and you can talk about how the person must not have been obeying a law because that's what police officers do.. they remind people and take them before judges and juries to make them follow the law.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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dolorsofmary
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| Posted: Aug 31 2011 at 6:35am | IP Logged
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Thank you so much for your quick and thorough responses!
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montessorisbev
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| Posted: Sept 02 2011 at 10:46am | IP Logged
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I really liked the responses you've got so far. I would also add that, " It is also exactly why, we as people of God and the Body of Christ should pray for our Holy Father everyday so he is strengthened by our prayers for him as well"
Bev
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: 6 yr old ds has a stumper, please help
