When I was first ordained a Catholic priest, it was the custom to kiss the bishop's ring while genuflecting on the left knee. This was the Catholic custom in the U.S.A. and Europe. Since the Second Vatican Council, this custom has changed. Bishops no longer expect anyone to kiss their ring. The origin of kissing the ring comes from the time when bishops were governors of territories. Catholic bishops are no longer temporal magistrates. It is expected that you shake his hand politely. That means that if he is a higher rank than you, you wait for him to extend his hand. Some Catholics, especially from southern Europe, will kiss the hand of a priest. It is a local custom. It is not the custom in the United States. There are good reasons to abandon the custom of kissing rings. One reason is an obvious health reason. It is simply not hygienic. Secondly, it detracts from the spirit of humility. Priests, Bishops and the Pope are servants. The Pope is a special case. As Catholics we see him as the Vicar of Christ on earth. It seems that, for a priest at least, it is still proper to genuflect on the right knee and kiss the Holy Father's hand or ring - whichever he extends. This also depends on the individual Pope. Before an audience with the Holy Father, people are directed to follow a certain protocol. I have not yet heard what the present Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has established as the proper protocol during private audiences. Certain other Christians seem to take offence at Catholic customs. We Catholics do not ask others to follow our customs. Quoting Holy Scripture inappropriately does nothing to advance knowledge and respect. We are not about to change and we do not expect other Christians to change their customs. Please be aware that the New Testament was compiled by the Catholic Church. Do you think that the Church would include a book that condemned it? We Americans are known, or should be known, for our respect of all people.
Thank you for sharing this article and directly on topic.
The misquoting scripture is an unfair generalization.Surely there are bilblical references that are not misquoted. That's a generic defence anyone can make about any situation..
Since this person is citing the Catholics as sole responsbilbity in construct of the New Testament ..may I offer a quote from Romans...it's no a misquote and it is entirely in context
Romans 3:10
>>
New American Standard Bible (©1995)
as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
King James Bible
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
American King James Version
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
American Standard Version
as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one;
Bible in Basic English
As it is said in the holy Writings, There is not one who does righteousness;
Douay-Rheims Bible
As it is written: There is not any man just.
Darby Bible Translation
according as it is written, There is not a righteous man, not even one;
English Revised Version
as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one;
GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
as Scripture says, "Not one person has God's approval.
Weymouth New Testament
Thus it stands written, "There is not one righteous man.
Webster's Bible Translation
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
World English Bible
As it is written, "There is no one righteous; no, not one
Perceived as
THE...Vicar of Christ?....
Special case? The Holy Father
There is NO special case ..he is a man..a human being under the jurisdiction of God's principles as set in the New Testament..
There is ONE Holy Father...and that is the Creator.The spirit of humility does not negate respect due a person of character and of God. However...there is proper respect due ...and there is worship.
Since every individual Pope has autonomy..the power to create personal policy......certainly the power to preempt television stations and has the President of the USA holding receptions...
I maintain...this Pope could impart a powerful message..by refusing to allow the practice of human worship and to allow has notrhing to do with respect..it is EGO or SELF.The fact that other Catholics take offense while some Chrisitians/other Protestants etc.... follow the practice means it is not neccesarily as much religious politic....as populist...
And.. using the word
genuflecting to spin semantically.....the obvious.... is just more rhetoric.
genuflect: Definition and Much More from Answers.comgenuflect ( ) intr.v. , -flected , -flecting , -flects . To bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor or ground, as in worship.
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=+2]WORSHIP THE RIGHT GOD[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]The first commandment is "Worship no god but me" (Exodus 20:3). That looks easy enough. When was the last time you were seriously tempted to worship Baal or to offer incense to Jupiter or to drink a toast to Bacchus or to sacrifice a lamb to Zeus? Where have all the idols gone? Has the great Jehovah licked all his competition? Do people need only nine commandments nowadays[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]To worship any god other than the one true God leads to spiritual famine and finally to slavery. No substitute god is big enough to sustain the commitment of your life. The pages of history are littered with sad tales of victims who gave first-class loyalty to second-class causes that failed them.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Whatever you worship, regardless of its name, is your god. To worship anything is to treat it as being the greatest thing in your life, the center around which the rest of your interests revolve.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]The Bible reminds you again and again that God is a jealous God, who will not share your affection with rivals (Exodus 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24; 5-9; Joshua 24:19). [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Substitute gods bear many names.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Choose you this day whom you will serve, whether the true and living God of your ancestors or the gods of self, sex, and security, the gods of those in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15).[/FONT]
At the end of the day....I think the process of the initial question has led me to this.....
As for me and my house we will serve the Lord