Topsy and Tuptim Go Bananas over Latest Pope Francis Blather

Ho-ho, hey-hey! Go your way, fornication's okay.

Topsy and Tuptim go for a five-mile walk to process the statement of Pope Francis about cohabiting couples.

Topsy: Let's run for a bit; I'm too upset to walk. (They jog for a few minutes, then slow to a walk again.) This papacy is driving me bananas! I love our walks, but walking isn't enough to work off my anger any more. How can I teach my kids about the truths of the faith when THE POPE is constantly throwing a banana peel under my feet?

Tuptim: Tell me about it! You know my son is living with his girlfriend and I've been trying to get them to stop and go to confession. They both have younger siblings who are all being scandalized. I keep telling him I love them both and don't want them to go to hell. He just rolls his eyes at me and says, "Don't you want me to be happy?" As if mortal sin ever made anyone happy in the long run. (Taking a folded paper out of her pocket she hands it to Topsy.) He left this note and article on my car yesterday while I was at work. (Topsy unfolds it and reads.)


Topsy: "Dear Mom, Maybe you should listen to the pope and be more understanding and merciful. We're good just the way we are." Hmm...(She looks at Tuptim with a frustrated expression then examines the article.) Yikes! (Reading out loud.) How could the pope say this? "On the spiritual and moral plane, they are among the poor and the little ones, toward whom the Church, following in the footsteps of her Teacher and Lord, wants to be a Mother." Gosh! I think of the "little ones" as being the innocent, especially babies being murdered in the womb. (Waves the article) And this picture of the pope welcoming a cohabiting couple with a big smile on his face. It's like he's celebrating their sinful relationship.

Tuptim: He does celebrate it. Don't you remember last year when he said couples who shack up have real marriages and then criticized couples who really are married? I was so angry because of my son that his words are burned in my memory like a brand.

Topsy: (Looking puzzled.) I vaguely remember, remind me.

Tuptim: I can tell you word for word. He said,  “I’ve seen a lot of fidelity in these cohabitations, and I am sure that this is a real marriage, they have the grace of a real marriage because of their fidelity.” I wonder if he says that when they're on their second or third live-in lover. I know personally that my son and his girlfriend do NOT have a "real marriage." They're playing house.

Topsy: (Ironically) Wow! Blessing their sin will bring a lot of young couples to their senses won't it?

Tuptim: Read the part in the article where he tells priests to support couples who want to escape their marriages. (She points to the paragraphs.)

Topsy: "Francis told the priests that for 'every person and every situation you are called to be fellow travelers to witness and support.' He urged them to 'support' all couples who have determined by themselves that their marriage is invalid and want it officially declared as such.
   “'When you offer this witness, may your care be also to support all those who have realized the fact that their union is not a true sacramental marriage and want to come out of this situation. In this delicate and necessary work, proceed in such a way that your faithful recognize you not so much as experts of bureaucratic acts or juridical norms, but as brothers who put themselves in an attitude of listening and of understanding,'”

Tuptim: So he blesses both the fornicators and the adulterers.

Topsy: (Thoughtfully) Isn't it interesting that he used the term, "fellow travelers." That's the term the Commies used when they were talking about folks who weren't in the Communist party, but helped advance their agenda. Francis wants his priests to sign onto his wrecking plan for marriage.

Tuptim: Hey, why not disband all the marriage tribunals since couples can "determine" for themselves that their marriages are invalid or not. I wonder if that includes the situations where one of the partners doesn't want out of the marriage. Maybe the other spouse can just give a bill of divorce like in Moses' time. "Good-bye, Honey, I've found a new main squeeze. You can hit the road."

Topsy: (Thoughtfully.) You know Sr. Lucia of Fatima said the final battle would be over marriage and the family. Do you think this was what she was talking about?

Tuptim: I don't know but it will be...well... interesting...not quite the word... to see what happens on the 100th anniversary of Fatima. I read an article that described the October apparition in 1917 as a warning. The pouring rain was a reminder of the flood in Noah's time which was a punishment for the sins of the world and the sun plunging toward the earth warned people of what can happen if mankind doesn't repent.

Topsy: (Ruefully) And look how much worse we are today. Not much repentance as far as I can tell. (They reach the parking lot.) Instead of going for coffee, let's stop at church on the way home and pray the rosary in front of the Blessed Sacrament for the conversion of the world.

Tuptim: Good idea. Let's also pray for the conversion of my son and his girlfriend and all those couples committing fornication or adultery. Pope Francis doesn't do them any favors when he tickles their ears.

Topsy: He isn't doing us any favors either! It seems as if he keeps throwing banana peels under our feet to trip us up.

Tuptim: (Taking her rosary out of her pocket as they get in the car) Well, let's start the rosary on the way to the Church. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.