Post # 1

Member
7904 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
- Wedding: March 2012 - Pelican Grand Beach Resort
During the homily following a yearly baptism event in the Sistene Chapel, Pope Francis encouraged the mothers to breastfeed their babies without thinking twice.
“If they are hungry, mothers, feed them, without thinking twice. Because they are the most important people here,”
http://news.yahoo.com/feed-babies-want-pope-tells-mothers-sistine-chapel-105540106.html
I think that’s pretty awesome. It’s a fairly new thing–and fairly specific to American culture (and some others… but not even close to the majority of cultures on the globe)–that public breastfeeding is not normal. Thanks to gentrification and a few decades in which formula was considered better than breast, we’ve completely removed breastfeeding from daily life outside the home. I know some people on the Bee are against it. Has the Pope’s support changed your mind?
Post # 3

Member
2283 posts
Buzzing bee
That’s wonderful. I hope people listen to him.
It’s absolutely ridiculous that so many people dislike public breast feeding so much. The logic behind it is so faulty and absurd.
Post # 4

Member
4525 posts
Honey bee
I’ve heard public breastfeeding called tacky before, by a woman no less. Glad the Pope realizes that using your breasts for the purpose nature/God intended is normal and healthy.
Post # 5

Member
2654 posts
Sugar bee
This is great news. While I don’t think women should need his permission per se, lending his support can help change people’s perceptions about public breastfeeding.
Post # 6

Member
9074 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
I’m not a Catholic anymore but I can get behind this Pope. I don’t agree with everything he says or does, but he seems like he’s trying to make people do good for the sake of doing good. I can support that.
Post # 7

Member
2183 posts
Buzzing bee
- Wedding: November 2011 - Florida Aquarium
I’m not religious, but I think this is very cool. I wish I felt comfy just whipping out the boob. I try to use one of the covers, but it’s hard… I can’t see my kid to get the nipple in, and she gets too hot.
Post # 8

Member
1650 posts
Bumble bee
@mrsSonthebeach: I really didn’t like the previous Pope, but I find Francis to be a very open-minded and loving man. I’m not going back to the Catholic Church, but I do appreciate the fact that he is so focused on helping others and not judging them – which, if you read the Bible, is really what Jesus was reported to have talked about personally.
Post # 9

Member
239 posts
Helper bee
i’m not Catholic, and even tend to have lots of issues with it as a whole including the pope figure, but i like this dude. just don’t understand how his “blessing” makes things any different or why it was necessary. but, that is just me.
Post # 10

Member
937 posts
Busy bee
This pope is seriously turning things around for the Vatican. He’s VERY progressive. I love it.
Post # 11

Member
7904 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
- Wedding: March 2012 - Pelican Grand Beach Resort
@luvbug080688: It’s pretty helpful to have a major authority figure regarded as morally superior to the average person to say it’s perfectly moral and totally appropriate for a woman to feed her child when the baby needs it, even if they’re in the Sistene Chapel… makes feeding discretely in the mall look like NBD.
Post # 12

Member
1309 posts
Bumble bee
The Pope/Catholic Church has never been against public breast feeding. Where people get these ideas I don’t know! There is nothing for him to “OK” or “not OK.” There’s literally no change here.
In fact images of the Virgin Mary breastfeeding are traditional. If you go to Europe you will see them in churches and on altars…
Post # 13

Member
1309 posts
Bumble bee
@FleeSircus: see my above post. No changes here.
Post # 14

Member
937 posts
Busy bee
@Magdalena: Thank you for correcting me. That was a close one!
EDIT: Actually – come to think – you didn’t really correct me. I’m not sure what you were trying to do.
Post # 15

Member
294 posts
Helper bee
I love Pope Francis, he is such a wonderful spirit. He is what I would say a people’s pope, trying to be among the people. Remember when he touched and blessed the man who was covered in tumors.
His words and actions make me happy to see a man of God be there and listen to others.
Post # 16

Member
7904 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
- Wedding: March 2012 - Pelican Grand Beach Resort
@Magdalena: Then the reminder is helpful! If the position of the church did not need to be repeated often, there’d be no reason for most things the church does.