My point was that most Catholics don't take their cue from the Pope and don't live their lives by his teachings. I was questioning whether he really has any moral authority or if he just gets respect based on residual affection for the institution he represents (much like our monarchy).

JimHackerMP wrote:No worries :)

See that's what I mean, S., about the Church being more than the Pope. He is not necessarily an almighty dictator from on high, even if the title "Holiness" or "Supreme Pontiff" or "Chair of St Peter" would seem to justify that. It justifies it...not very well in fact.

I am pretty sure that is what Sass is saying.

Catholics in Africa, Asia and South America are more likely to follow all magesterium of the Church.
So don't discount the Pope's direct influence there. But even in Europe and North America where a majority may no longer accept in good conscience various teachings of the magisterium, Francis may hold sway with his teachings. Because he isn't holding the magesterium to be the Church.

Pope Francis has taken a different, and historically significant, tack, says the Rev. Drew Christiansen at Georgetown. For him, the beliefs of faithful Catholics ought to define the faith – at least as much as the hierarchy does.
“The faithful, considered as a whole, are infallible in matters of belief,” Francis told America magazine last year. “This church … is the home of all, not a small chapel that can hold only a small group of selected people

.

He may represent a fundamental change in the direction of the Catholic faith. Indeed Hacker, one day, it might be okay with the Church if gays have a sex life...

Well in the mean time, I won't wait for the Church to endorse what I'm already doing

I can see your point in that sense, S. But we do still give him more than "token" respect. But again, he's not a dictator from on high; popes haven't been like that to Catholics for well over a century or more.