Beware these Pope Francis Hoaxes

From the moment of his election, internet memes arose portraying Pope Francis as overturning or contradicting Church doctrine. Rolling Stone Magazine, in its cover story on the Pontiff, boldly proclaimed, "The times they are a-changin" and offered a look "inside the Pope's gentle revolution." Among the quotes credited to Francis are these:

Through humility, soul searching, and prayerful contemplation we have gained a new understanding of certain dogmas. The church no longer believes in a literal hell where people suffer. This doctrine is incompatible with the infinite love of God. God is not a judge but a friend and a lover of humanity. God seeks not to condemn but only to embrace. Like the fable of Adam and Eve, we see hell as a literary device. ...

In a speech that shocked many, the Pope claimed “All religions are true, because they are true in the hearts of all those who believe in them. What other kind of truth is there? In the past, the church has been harsh on those it deemed morally wrong or sinful. Today, we no longer judge. Like a loving father, we never condemn our children. ...

Other internet memes are that Pope Francis will — or is considering naming female cardinals (specifically nuns, sisters or consecrated virgins), and that he will convene the 22nd ecumenical council, Vatican III.

Of course, each of the above assertions is demonstrably false. The pope cannot overturn Church doctrine. In the 2,000 years of her existence the Catholic Church has never revised or "walked back" a solemnly declared belief. Revelation is revealed truth that God tells us. All Catholic doctrine is derived from Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture and declared by the Magisterium of which the pontiff is the head. The source of both Tradition and Scripture is Jesus Christ. Therefore, since the source of Church Doctrine is Jesus himself, the pope cannot contradict it because the pope, who is the Vicar of Christ, cannot contradict Christ.

In reality, Pope Francis' "changes" are a matter of style and tone. The content of the message remains unchanged from his predecessors; however it's presented or doted upon by the fourth estate, self serving politicians and celebrities. Christ became man to be a sign of contradiction to the world. The Church — the Bride of Christ, is also a sign of contradiction. The more things change, the more the Church, in her teachings and her faithful, bears witnesses to the truth.