So for those of you who haven’t heard about the pope’s new “post-synodal apostalic exhortation” (I’m somewhat envious of the level of specificity of language achieved by that that mouthful.) Since I’m in college and don’t have time to read a 250+ page document at the drop of a hat, I’ll be basing my thoughts on the NPR summary.
My first thought is that “-and for a 79-year-old man who has taken a lifelong vow of celibacy, the pontiff has some pretty solid relationship tips” is a pretty condescending sentence, especially considering the reputation of Pope Francis, who has made a name for himself by being a pope for the people, one who places a high value on his connection to the laity. It turns out that celibacy is not some magical thing that prevents you from being a participant in real and significant relationships, hmm.
But the points, as summarized by Domonoske, feel sound, and the pope’s words have a definite poetry to them that I admire, so I’ll share some:
- “Often the other (person) does not need a solution to their problems, but simply to be heard, to feel that someone has acknowledged their pain, their disappointment, their fear, their anger, their hopes and their dreams.”
- “Love does not have to be perfect for us to value it.”
- “Loving another person involves the joy of contemplating and appreciating their innate beauty and sacredness”
- “A celestial notion of earthly love forgets that the best is yet to come… It is much healthier to be realistic about out limits, defects and imperfections.”
And one that I really didn’t resonate with:
- “At other times, the problem (of time) is the lack of quality time together, sharing the same room without one even noticing the other.”
As someone with strong introverted tenancies, when I found friends that I could share a room with while barely noticing their presence, my live became much richer, but maybe that’s just me.
*Yes, I know the post title is atrocious, I’ll show myself out*
**It occurred to me as I was writing this that, in a half-joking way, this 250 page document might be the ultimate example of the Ace Theory-Ace Practice conversation**
The Ace Librarian 